Music Staff
First-Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, has long been a leader in the community of Lincoln with its diverse music program. The church and congregation give cheerfully to the community of these resources. First-Plymouth has always been aware of the important contribution music makes in the worship of God and has been a leader in this community in the making of beautiful music.
Tom Trenney, Minister of Music
Tom Trenney comes to First-Plymouth following seven seasons as Director of Music Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Michigan. While in Michigan, Tom led five choirs and served as founding artistic director of Many Voices...One Song, a community-wide music outreach organization not unlike Abendmusik. He holds degrees in Choral Conducting and Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, having studied with Anne Wilson, Todd Wilson, William Weinert, and David Higgs.
Tom has won national competitions in organ performance, becoming the first organist to win first prize and audience prize in the American Guild of Organists' National Competition in Organ Improvisation. Known for innovative performances and inspiring workshops, Tom is in frequent demand as a concert organist and church music clinician across America. He has performed for regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. Tom is represented by Karen McFarlane Artists Management, www.concertorganists.com. His CD recordings are available on the Pro Organo and Raven labels.
Tom and his partner, Brent Shaw, are grateful to begin their life together in Lincoln. Brent serves as Director of Music and Children's Ministries at First United Methodist Church in Lincoln.
Jeremy Bankson, Associate Minister of Music
Jeremy joined the staff of First Plymouth Congregational Church in August of 2007 as Associate for Music, and then served as Interim Minister of Music from July of 2008 – August 2009. As the Associate Minister of Music, he is now responsible for overseeing the First-Plymouth Chorale, Youth Orchestra, and Matin Singers. He also conducts the church’s resident professional brass ensemble, the Plymouth Brass. Jeremy also collaboratively works with the Plymouth Choir/Abendmusik Chorus and administers the Abendmusik: Lincoln Fine Arts Series. Together with Tom Trenney he shares in playing for various services and concerts.
Jeremy is a native Nebraskan who received his BM from UNL in 1997 and is currently working on a Masters in Choral Conducting. He was the Director of Music/Organist at St. John Lutheran Church in Beatrice, Nebraska for three years before moving to be the Associate Director of Music at Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1999.
Active as a composer/arranger, he has led workshops, clinics and hymn festivals for the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, American Guild of Organists, Leadership Program for Musicians, Augsburg Fortress and various other churches around the country. His compositions can be found in the catalogs of MorningStar Music Publishers, Augsburg Fortress Press and Concordia Publishing House.
Josh Norris, Administrative Director
Josh joins the Music Department Staff on a part time basis at First-Plymouth after working as the Director of Music for the Lutheran Center on the UNL Campus for three years. He is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting at UNL. Josh designs the bulletins for worship, and assists with administration of the music department and the Abendmusik: Lincoln Fine Arts Series.
Ruth Diedrichsen, Plymouth Ringers Handbell Choir Director
Ruth Diedrichsen began working with handbells as a ringer in 1975. She became director of handbells at First-Plymouth in 1982. She has served on the Nebraska handbell committee and Area VIII board. She has taught handbell related classes at state, area, and national handbell events. She has attended numerous national events and traveled to Europe twice with concert choirs. She is an accomplished solo ringer. She is a laboratory supervisor in the Animal Science Department at the University of Nebraska.
Kathie Johnson, Carilloneur, Plymouth Singers (Grades K-2)
