Music
Music at First Baptist Greenville is a thriving ministry with an incredible level of talent.
Gifted musicians work with Children’s Choirs for those 3 years old through elementary school. Many students in our youth group not only sing in the
The Sanctuary Choir has had the honor of performing for national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. They have sung for Furman Church Music Conferences with guest conductors, Mack Wilberg, Andre Thomas

They have also traveled to sing in the Riverside Church in New York City, Duke Chapel in Durham, NC, and been invited to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. They have sung major choral and orchestral works
Dr. Vivian Hamilton
Minister of Music
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Dr. Vivian Hamilton conducts the Sanctuary Choir and is the primary planner for music in our worship services at First Baptist Greenville. An accomplished pianist as well as vocalist and conductor, Dr. Hamilton also conducts the Furman University Women’s Chorale and serves as a collaborative pianist on the music faculty of Furman University. Dr. Hamilton has been a singer in the Robert Shaw Institute Festival Singers where she had the opportunity to work with Robert Shaw and has studied conducting with Dan Lewis and Edvard Tchivzhel. She has worked with choirs at Simmons College, Emerson College, the University of South Carolina, Northeastern University and Clemson University. For twelve years, she conducted the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium Chorale and is a former president of the South Carolina American Choral Directors Association. Her choral conducting experience also includes work at Baptist and Methodist churches in Massachusetts and South Carolina, and in the public schools of Boston and upstate South Carolina. She has worked as a collaborative pianist in Boston, Massachusetts, and throughout South Carolina. Since 2022, she has been part of “A Thriving in Ministry,” a group supported by a Lilly Endowment grant and sponsored by Polyphony (an organization of church musicians) and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. This is an intentional community of pastoral musicians from across the country working to build and sustain collegial relationships that seek shared learning, best practices, and enhanced thriving in ministry in the field of church music. She received her doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting from the University of South Carolina, her
Kimberly Coates
Music and Worship Ministry Assistant
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Kimberly Coates has served as the Music

Charles Tompkins
Organist
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An active church musician throughout his career, Charles Tompkins returns to First Baptist as Organist in 2023, previously serving in the that role from 1997 to 2016. He has also served other churches in our area and as consultant for a number of outstanding organs, including Furman’s Hartness Organ, a 42-stop instrument by C.B. Fisk organ builders (Opus 121).
Charles Tompkins is recognized as one of America’s most outstanding organ teachers and concert organists. He is the Distinguished University Organist at Furman University, where he recently retired from full-time teaching. He continues to serve as Organ Accompanist for the Furman Singers and Chamber Choir and as Director of Furman’s Hartness Organ Recital Series.
A graduate of the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) and the University of Michigan, Tompkins is an active recitalist, performing at prestigious venues in both the United States and abroad every year. Recent international engagements have included recitals at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris and St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. He has performed at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Anglican Musicians, the Music Teachers National Association, and the College Music Society. His performances have also been broadcast nationally on American Public Media’s PIPEDREAMS radio program.
Youth
Vocare
Vocare is the vocal ensemble of youth in grades 6-12. They rehearse on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 before Youth Family activities begin at
Amy Joye
Music Associate
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Originally from Woodruff, SC, Amy grew up as a member of Woodruff First Baptist Church where her mother was Minister of Music and father was Choir Director. She graduated from Furman University in 1995 with
Upon moving back to Greenville in 2008, Amy joined First Baptist Greenville and became active in the Music Ministry here, serving as Junior Choir Director and singing in the Sanctuary Choir. She is a children’s choir curriculum author and has had music and materials published by Lifeway and Growing in Grace. She also created her own preschool church choir curriculum Sing, Play, Rejoice in God!
Amy is also an accomplished singer and performs with the Greenville Chorale, the Herring Chamber Ensemble and the South Carolina Bach Choir. Amy is the proud mother of Will Bailey, who is also an active musician and church member at First Baptist Greenville.
Children
Music for Children at First Baptist Greenville is an opportunity for our children to experience God’s love as they sing hymns and other songs of our faith, play instruments, and develop musical skills. In choir, our children will learn to praise God and lead others in worship, while building a strong musical foundation, so they can continue to participate in worship through music for the rest of their lives.
Children from 4 years old through 5th grade can participate in our Children’s Music Program on Wednesday evenings throughout the school year. The Choirs for Preschool (K4 & K5) and Elementary (Grades 1-5) meet on the B400 Hall as a part of our Children@First Wednesday Evening Program. After a brief gathering time at 5:30pm, children attend their age-specific music activities from 5:45-6:20pm and then Bible study, Mission and other activities from 6:25-7:00pm.
Bell Tower Ringers
Julie Treu has a long history of playing and directing handbells.
She joined First Baptist in 2016, coming from a local church where she directed five handbell choirs for 18 years. Here at FBG, she assisted with resurrecting the handbell ministry and was both the administrator and a ringer for the first few years until taking over as director in 2019. She also has participated in local handbell ensemble groups such as Carolina Bronze to make sure her “hands keep ringing!”
The Bell Tower Ringers ensemble handbell choir was born in the spring of 2016 and consists of 13-14 ringers, most of whom have many years of ringing experience, but some are without any but have a willingness to learn! New ringers are always welcome to join the sub list, with the anticipation of being first to be asked to permanently join the choir when positions open up. Rehearsals are on Sunday evenings, and the Bell Tower Ringers provide music for Sunday morning worship services throughout the year. Rehearsals are suspended during the summer months.

Music Series
Sunday, October 15, 3:00pm
Renowned trumpeter Ivano Ascari and organist Leonardo Carrieri will present a recital (Sanctuary). Come for worship at 10:30am to hear them then, too!
Sunday, December 10, 10:30am
FBG’s Sanctuary Choir accompanied by chamber orchestra will present The Peace and Joy of Christmas music service in celebration of the Second Sunday of Advent. (Sanctuary)
Sunday, December 17, 6:30pm
The Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols This service of scripture readings and music with congregational candle lighting is held to celebrate the season. (Sanctuary)
2024
Friday,February 9, 7:30pm
St. Olaf College Choir in Concert – ticketed event (Sanctuary)
Sunday, February 18, 3:00pm
Organist Charles Tompkins will present a recital in celebration of the 40th anniversary of our Cavant organ. (Sanctuary).
Sunday, April 21, 10:30am
FBG’s Sanctuary Choir accompanied by chamber orchestra will present a service of music. (Sanctuary)
Sunday, April 28, 3:00pm
Greenville Chorale Concert (Sanctuary) – ticketed event
Latest News
Music Ministry
You Belong in Our Music Ministry
This year, we are inviting every person and family to find a sense of community in our Music Ministry when our choirs resume in mid-August. Our Sanctuary Choir needs more singers to join with us in singing in our worship services and in special seasons of the year...
Belonging: Music
Music has always been a vital part of our worship services and ministries here at First Baptist. This year, we are inviting every person and family to find a sense of belonging in our Music Ministry when our choirs resume in mid-August. A choir that sings sacred songs...
Guest Ringers and Singers
On Sunday, May 28, we are happy to welcome the Youth Choir and Youth Handbell Choirs from Apex UMC (Apex, NC) as our guest musicians for our 10:30am worship service. These 28 6th-12th graders and their leaders are visiting First Baptist Greenville as a part of their...
Charles Tompkins Is New Organist
On June 1, Dr. Charles Tompkins will begin work here as our new organist. Charles is a brilliant musician and highly respected colleague who will be a tremendous asset in our Music Ministry staff. He is a world class organist who has shared his gifts with the...
Finding Community Through Music
In February of 2020, I attended a professional conference sponsored by Polyphony, a fellowship of pastoral musicians. Over the past two years, even during the height of a pandemic when our church was closed for in-person services and choirs and congregations did not...
A Child Shall Lead Them: Worship Arts Camp 2023
$50 per camper, lunch provided each day, scholarships available All children 4 years old through 5th grade are invited to join us for a week of fun and worship arts! We will enjoy Bible Study, art projects, Music, Worship Elements, and more together for a week that...
Singing
One of my favorite things is hearing our congregation and choir singing together in our Sanctuary. Whether it is a festive, joyful hymn or a lyrical prayer song, it is uplifting. In her book Imperfect Harmony—Finding Happiness Singing with Others, Stacy Horn writes...
Dedication Service and Recital for New Concert Grand Piano
On Sunday, January 12, 2020, our morning worship service will include a dedication of the new Steinway concert grand piano for our Sanctuary. Dr. Robert Blocker, Dean of the Yale School of Music, will be here as guest artist for the dedicatory piano recital at 3:00pm...
Rustlings (December 2, 2019)
Several Christmases ago, a semi-chaotic crowd of dissimilarly musically trained individuals got together to bring us our inaugural First on Main concert. For weeks, the motley crew of musicians gathered in the Fellowship Hall selecting songs, transposing keys,...
Summer Music Services 2019
The first two Sundays in August will be summer music services when we are hosting the Furman Singers Alumni Choir on August 4 and guest singer-songwriter Pat Terry on August 11. Jim Dant will be the speaker during both of these services. On August 4, alumni from the...
Sanctuary Choir Sing & Sips: Come Mingle!
Summer is here! It’s time to have a little fun… and we want you to join members of the Sanctuary Choir for our summer socials! Each summer, the Sanctuary Choir hosts three “Sing and Sip” Soirées. Because the choir is off from regular rehearsals...
Herring Church Music Intern Awarded
For the past two years, during his junior and senior years at Furman University, Bergsvein Toverud served as the Herring Church Music Intern here at FBG. He also served as a Herring Choral Scholar here during his freshman and sophomore years in college. At...
June 23
10:30AM SANCTUARY | 6:00PM FERNWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH DINING ROOM Ryan Madora, bass guitarist, and her husband, singer-songwriter Craig Haller, will provide music in our morning worship service then travel to Fernwood Baptist in Spartanburg for an evening coffeehouse...
Save the Date for Summer Music Sunday
AUGUST 11 | 10:30AM SANCTUARY (LUNCH CONCERT TO FOLLOW)/ 6:00PM FERNWOOD BAPTIST PAT TERRY Pat Terry will be our guest for Summer Music Sunday, singing during morning worship and giving a lunch concert. Then he will go to Fernwood Baptist for an evening coffeehouse...
The Celebration Singers
TUCKER FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | TUCKER, GEORGIA Sunday, June 2, at 10:30am the Celebration Singers, a 47-voice youth choir from Tucker First United Methodist Church (UMC) will provide the music for our worship service. The choir of Senior High and Middle School...