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Staff

Mario Martinez, Music Director

marioMario Martínez serves as Coordinator of Vocal Studies at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, teaching voice, vocal pedagogy and song literature. As Coordinator of Vocal Studies, Martínez has created and developed innovative programs and has taught at the State University of New York (SUNY), College at Fredonia, and at the Eastman School of Music Community Education Division.

Martínez is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), and was selected to participate in the prestigious NATS Intern Program in 2003. Martínez also served as On-Site Coordinator for the 2005 NATS Intern Program, and is currently Vice-President for the NATS-CNYFL Regional Chapter.

In August 2005, he was invited as guest conductor for the National Choir’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in his native country, the Dominican Republic, where he often returns as an art consultant for the Secretary of Culture and the General Office of Fine Arts.

Martínez was recently appointed Music Director at the Penfield Presbyterian Church in Penfield, New York. He serves the music program as director of Chancel choir, bell choir and co-ordinates instrumental music.

Randall Harlow, Organist

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Randall Harlow studied the piano from a young age with Nancy Wheeler and, later, organ with David York. University studies have taken him to Bloomington, Indiana and Atlanta, Georgia. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree and Performer Diploma from Indiana University, where he studied organ with Christopher Young, as well as a Master of Music degree from Emory University, under the tutelage of Timothy Albrecht.

An avid traveler, Randall has done summer studies four times at the Calgary Organ Academy International Summer School in Canada, three times at the Oundle Organ Academy in Oundle and Cambridge, England, and twice at the Göteborg International Organ Academy in Sweden. His recent international performances include recitals at cathedrals in England as well as the Festival of Organ and Chamber Music in Sochi, Russia.

As a performer, Randall maintains an intense focus on contemporary music. He has given the world premieres of organ works by Steve Everett, John Anthony Lennon, and Kaikhosru Sorabji. Additionally, he has given premieres in the United States of works by Stephen Ingham and Sven-David Sandstöm. His recent United States premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's monumental organ work "Himmelfahrt," the First Hour of KLANG, won the great attention and praise of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Also an avid performer with orchestra, Randall has performed under the batons on Carl St. Clair, John Poole, Imre Paulo, and Richard Prior, including the American premieres of organ concertos by Petr Eben, Tilo Medek, and Giles Swayne. On the lighter side, he enjoys good films, good food, philosophy, and the outdoors, especially the far North. He is in the doctoral program at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Hans Davidsson.

He became organist for the Penfield Presbyterian Church music program in September '06.

Susan Frelier, Church Secretary

 

Bob Kaiser, Part-time Temporary Supply Pastor

Bob was the pastor of Gates Presbyterian Church in suburban Rochester for 22 years. Since retiring in 1998 he has served part-time in seven churches, which were going through times of transition or conflict.  He is a graduate of Gettysburg College and Union Theological Seminary in NYC.  He was a Methodist pastor for 6 and a half years and served two churches near Cornell.

In 1965 he was called to a church in the Albany Presbytery.  Spencertown was on the edge of the Berkshires and served weekenders from NYC as well as natives. In 1970 he moved to Little Falls, an industrial city in the Mohawk valley and then came to Gates in 1976.
Bob, a former moderator of the Presbytery, is a member of the Committee on Ministry and chairs the Commissioned Lay Pastor oversight committee. He also serves as chair of the Presbytery Advocacy Committee. Marilyn and Bob have led several mission trips to Mexico and Latin America. The Kaisers live in North Chili and have four children and eight grandchildren