On a Sunday morning in the late 1980s, it wouldn’t have been unusual to find 15-year-old Tom Marcaccini playing the organ at Cranberry United Church. Admittedly, he wasn’t a big fan of his first regular gig, and no matter how far his mind wandered between the hymns and scriptures he never once imagined he’d be back in a choir loft two decades later.
He probably didn’t foresee his childhood place of worship becoming the Otago Rugby Club either.
Things change though, and in 2011 Tom took on the position of music director at Manor Road United Church in Toronto. Since then, the classically-trained, clarinet-wielding father of two has fallen in love with the job, augmenting his list of talents to include composer, ukulele player and choirmaster.
He will return to Powell River on Sunday, July 12, for a free public performance, joined on stage by his wife Allison, brother Sam and sister-in-law Natalie. “I think it’s the first time the four of us have actually done this together,” he said. “The brothers and the spouses.”
All four are working musicians and busy parents. Tom is a schoolteacher by trade, Allison is the Children’s Ministry coordinator at Manor Road and Sam and Natalie are opera singers. The trip was initially intended to be a social visit with family, but Tom decided to approach Powell River United Church regarding the possibility of doing a benefit concert, suggesting that the ministry collect a free will offering in support of whichever area or activity needed it most. “They came back saying ‘you know what, we really need help for our music program’ and that they’d be excited to have us.”
The choir at Powell River United has been dwindling in numbers lately, according to church secretary Phyllis Brown. “We haven’t had rehearsals or anything like we used to on Thursday nights, but we’re going to start up again in September,” she said. Richard Olfert was recently appointed as musical director and the funds raised will be put toward the purchase of sheet music for the choir to sing. Brown articulated a perpetual need for male choristers as well—at least once the Marcaccini boys have headed back to their respective corners of the country.
Several surprises are in store for the family’s performance at 2 pm. “I wanted to look at how composers across the ages, from like 1650 to today, have approached different aspects of spirituality,” Tom said.
Classical pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach will be nestled alongside more contemporary selections including “old-timey Southern religious music,” songs from the soundtracks of two different Coen Brothers films, and the Blind Boys of Alabama’s version of “Amazing Grace,” sung in four-part harmony to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.”
“In my job at the [Manor Road] church I constantly look for music that catches you by surprise in terms of it having a spiritual message or a sacred message,” Tom explained. It’s a philosophy that will be put to good use this Sunday at the Powell River church as well.
“I think this is wonderful,” said Brown. “It’s a big opportunity for the congregation to hear Tom and the family. I’m looking forward to it too, because I remember them from when they were little. It’ll be awesome to see them again.”
“It’s kind of neat to be able to come back and support a church that once supported me,” Tom mused. “It’s kind of a full circle in a lot of ways.”
Songs of The Spirit will take place at Powell River United Church, 6932 Crofton Street, corner of Duncan Street and Michigan Avenue. For more information, readers may email [email protected].
