Music Staff
Dr. Jared Chase | Director of Music | musicdirector@pittsfordpres.org
Jared Chase is a professional conductor, trumpet performer, and professor of music on the faculty of Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. He studied music education and trumpet performance at the University of Colorado, Boulder before receiving his Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he studied trumpet performance and conducting. In addition to being the music director at Pittsford Presbyterian Church he is also the music director for the New York State Ballet and a frequent conductor for Rochester Lyric Opera. In addition to Nazareth College he has taught at the Eastman School of Music, Sinclair Community College, Central State University, Bethany College, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the public schools of Ohio and Colorado. For more information visit his website at www.jaredgchase.com
Dr. Bruce Frank | Associate Director of Music and Organist
Bruce Frank received his BM in Organ Performance and Music Theory from Oberlin College (1993), an MM in Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music (1996), and also an MA in Music Theory Pedagogy and a DMA in Organ Performance and Literature from Eastman (2006). He taught as a full-time non-tenure track Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the Eastman School from 2006-2008. Since 2008, he has served as a full-time lecturer in the University of Rochester’s Music Department (College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering), and as a part-time Instructor of Music Theory at Eastman. Prior teaching assignments include SUNY Geneseo (fall 1999), New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (2000-2005), and Instructor at Loyola University (2001-05).
Bruce Frank has performed with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra as a keyboardist, with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Opera Association, and as a keyboard player at various special musical events in the greater New Orleans area. He also appeared in the PBS American Experience production, George Eastman: The Wizard of Photography, as a performer on the Minnesota Public Radio series Pipedreams, and has given recitals at Oberlin and Interlochen, along with Rochester and Boston. Frank has served as organist of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, New York, since 2010, and has held positions at other churches in the Rochester area, in New Orleans, and in Bay Village, Ohio.
Dede Holmes | Director of Youth and Bell Choirs
Dede Holmes is a lifelong resident of Pittsford and an avid lover of art and music. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and Nazareth College and has directed the Children’s choirs at First Presbyterian since 1983. Though her degrees are in Art her love of music is at the forefront of her extra-curricular activities. She currently sings with the First Pres Chancel choir, Concentus Woman’s Chorus and 20 th Century Vox a vocal jazz quartet. Being involved with the children at First Pres has been the source of much joy over the years both in the Music room and on the Mission Field.