Who We Are - Our Staff

:: Our Staff ::

Eric R. Riley
Director of Music & Organist
As Director of Music at First Church, Eric is responsible for the various music programs of the church. He personally conducts the Chancel Choir and Chancel Ringers (Bell Choir). He has held similar positions in churches in New York State, Virginia and Tennessee. Eric holds the Master of Church Music degree
in organ and choral conducting from Scarritt Graduate School of Vanderbuilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and the Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

In the Summer of 2001, Eric made his first European performance trip, performing solo organ concerts in Perugia and Assisi, performing chamber music for the "Festival of Two Worlds" in Spoleto, and accompanying the University of Akron Concert Choir in concerts throughout the Umbrian region of Italy for "Corofest Umbria".

In 1993 Eric was a finalist in the Fort Wayne National Organ Performance Competition (Indiana) and a finalist in the first Naples International Organ Competition (Florida). The same year he won Second Prize in the Flint International Organ Competition (Michigan). He is also a past winner of the Arthur Poister Memorial Scholarship Competition in Syracuse, NY and a prize- winner in several local and regional AGO competitions.

In addition to his church position, Eric is Associate Artistic Director and staff accompanist for the Canton Civic Opera Association in Canton, Ohio. A former pipe organ builder/technician, Eric's expertise in this area has been invaluable to the maintenance and care of First Church's 5,000 pipe organ of about 80 ranks.

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