Music Resumé
Will Sherwood, 2016

Biography Paragraph

Director of Music & Organist at First Unitarian/Worcester for 30+ years, Will Sherwood is Principal Organist at Mechanics Hall, the Artistic Director for the Mechanics Hall Worcester Organ Concert Series, 2010-2018 Dean of Worcester AGO, and holds the Associate and Choirmaster AGO degrees. He has appeared in concert at Mechanics Hall, as well as guest artist with the Boston Pops, and on concert tour in Europe and the U.S. Most recently, he joined the Boston Pops for 39 performances during December 2016 for their Holiday Pops series. His musical styles embrace a wide range of genres from classical to jazz and new age with a creative and refreshing approach for composition and performance. For thirty years, he was a Sr. Engineering Manager at Intel (formerly Digital (DEC) ). Since corporate retirement, he is CTO & Owner of Sherwood Hosting, providing web hosting, web, graphic, & database design, and commercial photography. He is also a freelance jazz and classical pianist, and enjoys volunteering for non- profits, running, organic gardening, and preparing gourmet vegetarian cuisine.

Church Music Positions Held

1985-present: Director of Music & Organist
    First Unitarian Church, Worcester, MA
    Manage extensive music program including Artists in Residence, Music Sundays, Spring and Fall Concert Series

1980-1984: Interim Organist-Director positions:
    Bullfinch Church (Trinitarian/Unitarian) Lancaster, MA
    Needham Congregational Church, Needham, MA
    Pakachoag Congregational Church, Auburn, MA

1975-1980: Organist
    Sudbury United Methodist Church, Sudbury, MA

1965-1975: Organist or Organist-Director (while student):
    North Johnson City Baptist Church, University Baptist Church, Wilson Presbyterian Church

Current Organizational Positions
Principal Organist, Mechanics Hall
Artistic Director, Mechanics Hall Organ Series  2008-present  Produce 3-4 major concerts each year
Dean, Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists  2010-2018

Education
BSEE, MSEE Computer Engineering, Carnegie-Mellon University

AGO Guild Degrees
Associate (AAGO),  Choirmaster (ChM)

Organ Study
Donald Wilkins, Richard Webb, Barclay Wood, Brian Jones

Organ Performances
Concert (pipe organ) tours in the United States and Europe
Guest Soloist (Poulenc organ concerto) with Boston Pops

Choral Repertoire Performances
with Full Orchestra/Full Instrumentation: Mozart Requiem, Rutter Requiem, Rutter Gloria, Faure Requiem,
         Karl Jenkins Peacemakers,  Paul Winter et al. Missa Gaia
with Chamber Orchestra: Brahms Requiem, Lauridsen Lux Aeterna, Verdi/Berlioz/etc Requiem Excerpts,
         Pinkham Christmas Cantata, Schubert Mass in G, Haydn Masses,  Williams Rejoice in the Lamb

Prior Affiliations as Choral Director
Multiple seasons as Musical Director (orchestra/chorus) with Sudbury Savoyards and Maynard Savoyards
Interim Director of Music for Nashoba Valley Chorale (chorus with brass & chamber orchestra & organ)

CDs   (Producer, Director, Organist/pianist/synthesizer, Graphic Designer, Audio Editor)
Come, Let Us Sing (Classical church anthems)(www.firstumusic.com/CD)
Feel the Spirit (Gospel, Jazz)
Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) (Gospel, New Age, environmental music)
Christmas Memories (arranger & pianist)


Professional Membership
50+ year AGO member
UUMN Member

Workshops Taught, Articles Written
Various AGO, UUMN seminars and articles on topics such as organ & choral repertoire, running a church music program, AGO guild exams, pipe organ building (maintenance, etc.), "Care & Feeding of" church music volunteers, enthusiastic hymn arranging & service playing, technologies for church musicians.
2014 AGO National Convention Seminar on Time Management for Musicians.

Miscellaneous
Member of various AGO and other music-related boards and committees
Classical/Jazz pianist
Experience in pipe organ building and maintenance
Benefit concerts for homeless, and many other non-profit organizations