Do You Remember? by Chris Nemec

Bach’s B Minor Mass with the New York Philharmonic and Maestro Kurt Masur.

As an organist, Chris performed at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign for the 1994 International Trumpet Guild; was the featured soloist by the Memphis chapter as the American Guild of Organists celebrated its centennial in April 1996, playing J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in d as part of the "World’s Largest Organ Recital"; appeared on ABC-TV on Easter Sunday, 1996 sponsored by the National Council of Churches; and played at National City Christian Church (the Disciples of Christ’s national cathedral) in Washington D.C. in 1999 and 2000.

Chris has served as associate conductor-accompanist of The Gary Beard Chorale since its inception in August 1987, appearing in concerts at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, The Spoleto Festival (1992, 1994, 1997) and Europe (Vienna, Austria and Melk.) Additionally, since 1983 he has served as Organist-Music Administrator, Director of Children’s and Youth Music and Producer of Lindenwood Concerts. He teaches piano, organ and voice in the Lindenwood Studio of Music. He is the staff accompanist for the West Tennessee Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

Chris has performed for numerous industrial shows including Federal Express, ServiceMaster, Merry Maids, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, WONDERS: The International Cultural Series, and more.

Chris has orchestrated over 200 titles, usually for performance by the Chorale or The Lindenwood Chancel Choir. His first international orchestration was in 1988 for soprano saxophonist/composer Anders Paulsson of Sweden.

Chris’ 2003 calendar included performances in St. Louis, Houston, Tallahassee, Birmingham, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Columbus, MS, and or course the greater Memphis area. His 2004 calendar was as varied and full, including five performances at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, MS in October, as Music Director for "Clue -The Musical" murder mystery for the second year.

One of Chris’ love is playing cocktail-style piano, something he has done since age fourteen for wedding receptions, parties, Christmas events, church functions and more. In 2003, Chris began a three-part series of CD recordings: "Do You Remember? – The Piano Stylings of Chris Nemec" draws upon a pool of repertoire Chris has used countless times over the years. His 2nd CD, "The Very Best Time of Year" is music for the holidays, and his latest CD, "Simply Delicious", is music for dinner. The CD’s are available at area stores and can also be ordered from this web site.

An exciting new adventure for Chris began with a commission of a choral-symphonic work, with text from the Old Testament book of Joshua, to be used in a documentary about NASA's Shuttle Columbia STS-107. The world premiere of the documentary, titled OF Good Courage, will be September 23, 2006 in South Padre Island, TX as part of the South Padre Island Film Festival. On February 1, 2003, as Columbia was re-entering the earth's atmosphere, it exploded over Sabine County, Texas, a rural community on the Texas-Louisiana border. The documentary will tell the stories of the local residents and their recovery of debris and bodies of the seven astronauts. These heroic citizens refused to accept compensation for any of their services (rather feeling this was their duty) from housing hundreds of searchers from neighboring counties, to feeding over three thousand hot meals daily to the recovery personnel. Click on the link "Be Strong" on his web page to read more of this incredible story, listen to the commissioned music, and find out more information about renting the entire work (for symphony, chorus and narrator) for performance.

Other recent distinctions for Chris has been the inclusion in the 2007 listing of “Who’s Who in America”, the upcoming premiere of several choral compositions, and his teaching of “The Artist’s Way” class in October, 2007 for 12 weeks.

Calendar for Chris Nemec – Fall 2006

September. 10 – 11am – Homecoming Sunday with The Lindenwood Chancel Choir, The King’s Choir and String Orchestra, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

October 1 – 11am – concert organist Mark Thallander in concert with Chris Nemec and the Lindenwood Chancel Choir, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

October 9 – 6:15pm – “The Artist’s Way” class begins for six consecutive Monday nights, Lindenwood Christian Church. (resumes January 22 for six more weeks.)

October 12 – 7:30pm - St. George’s Antiques Arcade – promotion of CD’s “Do You Remember?”, “Simply Delicious” and “The Very Best Time of Year”, St. George’s Episcopal Church, Germantown, TN

October 19 – 2:00pm – Southern College of Optometry – recognition of students and receiving of white coats, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

October 21 – 6pm – Golden wedding, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

October 28 – 6pm – Cohorn wedding with strings, brass and singers, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

November 8 – noon – Calvary and the Arts presents The Gary Beard Chorale, Calvary Episcopal Church, Second and Adams Streets.

December 9 – 6pm – Rosenbaum wedding - Lindenwood Christian Church Chapel.

December 9 – 7:30pm – “The Christmas Spectacular 2006!” with The Lindenwood Chancel Choir, Orchestra, Soloists, and The Gary Beard Chorale. Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

December 24 – 5pm – Family Christmas Eve Service - Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

December 24 – 10:30pm – Caroling by the Laudate! Reunion Choir in the Candle-lit Grand Foyer, Lindenwood Christian Church.

December 24 – 11pm – Service of Lessons and Carols, The Lindenwood Chancel Choir, Laudate, and trumpeter Ryan Anthony, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golighyly Memorial Pipe Organ.

December 30 – 7pm – Campany wedding, Lindenwood Christian Church & The Golightly Memorial Pipe Organ.

Do You Remember?

Chris Nemec

Self-released

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On his cocktail-jazz CD "Do You Remember?," pianist Chris Nemec offers gentle, sweetly played stylings of many a standard and classic, from Misty and I Left My Heart in San Francisco to Can't Help Loving That Man of Mine and Summertime (which is so haunting a tune, it works in just about any setting). Nemec brings his own graceful personality to the proceedings as well as an unexpected adaptation or two, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's Memory from Cats and Did I Remember? from the 1936 Jean Harlow/Cary Grant film Suzy. If you're in the mood, Nemec has quite the svelte touch. He holds a CD release party from 6-8p.m. Thursday at Amro Music Recital Hall, 2918 Poplar Ave.

- Bill Ellis

The Commercial Appeal

As we were working at our computer, we picked up a CD and loaded in the player.

The CD was one by local Memphian and professional musician Chris Nemec, entitled "Do You Remember?" The first thing to come to our mind was a dinner party and this music playing in the background – beautiful, soft, relaxing piano accompaniment to an enjoyable evening. And even though we weren’t at a dinner party but working at our computer, we kept on listening all the way through because it was so soothing and good, very good.

Whether you are entertaining friends or just want to set a romantic mood, this is the CD to do it with.

-Anita Moyt, managing editor

Family and Friends

June 2005

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