WINNSBORO — First United Methodist Church will host “Remembering Rachmaninoff” on Sunday, May 31, marking the third installment of the recently established Esther Jennings Baughman Memorial Concert Series.
The concert will begin at 4 p.m. in the church sanctuary, located at 109 W. College St. in Winnsboro. The performance will feature a wide variety of Rachmaninoff compositions performed by a collaborative group of Newberry College professors, students, and alumni, alongside local musicians.
Following the musical program, attendees are invited to view an exhibit of research findings, historical facts, and an array of memorabilia related to the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
The concert series was founded this year to honor the legacy of Esther Jennings Baughman, a mainstay of the Fairfield County musical community for decades. A graduate of Columbia College, Baughman served as the organist at First United Methodist Church for over 30 years, sitting at the bench of the Kegg Pipe Organ—an instrument that church officials say would not have been installed without her commitment.
Beyond her work at the church, Baughman was well known for establishing and directing the Fairfield County Christian Youth Choir. Under her leadership, the group recorded an album, traveled extensively, and became a cultural fixture in the lives of local youth.
Organizers say the memorial series was created to uphold Baughman’s belief that the church should continue its tradition of bringing the gift of music to the surrounding community.
The event is free and the public is invited to attend. For more information regarding the concert or the memorial series, visit Facebook.com/FirstUMCWinnsboro or call (803)635-4087.