First Congregational Church of Wareham, United Chirch of Christ will open its 2024 “Arts at the Stone Church” series on Sunday, February 18, at 11 Gibbs Avenue, Wareham. 

Tenor David Won and pianist Tim Steele will perform the works of Mark Hayes in a free concert, “You Raise Me Up,” at 3 p.m. Won and Steele will perform a range of traditional spirituals, Irish tunes and contemporary sacred songs such as “Steal Away,” “Marchin’ On Up,” “O Waly Waly” and “You Raise Me Up.” A casual reception will follow the performance. 

Arts at the Stone Church, named for the church’s stone exterior, partners with musicians, actors, poets, dancers, performers, scriptwriters, photographers, painters, printmakers, magicians, puppeteers, to introduce our Southcoast neighbors to one another and to a wide range of local and regional art.

Based in the Boston area, David Won has performed both in the US and internationally, including Dominican Republic, Malta, Italy, South Korea. And Taiwan. He has collaborated with numerous recognized performers and composers and as a chorister and soloist. David has performed about 150 full recitals including as featured soloist in the Great Mass in C Minor by Mozart with Chorus pro Musica and the New England Philharmonic.

Tim Steele is a voice coach, collaborative pianist, and conductor and on the opera faculty at New England Conservatory. He conducted tours with the Boston Lyric Opera and was music director for Opera Providence. He was conductor/pianist for over 180 operatic productions including with Opera Theatre of St Louis, Boston Lyric, and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Mark Hayes is an award-winning concert pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor of international renown who has published over 1,500 works and over 90 keyboard books ranging in style from gospel to classical to jazz to Broadway show tunes. He is a frequent guest conductor at Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall. Hayes wrote the musical score for “Civil War Voices”, which won 6 awards at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York City and orchestrated the hit musical, “Madame Buttermilk”.