Henry Sgrecci is joining the SVUUC staff as Choir Director after a lengthy career as a professional musician. Following graduation from Ithaca College with a bachelor’s degree in music he joined The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” in Washington, DC as a trumpeter. With fulfilling roles performing Taps for high level funerals and wreath laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown, marching in inaugural parades, announcing concerts and becoming the Enlisted Director of The Army Brass Band, Sgrecci retired at the rank of Sergeant Major.
Sgrecci earned his doctoral degree in conducting from The Catholic University of America. Following his military retirement, he served several years as Orchestra Director at the former T.C. Williams High School. For more than fifteen years he led the talented teen musicians of the Washington Metropolitan Youth Orchestra as its Music Director. In 2020 Sgrecci retired from an extremely fulfilling eleven-year tenure as Director of Music at Cedar Lane UU Church in Bethesda, Maryland where he led a forty-member vocal choir, two handbell choirs, youth and children’s choirs and produced a concert series.
Growing up on a dairy farm in Watkins Glen, New York, the draw of the land never left this country boy. In June of 2020 Henry and his wife Susan purchased a 14-acre neglected pasture field west of Winchester, built a house, cleared a lot of invasive Autumn Olive and Ailanthus trees, and began their renewed love of the country. Henry enjoys growing Bloody Butcher heirloom corn and all things to do with auto racing. Their daughter, Molly, is a strings teacher in the Fairfax County School System and son, Michael, is a horn player with the Boseman, Montana Symphony Orchestra.
Singers who are high school age and older are welcome to join the choir to experience the joys of making music together and developing lasting friendships.
