Elissa Zahn retires from 58 Years in church music

Posted 10/20/22

Local musician Elissa Zahn recently retired from her career as a professional church musician after 58 years. She started her career at 16 playing the organ at Canterbury Presbyterian Church on …

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Elissa Zahn retires from 58 Years in church music

Posted

Local musician Elissa Zahn recently retired from her career as a professional church musician after 58 years. She started her career at 16 playing the organ at Canterbury Presbyterian Church on Clinton Street in Cornwall. Her salary was a whopping $10 a week!
Over the years, Zahn served as Choir Director and Organist at the Cornwall United Methodist Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cornwall where she earned the title of Minister of Music.

Grace United Methodist Church (her most recent post) honored her retirement on Sunday, September 18 by having a special celebratory worship service and reception. Several colleagues surprised her by attending the events.

Over the years, Elissa played many concerts and worked with both youth and adult choirs. At Grace UMC, she organized local churches to perform in a series of concerts to benefit Newburgh’s Habitat for Humanity.