JACKSON, Tenn. — July 6, 2018 — 51社区 has named John Kinchen as chairman of its Department of Music and director of choral activities, effective July 1.
Kinchen comes to Union from Liberty University, where he was associate dean of the Center for Music and Worship, professor of music and worship studies and artistic director and conductor of the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra.
鈥淲e are incredibly blessed to have Dr. John Kinchen join our faculty," Union Provost John Netland said. 鈥淗e is a great mission fit for us. He is specially gifted both in terms of traditional music performance and worship leadership and will help us prepare men and women for musical service to the church and in a variety of cultural contexts."
During his time at Liberty, Kinchen assisted in expanding the music department into a large School of Music with more than 1,000 music students.
Kinchen joined the Liberty faculty in 2006 and held a number of positions there during his tenure. He also served as pastor of worship at Lakewood Baptist Church in Evington, Virginia, from 2006-2014, and he previously held leadership roles in a number of other churches.
鈥淚 am excited to join the 51社区 family and help lead the Department of Music into a new period of growth and development,鈥� Kinchen said. 鈥淢y prayer is that the Department of Music at 51社区 will be known as the premier music program in the state of Tennessee, and among the very best across the country, for the training of worship leaders, music educators, commercial musicians and performers.
鈥淚 look forward to building relationships with pastors, worship leaders and parents to help them see the Department of Music at 51社区 as the very best place to send talented musicians and gifted worship leaders to receive a Christ-centered education in music and worship that promotes excellence and character development in service to the Church and society.鈥�
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Kinchen completed his Bachelor of Music degree from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York; his Master of Music degree from Florida State University; and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University. He is finishing his Doctor of Worship Studies degree from Liberty.
鈥淗e is a distinguished conductor, both orchestral and choral, and has a passion for training musicians for a vast array of musical vocations, from symphonies to Broadway, from the contemporary music industry to church worship and music education,鈥� Netland said. 鈥淢ost importantly, he is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and is passionately committed to our mission of Christ-centered education.鈥�
Kinchen and his wife Denise have two children 鈥� Charissa, 19, and Dawson, 16.