Joey Fala

As Artist-in-Residence at First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Joey grows and develops worship ministry opportunities for young musicians in the church and Oak Hill School. In this threefold position, he supports musicians, builds up the body of Christ through the arts, and acknowledges and celebrates our church's location in Music City.

Joey comes alive most when leading worship through the gift of music and is excited to be at First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, serving alongside a congregation and staff that unabashedly proclaims the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Joey comes to Nashville from University Presbyterian Church on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus where he was Director of Music and grew the music ministry to include a university choral scholars initiative, sacred music internship, concert series, and chorister program.

A Honolulu native, Joey received his BArch and MS in architecture and lighting engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, before going on to pursue a MM in organ performance at Yale. After graduation, he moved to Durham, NC, where he served two years as organ scholar in residence at Duke University Chapel and met his wife-to-be in the vespers choir. Passionate about inspiring musicians of all ages to nurture their musical gifts, he has worked with chorister programs at the Episcopal Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Norwalk, CT, and has taught for New Haven public schools choral ensembles. As an organist, he has performed across the US, including at Washington National Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC, as well as for national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Organ Historical Society. Aside from music and architecture, Joey enjoys swimming, throwing pottery, and cooking with his wife, Sarah, a doctoral student at Duke Divinity School.