The Kemp Concert Series is a part of the music ministry of the First Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. 

Excellent musical ensembles from around the country appear on the series.  Concerts are presented free of charge as a service to the community.

The Kemp Concert Series is named in honor of John & Helen Kemp, icons in the world of church music. They came to First Presbyterian Church in 1949 and built a graded “cradle-to-grave” choir program which flourished well past their 1968 departure. John then became Executive Director of the Choristers’ Guild in Dallas followed by a second tour of teaching for both John and Helen at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. They returned to FPC for a period of three years (1983 - 1986) when John served again as Minister of Music. Well known for her soaring soprano voice, Helen sang many roles, particularly from the oratorio repertoire. Helen had a special expertise working with children’s voices, and even in her nineties she continued to work with children at music workshops and festivals. Their legacy includes five children, all of whom are musicians. John died in 1997, and Helen died in 2015.

We honor both of these gifted musicians and friends—an indelible part of the history of the First Presbyterian Church—with this concert series.

For more information about the Kemp Concert Series, email kempconcertseries@gmail.com or call the First Presbyterian Church at 405/525-6584.