Retired Lincoln University music professor Robert Mitchell will showcase original choral pieces this weekend at Grace Episcopal Church in Jefferson City.
Mitchell writes and performs choral compositions and arrangements, which include instruments like organ, piano, violin, flute and trombone.
"It's a feeling I have and I want to express myself through written music, so I compose," he said. "Just like anyone else who writes a novel or something, I want to do this to express myself."
Over the last several decades, Mitchell has written 20-30 compositions and arrangements.
He has performed some of these compositions at different churches, including Grace Episcopal Church, located at 217 Adams St.
He said even though he has arranged and composed music there before, he is looking forward to the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service.
During his 42 years of teaching at the university, he taught choral arrangement and started pursuing composing and arranging more because of that.
"I would have a vision, so I would just write examples," he said. "Then I kept writing examples and I said, 'Well, I might as well write something for myself,' and that's how I started doing arrangements."
While at Lincoln University, Mitchell founded the Lincoln University Vocal Ensemble and directed the university choir. LU later named the Robert and Charlene Mitchell Auditorium after him and his late wife.