Winter 2024 Choir School News

Choir School NEWS A NEWSLET TER FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL

WINTER 2024

Tour and Bicentennial Reflections

MOTHER ALISON TURNER, CHAPLAIN AND THEOLOGY FACULTY

It felt like the fall term had hardly begun before we woke up early on October 2 ready to fly South for an exciting musical adventure.

This was the first tour for some of our newer choristers, and a particularly special one for all of us as it was the first full choir tour since 2019.

The settings for each of our concerts in Sarasota, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Atlanta, Georgia were stunning, with supportive

Onstage at the historic Ryman Auditorium, Nashville

and enthusiastic audiences at each location.

Each of the host congregations—St. Boniface in Sarasota, St. George’s in Nashville, and Peachtree Road United Methodist in Atlanta, showed us great hospitality, providing generous meals and snacks in between rehearsals. The concerts were wonderfully directed by Dr. Jeremy Filsell and accompanied by our Associate Organist, Mr. Nicolas Haigh. continued >>

Tour and Bicentennial Reflections | MOTHER ALISON TURNER continued >>

Beach Time in Sarasota

Particularly striking was the number of people who attended these concerts because they feel deeply connected to Saint Thomas Church and Choir School, not only when they visit New York City, but also each week via the livestream. They all share a love of liturgy and music, and form part of the expanding group to whom the clergy say ‘Welcome to those of you who are joining us around the world’ at each sung service. For our older students, briefly meeting these members of the audience was a highlight of the tour. As our Deputy Head Chorister, William L., shared, “It was impressive to hear about the impact our music has on peoples’ lives.”

Throughout the Choir Tour we also had many opportunities to experience the unique food, culture and sites of each location, including the white sandy quartz beach on Siesta Key in Sarasota, where the vast sunny open space was welcoming for swimmers, sand diggers and kite flyers alike. Our time in Nashville was

In concert at St. George’s, Nashville

En route from Sarasota to Nashville

imbued with the sound of country music which could be heard in the streets from the crack of dawn. The boys also had the unique opportunity to sing in the renowned Ryman Auditorium, where many of country music’s biggest stars made their names in show business.

One of the most moving visits was to the King Center in Atlanta, which honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with exhibits related to his life and work. King’s vision for equal opportunity and human dignity, and his call for justice, continue to echo in and around the grounds of the Center, where he and his beloved wife are laid to rest. This reflective visit immersed us all in a sense of radical history that connected our students’ experience with their work in Social Justice class.

The boys were excellent ambassadors for the school throughout the tour, and a great complement to the work of Mr. Christopher Seeley, Head of School, and the admissions team who paid visits to parishes and schools as part of the outreach component of the tour.

The tour was a springboard for multiple other musical events, which were to swiftly continue the following weekend. The bicentennial celebrations of Saint Thomas Church, celebrated on October 12–15, included an orchestral Mass with at least seven Bishops in attendance; a stunning concert featuring works of composers with close ties to Saint Thomas including several former Directors of Music as well as Choir School alumnus Trevor Weston ’81, alumnus and current gentleman of the choir Daniel Castellanos ’09, and current student Arthur L. ’25; the debut of a musical grace written by Dr. Filsell at the bicentennial gala, and other special Choir School gatherings. And there is more to come as the bicentennial year has only just begun!

2 | Choir School NEWS | A NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | WINTER 2024

My First Full Choir Tour

During the Fall 2023 tour, the Sain t Thomas Choir of Men and Boys went to Sarasota, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. We all went to a nearby beach in Sarasota, Florida. As we approached the coas t, we immediately took off our shoes and felt the warm sand between our toes. The sand was completely white, just like on a snowy day.

Once we decided on our beach spot, we unpacked our backpacks and jumped straight into the water. It was super salty, but the water was surprisingly warm.

The purpose of the tour was to spread our singing gifts to other states.

I love seeing the audience in the pews interacting with our music through their eyes and smiles. I enjoyed the conversations with the people at tending the concert at the differen t receptions. My friends and I talked about how much we love singing in choir.

One of my favorite complimen ts I heard on tour was “Hearing this choir is such a blessing,” and I truly believe that statement.

—IAN K., Grade 5

Notes on Tour: Calvin Wentling ‘10, History Faculty iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, walked down Broadway on a Friday to hear rockabilly music blaring out of every honky tonk we passed, and we all packed on some pounds between a Tennessee lunch at Puckett’s and a Cheesecake Factory dinner.

After stopping for lunch at a Cracker Barrel in Chattanooga, we arrived in Atlanta in time for a dip in the hotel pool. Our visit the following day to The King Center was a powerful experience.

Students spent the morning reflecting on the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., seeing his childhood home and church, and learning about his leadership and nonviolent resistance to racial segregation.

Mini golf in Sarasota

The October Tour was a whirlwind of travel, rehearsal and performance, eating, and exploring! As an alum-turned-faculty member, this wasn’t my first tour with the choir, but it was my first as a chaperone. As such, I had a special opportunity to help create experiences for the boys that would become cherished memories.

Though traveling and teaching young boys how to travel can be stressful, I quickly came to appreciate the careful planning and fastidious work of all those who organized and helped lead this trip.

Each day brought its own adventure. We hit the beach in Sarasota, went mini golfing, and had a fun time learning about turn-ofthe-century circus life at the Ringling Museum. We toured the

Of course, this was all a blast, but the real treat for me was to attend all three of the concerts and to see and hear the boys come into themselves as performers. It was impossible to witness Parry’s “Hear My Words, Ye People” (the final piece in the program) rendered by this choir without being deeply affected. The agility and sensitivity of their singing delighted audiences and their politeness and professionalism at each reception helped create some life-long fans.

Finally, none of this would have been possible without the gracious hospitality of the St. Boniface, St. George’s, and Peachtree Road United Methodist communities who so warmly welcomed us and the many, many people who pitched in to make this October Tour one to remember. Thank you all!

SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | www.choirschool.org | 3

The Saint Thomas Church Bicentennial Celebration TREVOR WESTON ‘81

For most STCS alumni, memories of our time as students usually center around our time in school. While our participation in services and concerts was an incredibly important part of our experience, our time at the Church was spent largely in the choir stalls. Years ago, I met a cellist, Francesca McNeely, who grew up at Saint Thomas Church and attended Sunday School classes. I think this was the first time I encountered someone who spent their childhood at Saint Thomas Church, but not as a choirboy!

As choristers, we were not always aware of the impact we had on the larger church community. At the recent Bicentennial gala, held in the beautiful University Club and complete with a stylish swing era jazz band, parishioners shared, in a touching video, their deep appreciation for Saint Thomas and its importance in their lives. Hearing these heartfelt testimonials, it occurred to me that I had not until now been able to appreciate these perspectives. The gala celebrated, for me, the connection between the musical legacy and congregational experience of Saint Thomas in a powerful way.

Alumni gather at the Friends of Music reception prior to the Bicentennial concert

Chris Seeley, Head of School, and Trevor Weston, ‘81, at the Bicentennial gala

Choir School students sing Grace before dinner at the Bicentennial gala 4 | Choir School NEWS | A NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | WINTER 2024

Bicentennial Fashion Project MAGGIE HOLLAND, ART FACULTY

The small class sizes at Saint Thomas Choir School give us a special opportunity for more open-ended art projects. For this year’s Family Visiting Days, each student designed and styled their own “outfit of the future.” We used Saint Thomas’s bicentennial as our guiding theme, with each student envisioning what someone their age might wear two hundred years from now. Before looking to the future, we studied fashions from the early 1800s and saw how quickly styles evolved. Students observed that while many aspects of fashion are cyclical, technological advances like the sewing machine and development of synthetic fabrics have allowed for our current fashions and shaped how we envision our sartorial future.

Once they had an idea of what their future might look like, students set out to design a garment and reconfigure pieces of their current wardrobe to depict the ways in which some aspects of fashion may be maintained, with only the addition of a laser shield or the giant socks of the 2200s.

Their biggest challenge was figuring out how to bring these imagined garments to life. Some students opted for hot glue and foam, while others chose hand sewing and fabric.

Some of the “outfits of the future” created by our students, clockwise from top left: Christian G., Grade 8; William P., Grade 6; Allan L., Grade 5; William L., Grade 8

One of our goals for art class this year is taking larger risks and embracing silliness, giving students room to surprise themselves. What starts as a fun exercise may become the avant-garde fashion of the future, or it may simply become the

confidence needed to reattach a button or mend a hem. My hope is that our students come to respect the expertise and labor behind all of our clothing and view designing and tailoring as an attainable skill.

Another successful Messiah at Saint Thomas Church: (Left) Will H., Grade 8, sings “How Beautiful are the Feet.”; (Right) Before the performance, students review their parts SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | www.choirschool.org | 5

SAVE THE DATE CHORISTER FOR A DAY

FEBRUARY 24, 2–5 p.m.

Boys in grades 2–6 and their families are invited to visit the Choir School for an afternoon in the life of a chorister, including a tour of the school, Q&A with administration and current parents, and participation in an Evensong service.

For more information, scan here.

CONFERENCE FOR CHOIRMASTERS AND ORGANISTS

APRIL 17–19 This annual event provides participants with a distinctive three-day grounding in the Saint Thomas music schedule.

Featuring guest clinician Philip Moore, Composer and Organist Emeritus, York Minster.

For more information, scan here.

SAINT THOMAS GIRL CHORISTER COURSE

JULY 20–28 This intensive choral experience for girls ages 11–18 includes a week of choral rehearsals and services, music history and theory classes, private vocal coaching, and outings to various sights around the city.

For more information, scan here.

Holy Week Services at Saint Thomas Church The boys of the choir sing only at select services during Holy Week; see their schedule below. For a complete Holy Week calendar, visit saintthomaschurch.org/events.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 | PALM SUNDAY

11 a.m. The Liturgy of the Palms and Solemn Eucharist of the Passion 4 p.m. Solemn Evensong

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 | MAUNDY THURSDAY

5:30 p.m. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 | GOOD FRIDAY

5:30 p.m. The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion SATURDAY, MARCH 30 | HOLY SATURDAY

5:30 p.m. The Great Vigil, Baptism, and First Eucharist of Easter

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 | EASTER SUNDAY

8 a.m. Procession and Solemn Eucharist

11 a.m. Procession and Solemn Eucharist 3 p.m. Solemn Evensong and Procession

If you haven’t been here in a while, please get in touch as we would be delighted to welcome you back!

6 | Choir School NEWS | A NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | WINTER 2024

Alumni updates here

Alumni News & Notes

ALUMNI THANKSGIVING 2023 Recent alumni returned to the Choir School for the annual Thanksgiving dinner and basketball game. In a heated contest, the alumni won a narrow victory over the current students and faculty.

We're already looking forward to next year!

IN MEMORIAM

KEITH DEWAR ‘82 died in October at the age of 54 of colon cancer.

His sister Jenny writes, “Keith was a sweet soul who found a home at Saint Thomas Choir School and later sent his daughter Olivia there to sing with the girls’ choir. He is also survived by his son Anders. He had lifelong friendships from Saint Thomas because it was such a special place.”

ALUMNI UPDATES

ANDREW JONES ’10 has been working as an Aerodynamics Engineer at The Boeing Company since 2022. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2018, he worked in IT consulting before taking a few years in Taiwan to learn Mandarin Chinese. Andrew kept singing after STCS, and is currently a bass staff singer at Epiphany Parish of Seattle.

BENJAMIN FERRIBY ’12 was invited to join David Hill, a lifelong friend of John Scott, and the Yale Schola Cantorum for David's farewell concert and UK tour. The ensemble will sing J.S. Bach‘s B minor Mass, a piece that Benjamin sang as a treble with John and now has the privilege of singing with David. He has recently accepted the bass choral scholar position at Canterbury Cathedral and will begin the term in September 2024.

RICHARD PITTSINGER ’13 recently completed a masters degree at Juilliard, after studying in their pre-college and bachelor degree programs. Richard is now a freelance opera singer living in New York City.

Benjamin and Richard recently came for lunch and a walk down memory lane at the Choir School, catching up with NOEL PATTERSON ‘13, current residential life faculty.

Benjamin and Richard visited the Choir School in November and caught up with their former classmate, faculty member Noel Patterson ’13

JONATHAN BOLENA ’20 will return to Saint Thomas Church on Sunday, April 28 to perform an organ recital on the Sunday Recital Series following evensong. He hopes to see many familiar faces in the audience.

SAINT THOMAS CHOIR SCHOOL | www.choirschool.org | 7

Calendar of Events

Contact Us

All events take place at Saint Thomas Church unless otherwise specified.

For complete information regarding the details of events and services, please refer to saintthomaschurch.org/events or choirschool.org.

Saint Thomas Choir School 202 West 58th Street New York, NY 10019

FRIDAY, FEB. 2 | 5:30 p.m.

Candlemas, Solemn Eucharist

212.247.3311 | www.choirschool.org

FRIDAY, MAR. 1 Alumni gathering, Boston

Christopher Seeley, Head of School

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14 | 12 & 5:30 p.m. MAR. 6–9 Solemn Liturgy of Ash Wednesday Admissions exhibit at Episcopal Parish Network FEB. 22–24 Conference, Houston Admissions exhibit at NJ

FEB. 28–MAR. 2 Admissions exhibit at American Choral Directors’ Eastern Regional Conference, Providence

Connect

THURSDAY, MAR. 21 | 7:30 p.m.

Rachmaninoff and Poulenc concert

MAR. 24–31 Holy Week at Saint Thomas Church (See page 6 for schedule of services)

APR. 17–19 Choirmasters’ Conference

For news & events, visit our website Scan

(See page 6 for details)

Saint Thomas Choir School

ChoirSchoolNYC

stcs_girlscourse

Saint Thomas Choir School

Saint Thomas Church Saint Thomas Choir School 202 West 58th Street New York, NY 10019

(See page 6 for details)

admissions@choirschool.org

212.247.3311 www.choirschool.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 25 Chorister for a Day

Margaret White, Assistant Director of Enrollment

Do you know a boy who loves to sing?

FEB. 23–25 Admissions exhibit at MD Music Educators’ Conference, Baltimore

MAR. 21–22 Admissions exhibit at MA Music Educators’ Conference, Worcester

www.choirschool.org

Music Educators’ Conference, Atlantic City

Nora Thomson, Director of Outreach and Enrollment