Music Ministries Report

Szymon Czerniak, David Lecuyer and Noah Alden Hardaway are all students of Irish pianist and teacher John O’Conor, chair of the piano department at Shenandoah. Their performances were well received.

On the first Sunday of Lent, the Shenandoah Conservatory Choir joined us for a beautiful service of Choral Evensong, directed by Dr. Matt Oltman. Dr. Steven Cooksey and the choir of St James Episcopal Church, Leesburg combined with our choir for another Choral Evensong in October. On Good Friday, our noon service centered around the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross, with music by our section leaders Our Trinity Choir also sang a lovely service of Advent Lessons and Carols on the Sunday before Christmas. The choir also sang for several memorial services and even one wedding in 2020.

Austrian concert organist Lukas Hasler visited Trinity on his American concert tour in February and played an outstanding organ recital to honor the memory of Hurst K. Groves, a great organ music lover and fundraiser to help complete the refurbishment of our beautiful Aeolian-Skinner organ. Lukas made quite an impression on all who attended. In fact, we invited him to come back in the fall and bring his choir with him. By far the most memorable event of 2022 was the visit to Upperville of the PaltenKlang Choir from Graz, Austria and their director, Lukas Hasler. The community stretched out its arms and welcomed these 31 singers into their homes for 6 days, and our staff worked diligently to coordinate concerts in Washington, Winchester, Leesburg and Upperville. We also organized tours of Washington, Oak Springs Garden Foundation, Oatlands Plantation, and even held a wonderful Halloween party in Cox Hall. The tremendous outpouring of support by the community was incredible. From volunteer van drivers to those who provided meals and hosted tours of area farms, we gave them a memorable time. Many of the choir members had never been to the US before and were thrilled for this opportunity.

Our Music Ministry is committed to maintaining the highest standards both musically, theologically, and pastorally as we continue to live into our mission statement: “It is our mission to enable and encourage all members of the parish to share in the experience of glorifying God through music; to teach together the skills of music and the practices of faith; and to build the body of Christ through worship, rehearsal, outreach, and fellowship, using music as an instrument of God’s peace.”

“By far the most memorable event of 2022 was the visit to Upperville of the PaltenKlang Choir from Graz, Austria and their director, Lukas Hasler. The community stretched out its arms and welcomed these 31 singers into their homes for 6 days…”

Daniel J. Miller Director of Music Ministries & Organist