Music Home Page
Note: This page is "hidden" and exists just for the button - don't post anything here. This is also serving as a hidden archive....John B
At 10:00 PM on Christmas Eve the service opened with half an hour of music from George Frideric Handel's Messiah, accompanied by the Copley Chamber Players. Besides our own Meredeth Kelly and Jonathan Cole, the soloists were Catherine Hedberg, well known in the Boston area as soloist with the Cantata Singers, Musicians of the Old Post Road, and other organizations; and Kathleen Flynn, recently arrived in Boston from New York City, who has performed widely in locations such as Lincoln Center Theater, Juilliard Opera Theater, Alice Tully Hall, and with New York State Baroque. All were welcome, whether for the music only, or for the service afterwards as well! Photographs and the program are below.
If you are unable to read the following two page program, click here
If you are unable to read the preceeding two page program, click here
Music is a vitally important part of the worship experience and parish life at St. Peter's. All are enriched by participating in and being inspired by vocal and instrumental music.
About the Choirs at St. Peter's
The Adult Choir includes four professional section leaders to enrich the offering of the volunteer choir members. From mid-September through mid-June, choir rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM and on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM when the choir sings at the 10:00 AM service. Singers of all backgrounds and abililties are welcome to join the choir.
The Celebration Singers include some who may be not able to make a regular commitment to the Adult Choir, but are able to join us for special services on holidays and other occasions as well as for special musical events such as the Messiah Sing in December. Rehearsals are scheduled as needed.
The Children's Choir is a wonderful opportunity for children ages 8 - 12 to prepare an anthem and sing approximately one Sunday a month at the 10:00 AM service. In addition to the music itself, Chilren's Choir members learn about church music and enjoy occasional social events. Rehearsals are scheduled at a mutually convenient time.
About Instrumental Music
The 10:00 AM Sunday service includes both organ and piano music, as well as instrumental music before and after the service and on special occasions, especially at Christmas and Easter services.
Music Director- Andrew Shenton
- BMus in Performance, London University
- MM in Performance, Yale University
- MA and PhD in Musicology, Harvard University
- FRCO (ChM), LRAM, ARCM, DipRCM
Andrew Shenton was born in England. His first professional music training was at The Royal College of Music in London, where he studied under a scholarship from The Royal College of Organists. While at the RCM he read for a B.Mus. degree at London University and was an organ scholar at St. Paul’s Cathedral. After graduating he was appointed Director of Music at St. Matthew’s Church in Northampton and Lecturer in the Humanities at Leicester University. In 1991 Andrew Shenton moved to the US to study for a Master’s degree at the Institute for Sacred Music, Worship and the Arts at Yale University and then for a Ph.D. in musicology at Harvard University. As a student at the ISM he prepared for a ministry involved with the arts (with music as a primary focus), as he is interested in all aspects of spirituality and the arts. This is reflected in his Master’s thesis, which concerns the renaissance of sacred art in post-war Britain, and in his doctoral dissertation, which is a musico-linguistic study of the twentieth-century French mystic composer Olivier Messiaen.
Dr. Shenton has a Master’s degree in organ performance from Yale, and holds the Fellowship diploma of the Royal College of Organists. Recently he has given recitals in such venues as King’s College, Cambridge, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (New York debut), and Washington National Cathedral. He has toured extensively in Europe and the US as a conductor, recitalist and clinician, and his two solo organ recordings have received international acclaim.
In addition to diplomas in both piano and organ Dr. Shenton holds the Choir Training diploma of the Royal College of Organists. He has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards including a Harvard Merit Fellowship, and Harvard’s Certificate of Distinction in Teaching. Throughout his studies he has been particularly concerned with issues of historically informed performance practice. In addition, he has made an extensive study of voice production and vocal technique, and frequently acts as a repetiteur, coach and accompanist for singers. He has pioneered contemporary music in a variety of styles and has given more than forty world premieres by composers such as Geoffrey Burgon, Joe Utterback and John Tavener. His teaching specialties include sacred music, performance practice, twentieth-century music, Olivier Messiaen and Arvo Pärt.
At Boston University, Dr. Shenton holds appointments in the School of Theology, School of Music (College of Fine Arts) and CAS/GRS. He is the James R. Houghton Scholar of Sacred Music, Director of the Master of Sacred Music program, Director of the Boston University Messiaen Project [BUMP] and editor of www.oliviermesiaen.net.
To contact Andrew Shenton:
Church Office -- 781-891-3200
By email: ashenton@stpetersweston.org
 Meredeth (Meri) Kelly, soprano, a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is pursuing a master's degree in opera performance at Boston University. |
 Rebecca Saslow, alto, holds degrees from the Juilliard School and Boston Conservatory, and has performed roles with Opera New Jersey, Longwood Opera, and Aspen Opera Theater Center. |
 Evan Biela, tenor, a graduate of the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, teaches in the Waltham schools, and also plays trumpet in the Harvard Big Band and the Waltham Symphony. |
 Jonathan Cole, bass, holds a bachelor's degree in voice from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and is a graduate student in opera performance at Boston University. |
 |
About the Organ at St. Peter's Church Builder: Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc. Year: 1956 Opus: 1332 No. manuals: 3 No. stops: 35 No. ranks: 36 No. pipes: 2,105 |
Specifications
|
|
| Great 16' Quintade 61 8' Spitzprinzipal 61 8' Holzgedeckt 61 4' Octave 61 4' Spillflote 61 II Rauschquinte 122 III-V Plein Jeu 245 Unison Off Super Chimes SW |
Swell 8' Rohrflote 68 8' Viola Pomposa 68 8' Viola Celeste 56 4' Spitzflote 68 2' Octavin 61 III Scharf 183 16' Bassoon 68 8' Trompette 68 4' Rohrschalmei 68 Tremulant Sub Unison Off Super |
Choir 8' Nason Flute 68 8' Spitzgamba 68 8' Flauto Dolce 68 8' Flute Celeste 56 tc 4' Koppelflote 68 2' Principal 61 1 3/5' Tierce 61 8' Krummhorn 68 Tremulant Sub Unison off Super |
Pedal 16' Contrabasse 32 16' Quintade GT 16' Rohrbass 12 SW 8' Octave 32 8' Rohrflote SW 4' Super Octave 12 II Fourniture 64 16' Posaune 32 16' Bassoon SW 8' Trumpet 12 4' Rohrschalmei SW Chimes GT |
The dedication recital was played by Virgil Fox on January 12, 1959 |
|
For further information on the St. Peter's parish music program, please contact the Church Office at 781-891-3200 or by email at office@stpetersweston.org. or Andrew Shenton above.