Musical Offerings and Events

Choral Evensong

A centuries-old service that blends prayers and Psalms with choral singing. All are welcome to attend Evensong whatever their religion or background. You are invited to participate through your presence, listening to the words and music. Evensong is a service that provides a time for stillness and calm and solace in the prayers and readings at the end of the day.

All Evensong services are at 5:00 pm, with an organ prelude at 4:45 pm.
A freewill offering is taken. A reception follows in Harvard Hall.
The organist is Dwight Thomas, Canon for Music and Precentor.

Choral Evensong | January 26 at 5:00 pm, organ prelude at 4:45 pm

Our service of Choral Evensong for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany will include the “St. Thomas Responses” of contemporary composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. She is a singer, composer, choral leader, and former member and music director of the a capella jazz group the Swingle Singers (1998-2004). She now composes and performs in classical, liturgical, and jazz genres. “Joanna Forbes L’Estrange’s canticles are fast becoming a favorite of church and cathedral choirs, both in the UK and in the USA,” YouTube reports.

The liturgy is Evensong in E flat by Charles Wood (1866-1926), an Irish composer and teacher. His students included Ralph Vaughan Williams at Cambridge and Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music. He is primarily remembered and performed as an Anglican church music composer, but he also wrote songs and chamber music, particularly for string quartet.

An organ prelude at 4:45 p.m. by Music Director Dwight Thomas includes Felix Mendelssohn’s Sonata No. 6 in D minor . The Cathedral Chamber Choir sings. A freewill offering is taken and a reception follows.

St. Pete Baroque “Due Viola d’Amore” | Sunday, January 18 at 5:00 pm

One of the Cathedral’s favorite musical groups, St. Pete Baroque, will make its fifth appearance this month with a free concert titled “Due Viola d’Amore”.

St. Pete Baroque performs on historical instruments that are set up as they were during the Baroque period (1600-1750): gut strings, baroque bows, and unique instruments that are not found in modern day musical settings — harpsichord, lute, viola da gamba, viola d’amore, and baroque winds.

The guest performer will be Stephen Goist, who will play the viola d’amore with Dan Urbanowicz, founder and artistic director of St. Pete Baroque and a member of the Florida Orchestra — hence the title of the concert, “Due Viola d’Amore.” St. Pete Baroque Will Return to the Cathedral With Not One But ‘Due Viola d’Amore’ Goist plays with the ProMusica Orchestra in Columbus and appears regularly with New York Baroque Inc., the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. He has performed through the United States, Europe, India, and New Zealand.

Also performing are Mia Mangano on viola da gamba/violone and Teodora Mitze-Cîrciumaru, harpsichord/ organ. “We are dedicated to giving new life to old masterpieces, giving a voice to newly discovered works, and bringing audiences the eccentric and improvisatory nature of baroque music,” the group says on its website, stpetebaroque.org.

Music and Arts at the Cathedral

Your Cathedral Choir has been very hard at work! Over the last several weeks the choir has rehearsal virtually and is pleased to bring you this Easter hymn in virtual-choir style.

Many thanks to Dwight Thomas, Director of Music and Organist, and especially to Tim Snyder for walking the group through this process and putting together such a beautiful video.

Joy to the Heart, John Bennett and K. Scott Key

Choir: Beth Snyder, John Di Pietro, Andi Gorton, Cathy Kleckner, Maggie Mardirosian, Jack Clark, Tim Snyder, Elaine New, Bradley Davis, Phillip Dvoracsek, Tim Staney, Betsy Reynolds, Jordan Campbell, Jessica Dvoracsek, Dwight Thomas, Dayle Peck, Rim Karnavicius