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Parish Music - 2009
The Parish Choir of St. Mark's provided musical support throughout the program year
at each Sunday's 10:30 Holy Eucharist, as well as various ordinations and institutions,
evensongs, and the liturgies for Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Ascension, St. Mary the Virgin, All Souls, the annual
Advent Lessons and Carols, and Christmas Eve.
During the summer of 2009, we continued the music program as a year-round
program, a practice reinstituted in 2002, with a relaxed rehearsal schedule in
the summer to give choristers and leaders a much needed and appreciated
"break." The Parish Choir averaged about 24 singers on the roster during the
year, with an average singing attendance of about 19 choristers. We have
maintained the First Wednesday Evensong, instituted for the Parish in the fall
of 1998 and the St. Ambrose Singers continue to provide special music for various
occasions and liturgies, both at St. Mark’s and around the Diocese, including the
opening Mass for the Diocesan convention.
The acoustical properties of our new church, as well as our excellent pipe organ,
make it a highly desirable location for high quality musical performance, and we look
forward to the continued establishment of St. Mark’s as a highly desirable venue
for excellent quality musical performances.
In January, the Parish Choir presented Choral Evensong followed by an organ recital
by Ralph Webb, from Austin, Texas. Also in January, several of our choristers
participated in the “Renaissance Polyphony Weekend,” a workshop held in Irving
focusing on the performance of early sacred music.
In February, the Fort Worth Chapter of the American Guild of Organists held its
meeting and program at St. Mark’s, featuring Dr. Powell as lecturer and various AGO
organists performing pieces from the J.S. Bach Orgenbüchlein.
In March, as part of the Friday Lenten Series, the trebles of St. Mark’s Parish Choir
joined with soloists Audrey Keenan-Brown and Katrina Burggraf-Kledas, along with
organist Dr. Powell and a string ensemble including parishioners Dr. Martha Walvoord,
violin, and Jack Unzicker, double bass, to present G. B. Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in
conjunction with the Stations of the Cross. Also in March, the Dallas Bach Society
(Orchestra and Choir), James Richman, Music Director, presented the J.S. Bach
Passion According to St. John at St. Mark’s as a part of the Society’s concert season.
In April, St. Mark’s sponsored and hosted a concert by the Anthem Brass Ensemble
following Choral Evensong.
In May, St. Mark’s sponsored and hosted its second annual concert by the string
ensemble Amici di Corde San Marco, along with Dr. Powell, organist, following Choral
Evensong. Also in May, the 8th annual Liturgy of Vespers on the Eve of Pentecost
featuring the Magnificat of Martini, was presented by St. Mark’s Parish Choir and
Friends, soloists, and a string ensemble led by Dr. Martha Walvoord.
In June, Dr. Powell and Dr. Walvoord gave a concert (violin and piano) at the
University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. They were able to visit our friend
Raul del Toro of Pamplona, who was a guest organ recitalist at St. Mark’s in 2007.
In July, parishioner Walter Virden arranged with the Arlington Museum of Art a
“St. Mark’s Night at the Museum.” A marvelously diverse musical program was
performed, and afterward the guests enjoyed Walter’s famous barbecue. St. Mark’s
musicians for the evening included Martha Walvoord, violin, Kathryn Shaw, flute,
Linton Powell and Yoori Marti, piano, John Burton, cello, Jack Unzicker, double bass,
Kathy Fox Powell and Cheryl Livesay, sopranos, and Lori Hill, alto. Later in the
month the Arlington Master Chorale presented their pre-tour concert to a standing-
room-only audience at St. Mark’s just prior to presenting the concert for the Texas
Choral Directors Association in San Antonio.
Also in July, choirmaster Kathy Fox Powell and choristers Lori Hill, Cheryl Livesay,
Shelley Strock, and Sandi Dietert attended and participated in an intensive 4-day
choral workshop focusing on the sacred music of Henry Purcell with clinician David
Trendell of St. Mary’s/London. The workshop is a bi-annual event sponsored by
the Chorus Angelorum at the Roman Catholic-Anglican Use Parish of Our Lady of
Walsingham in Houston.
In August, we celebrated the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a Solemn Mass
on the feast day using plainsong. In September we celebrated the Ordination to
the Priesthood of Fr. Micah Snell, at St. Mark’s, with special guest soprano Katie
Van Kooten. In October, St. Mark’s was the host for Arlington Master Chorale’s
fall concert, which included a performance by guest choirs from local high schools.
In November, All Saints’ Sunday was gloriously observed with special music by Dr.
Powell and a string ensemble including Dr. Walvoord and Mr. Unzicker. St. Mark’s
choristers Emily Maas, Lori Hill, Sandi Dietert, Valerie Gustin, Shelley Strock, and
Charlotte Shelor joined St. Vincent’s Cathedral Choir in their performance of the
Fauré Requiem for the Feast of All Souls, with choirmaster Kathy Fox Powell
performing the soprano solo Pie Jesu. Also in November, St. Mark’s hosted and
presented a delightful concert by The Funkytown Allstars double bass quartet,
of which our own Jack Unzicker is a member, following Choral Evensong. Dr. Powell
and the Parish Choir also honored Gail Murray, first organist of St. Mark’s, for her
80th birthday in November, with the performance of During Thanksgiving weekend,
St. Mark’s Parish Choir was honored to participate in the institution of our former
curate Fr. Chuck Hough as rector of St. Paul’s in Gainesville, Texas.
In December, the Parish Choir presented its annual Advent Lessons and Carols, and
St. Mark’s was the venue for one of the performances of Handel’s Messiah by the
Dallas Bach Society Orchestra, Chorus, and soloists under the direction of James
Richman. The Messiah performance was basically sold out, and all who both attended
and performed were delighted with the concert.
We continued the publication of our brochure “Music at St. Mark’s,” in the spring and
fall, describing the special musical events at St. Mark’s. The brochure was mailed
and e-mailed to all the Diocesan parishes, Arlington churches, and various music-
related groups as well as parishioners, and continues to be well received. The
planning for the year is carried out by the Fine Arts Committee, consisting of Fr.
Perkins, Linton Powell, Kathy Fox Powell, Martha Walvoord, Jack Unzicker, and
Micah Hayes.
The Parish Choir continues to be integrated into the life of the Parish in many other
ways such as providing a meal for one of the Lenten series evenings, participating
in the Coming Into Christ program, and many of its members also serve in Altar
Guild, Eucharistic ministry, St. Monnica’s Guild, Vestry, Brotherhood of St. Andrews,
Soup Kitchen, and various other Parish leadership roles.
Mindful of our Anglo-catholic heritage, the music (anthems, hymns, and organ music) is
selected carefully according to the liturgical year and lectionary. We continually strive
for excellence and to challenge all who endeavor to join with us in our quest to sing
praise to God in the beauty of holiness.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Linton Powell, Organist
/s/ Kathy Fox Powell, Choirmaster
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