‘Byrds’ of a Feather

I have been invited to provide prelude music on Palm Sunday at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Sunday, April 1st, for their 11 am service - I encourage you to discover for yourself one of the finest traditions and settings for choral music in Toronto. www.stmarymagdalene.ca/music.html

It was only on January 1st, 2007, that I first stepped foot in the deserted sanctuary of the church, located on Manning, south of Harbord, the heavy, squeaking door yielding to my persistent pull, and, once inside, my footsteps echoed: lonely, yet somehow welcomed and oddly sanctimonious: the warm, live acoustic like a living presence.

I had heard many incredible things about this fabled location - what I have come to think of as ‘A Mecca for Musicians’ - and the people I have met there as well as the warm atmosphere I discovered once inside continue to inspire me.

Recently I had the opportunity to actually attend a service - the acoustics and choral singing were extraordinarily moving, and even more than I had imagined possible.

At the conclusion of the service, I was introduced Stephanie Martin, the music director and received an invitation to provide prelude music for an upcoming service on Palm Sunday, a service that will be full of magnificent music - with at least as much music as spoken word, and with the likes of  Byrd, Palestrina, Tallis, and of course our beloved Willan…check the link, above, for details, and for a glimpse of the rich history of the church.

I hope that you enjoy these recent recordings, and are able to drop by on Sunday, April 1st - come early for the 11 am service, as Palm Sunday is a popular one to attend - I hope to see you there!