Christ
Church Choir
Earth
Mass Concert 2007
Music Director Christ Episcopal Church
I am the organist and choir director at Christ
Episcopal Church in Poughkeepsie where I direct a 25-person
volunteer choir that sings anthems,
psalms, and
canticles for weekly worship services. I also direct seasonal
Evensong Services at Christ Church which often involve singers from
around theHudson Valley Several times
a year the choirs present major choral concerts at the church.
Click here for the [
Christ Church Music page]
Upcoming Musical Events at Christ Church:
Concerts Con Brio at Christ Episcopal Church
In the fall of 2007 I began a concert series “Concerts Con
Brio” which presents a variety of concerts to the community.
Click [here]
for upcoming concerts in the series.
Sacred Bridge Choir
The Sacred Bridge choir is an
interfaith Jewish-Christian Choir
co-directed by Cantor Rena Shapiro, who also directs the Shalom Singers
and Dr.
Laura Ramsey Russell who also directs the Christ
Church Choir. The idea for the interfaith choir
began shortly
after September 11th, 2001, when the two directors met during
rehearsals for
the Mozart Requiem benefit concert at Christ
Church
which raised money for the United Way’s “September 11th Fund”. The
choir sings
musical settings of the psalms and Hebrew Scriptures as well as music
with
texts that stress peace, community, and our common humanity. Their
first public
performance took place in October 2002 at Vassar College
where the Sacred Bridge Choir was
invited as a guest choir to participate in the annual Dutchess County
Interfaith Choir Concert. Cantor Rena Shapiro says, “Since ancient
times, it
has been understood that music has the power to heal. Music can bring
together
people who may be divided by walls of language, politics, or religion.
I look
forward to building our own sacred
bridges,
starting right here in Poughkeepsie.”
Laura Russell says, “As we reflect on how much music has helped us in
the
healing process following the horrors of the September 11th, it
powerfully
demonstrates the impact that music can have on the human spirit. More
than
ever, we need to focus on what brings us together, not on what divides
us.
Sharing great music from a variety of sacred
traditions
is one way to share and appreciate our common bonds.”
Laura
Ramsey Russell