Trinity's Most Recent Organists and Choirmasters

Trinity has had a long history of illustrious choirmasters and organists as well as a history of having fine instruments for them to play to demonstrate their considerable skills, and an acoustically rich sanctuary for performances as well as church services. Our expertly trained choirs are augmented by students from the Yale School of Music who lead each section. Trinity also has an electronic carillon which augments the original church bell, which still peals on appropriate occasions.

Alan Murchie was Organist and Choirmaster at Trinity from 2007 until summer, 2011, when he was ordained to the Diaconate. Prior to Trinity, Alan was a member of the St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, where he eventually also taught, and was Organist and Choirmaster at St James' Church, both in New York.  Alan is a versatile musician whose performance schedule has included regular appearances as a solo pianist, organist, conductor, chamber musician and lecturer. At Trinity, Alan inaugurated the Southport Summer Music Festival which featured the Knights Chamber Orchestra, clarinetist Romie de Guise-Langlois, the Trinity Schola, and award-winning young pianist Alex Beyer, cellist Eliza Fath, and violinist Amanda Fath with their Greenfield Hill Trio, as well as many other accomplished musicians. He measurably increased the size of Trinity's choirs during his time with us.

Among the other very fine musicians who have trained our choirs and been our organists are Charles Dodsley Walker, Frederic DeHaven and Dr. James Litton. Charles Walker retired from Trinity in 2007 after occupying the choirmaster's podium for 19 years. Before coming to Trinity he served as choirmaster and organist at The American Cathedral in Paris and he came to us after 38 years at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City. He served for four years as the National President of the American Guild of Organists and founded the Canterbury Choral Society. He also performed Mahler's Eighth Symphony in Avery Fisher Hall and Carnegie Hall six times at five year intervals with 600 participants that included the Trinity choirs and Chorale. Mr. Walker has many accomplishments in his biography and we were fortunate to have him share his extraordinary talents with us.

Frederic DeHaven occupied the organist's bench from 1964-1975. One of the most fondly remembered accomplishments when he was with us was the first Trinity production of Benjamin Britton's Noye's Fludde, which was repeated in 2002 under Mr. Walker's direction to celebrate the restoration of the church. During Fred DeHaven's tenure, the choirs still were separated into a Men and Boy's Choir and a Girl's Choir in the Anglican tradition. In 1973 he took the Men and Boys Choir to England and France to sing in the great cathedrals, and in the same year the Karl Wilhelm organ was dedicated. Mr. DeHaven also conducted a festival of Bach concerts to celebrate Trinity's 250th birthday in 1975. It was during this period under Mr. DeHaven's guidance that the Music Endowment was established. Mr. DeHaven moved to Christ Church in Grosse Pointe MI in 1975 to become the organist and choirmaster there.

One of the most well-known among Trinity's choirmasters is Dr. James Litton who was at Trinity from 1958 until 1964. Dr. Litton founded the adult Trinity Chorale which has performed several major concerts each year for fifty years. He is regarded as one of the most prominent choral conductors in America and went from Trinity to become the Music Director of the American Boychoir School for fourteen years, where he traveled with the Boychoir to 49 states and 12 nations.  Upon his retirement from the Boychoir School he served as choirmaster at the National Cathedral in Washington DC.  He founded a number of choral groups and also served as organist and Director of Music at St Bartholomew's Church in New York City. He currently acts as choral conductor for the American Boychoir Alumni Chorus.

These giants among choral conductors are only the most recent of our many choirmasters and organists over our long history. Trinity also has been very fortunate to have exceptional organs, and a history and descriptions of our organs can be found here.