Sewanee Church Music Conference: July 14–21, 2013

Jane Scharding Smedley has served as organist-choirmaster at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee since 1980. She earned bachelor’s (Rhodes College) and master’s (Wittenberg University) degrees in sacred music, and holds the Colleague and Choirmaster certificates from the American Guild of Organists. Her teachers included David Ramsey, Tony Lee Garner, Frederick Jackisch, and Richard White. An attendee at the Sewanee Church Music Conference since 1979, she currently serves as secretary of the board of directors.

This year’s conference, directed by Keith Shafer, immediately followed the national AGO convention just up the road in Nashville. What a fine experience it was for those fortunate to attend both, with their wide range of performances and learning opportunities. At Sewanee, however, the emphasis is on music within worship, taught through actual “doing.” Daily choral rehearsals provide a teaching laboratory, as well as preparing repertoire for the Friday Evensong and the Sunday Eucharist that concludes the week. 

Huw Lewis and Bruce Neswick, long-time favorites of this conference, returned as music faculty. Dr. Lewis, organist at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, is director of music at St. John’s Church in Detroit. Mr. Neswick, well known in AGO and AAM circles from past cathedral positions, is associate professor of organ and sacred music at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. Both masters on the bench and the podium, they showed seamless teamwork and sterling professionalism. They shared the bench at the Tuesday evening recital, now named in memory of long-time conference leader Gerre Hancock. In homage to his teacher, Neswick performed his works (Air, Variations on tunes Ora Labora and Palm Springs), ending his half of the concert with an improvisation. Lewis balanced the program with skillful renderings of works from past masters: Bach (Fugue in E-flat Major), Brahms (Chorale Prelude and Fugue on “O Sorrow Deep”), and Franck (Chorale in A Minor). Both in recital and later in the worship services, the resources of the large Casavant organ in All Saints Chapel at the University of the South were fully explored. 

In the nearby Chapel of the Apostles, a newer two-manual Casavant instrument was used for a masterclass led jointly by Neswick and Lewis. Ten performers, representing a range of ages and backgrounds, received individualized coaching and guidance. Special mention is made of those present who represented the next generation—two in their teens and eight of college age or under thirty. Board member Alvin Blount coordinated this event; he also led a reading session of organ repertoire based on hymntunes useful for worship. Other workshops on hymn-playing techniques and improvisation were offered by Neswick on this smaller instrument, a nice gesture towards those present who may not be blessed with four manuals and en chamade on Sunday mornings.

Other sessions offered throughout the week included handbells, Episcopal basics, computer notation systems, and reading sessions. Bradley Almquist presented excellent workshops on “Conducting Skills” and “Music Theory for the Singer.”

Huw Lewis’s choral skills were fully evident in the daily rehearsals, demonstrating various techniques and a few ‘tricks of the trade’. To illustrate the importance of posture and how to efficiently communicate this to singers, Lewis shared a simple system that came to be named “Position 1, 2, 3.” It gave attendees a useful technique to take home—and provided much humorous fodder at the Annual Frolic later!

The daily Eucharists in the Dubose Conference Center’s chapel gave Neswick more opportunity to incorporate creative service-playing and improvisations.

To complement the rehearsals, workshops and performances, Lois Fyfe Music brought its excellent display of choral and organ music, along with related items. In spite of this conference following a very busy week at the Nashville AGO convention, Elizabeth Smith cheerfully shared her expert advice as browsers delighted in a shopping spree.

Repertoire for Evensong included the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B-flat by Henry Smart and Preces and Responses by Robert Lehman. The anthem was Bairstow’s gorgeous setting of The King of Love, using the beloved St. Columba melody. Anglican chants by Walmisley and S. S. Wesley added variety to the many verses of Psalm 18 appointed for the evening. Under his sensitive guidance, with superb accompaniment by Neswick, Lewis enabled the beauty of Anglican chant to meld 145 voices into true sung prayer. A prelude improvisation on Mighty Savior was offered by Neswick to undergird the solemn procession of 145 vested singers, then seamlessly flowed into the hymn itself.

The liturgical and musical climax of the week was the Sunday Eucharist. Neswick’s preludes were on tunes to be sung: Nettleton by Hancock, Leoni by Seth Bingham and Richard Proulx. Hancock’s Houston Mass (also sung at daily Eucharist) was used.

This year’s commissioned anthem— Hymn of Praise by Gary Davison—used a text from Revelations and the Psalms. Its shifting meters and dynamic contrasts were well performed by the singers under Lewis’s precise musical direction; Neswick had the very challenging accompaniment, punctuated by dramatic silences, well in hand.

Deeply appreciated by this writer, Neswick demonstrated throughout both liturgies the role of the organist in connecting the parts of the liturgy. When silence was needed, it was there—when a musical thread could serve the flow, he wove it with sensitivity and art. His free accompaniment to In Babilone (“Hail, Thou Once-Despised Jesus”) was classic, with twists of key and registration, but never straying from its purpose to lead and support congregational song. Later at Communion, he used motifs from the anthem to come. He sensitively bound the flow of worship, leading into Davison’s lovely setting of My Soul Shall Be Alway, followed by Nettleton (“Come, Thou Fount”). All followed his musical cues to bring the hymn to a gentle close. “Praise to the Living God” (Leoni) closed the liturgy, then continued as seed for a final improvisation: a postlude of flourishes, calm mid-section, then fugal ending—a marvelous musical coda to a wonderful week. 

Father Matthew Moretz served as the conference chaplain. A member of the clergy of St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City, Fr. Moretz is an advocate of Internet resources as a means of evangelization; he spoke to the conferees about ways he thought they might enhance their ministries through electronic media.

This year’s gala banquet honored two long-time board members. Keith Shafer is stepping down as conference co-director. Janet Perkins, registrar for many years, provided a friendly face and concerned ear to all who have been part of the Sewanee ‘family’. Gifts were bestowed along with much applause to show appreciation for their dedicated service. 

The sense of community at the conference is further supported by delicious culinary offerings issuing from the kitchen at the Dubose Center under Kim Agee, director, advised by board member Nancy Whitmer, hostess extraordinaire. In spite of a packed schedule, no one loses weight during their week on the ‘holy mountain’. 

The faculty for 2013 will be Richard Webster (Trinity Church, Boston) and Maxine Thevenot (St. John’s Cathedral, Albuquerque). The Reverend Barbara Cawthorn Crafton, who served as chaplain in 2011, will again share her spiritual gifts.

Two leaders in the organ world served as faculty for the 64th Sewanee Church Music Conference: Todd Wilson and Peter Conte. Wilson is director of music and worship at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as head of the organ department at the Cleveland Institute of Music. In addition to his position as organist-choirmaster at St. Clement’s in Philadelphia, Conte is marking his 25th year as Wanamaker Grand Court Organist. Both have received numerous awards during their careers. Gifted in both organ and choral fields, they shared playing and conducting duties at the gathering of 122 musicians drawn from 29 states. Notable among the attendees were a number of young adults, including two scholarship recipients: David Heinze (student of Huw Lewis at Hope College) and Garrett Law (studying with Wilson). Dr. Robert Delcamp, organist and choirmaster at the University of the South at Sewanee and president of the board, served as conference director. 

Tuesday evening’s organ recital in All Saints Chapel, named in memory of Gerre Hancock, capitalized on a special interest shared by this faculty: accompaniment of silent films. Wilson led off with Hancock’s Variations on ‘Coronation’ (commissioned for the Sewanee Conference in 2000), followed by variations with a French flavor—Marcel Dupré’s Variations on a Noël. (This melody later provided musical fodder for the Saturday evening Frolic, with clever lyrics by Joanne Cobb Brown.) Edwin Lemare’s Fantasy on ‘Carmen’ concluded the more ‘serious’ offerings before Wilson launched into his soundtrack for a Laurel and Hardy short. Peter Conte then took the bench and utilized possibly every pipe in the Casavant to accompany Charlie Chaplin’s classic, The Kid.

Masterclasses were offered for both organists and choral conductors. The Casavant organs in All Saints and the Chapel of the Apostles lent themselves to selections ranging from Bach to Vierne. Performers and listeners alike benefitted from the astute advice and guidance of Wilson and Conte. Board member Alvin Blount coordinated organists David Heinze, Chip Mays, Garrett Law, David Spring, Kirstin Smith, Parks Greene, Brian du Fresne, and Elvia Hammett Parson. Assistant director Kevin Simons coordinated the conductors: Kathy Will, Christin Barnhardt, Jennifer Stammers, Stan Workman, Dallas Bono, Josh Sumter, Liz Farr, and John Hawn, with Christopher Wallace accompanying.

The preparation and offering of music at the Friday Evensong and the Sunday Eucharist in All Saints Chapel is the highpoint of each conference. The hymn Give Thanks for Music-making Art by Brian Wren (tune and descant by Todd Wilson) began Evensong. With each stanza ending “to lead the people’s song,” it was most appropriate. Edward Bairstow’s monumental Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge gave the choristers a nice challenge, which they delivered under Conte’s direction, supported by Wilson’s fine playing. Canticles by Charles Wood in E-flat Major were bracketed by Preces and Responses by Richard Lloyd, composed for Hereford Cathedral.

On Sunday, anthems included Thomas Aquinas’s text O Saving Victim in a new setting by Zachary Wadsworth. Also pairing older words with contemporary music was Valediction by David Conte. This beautiful text by the 16th-century English poet Philip Sidney began with unison lines expressively and cleanly rendered by the massed choir under Wilson’s precise direction, with Conte at the console. Building in both choral and keyboard intensity to the end, this work is within the reach of many choirs—with a skilled organist! 

The conference chaplain was the Right Reverend J. Neil Alexander, Dean of the School of Theology at Sewanee and retired Bishop of Atlanta. He also holds degrees in music, apparent in his homilies and lectures; humorous quips enlivened the historical and liturgical tidbits. The careful intertwining of liturgy, music, and theology is one of the aspirations of this conference; this year’s presenters achieved it without question. 

Besides providing packets for several reading sessions, Elizabeth Smith brought a generous supply of organ and choral repertoire and music-related books from Lois Fyfe Music, giving attendees an opportunity for consulting and shopping. 

Todd Wilson will return as conference director in 2015. Faculty will be Bob Simpson, Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, and Kevin Kwan, Christ and St. Luke’s, Norfolk, Virginia. The Reverend Canon David B. Lowry, former dean of Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, will be chaplain. On-line registration will begin in February 2015 at www.sewaneeconference.org. 

All photos: Jane Scharding Smedley.

Jane Scharding Smedley has served as organist-choirmaster at St. Peter Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee, since 1980. She earned bachelor’s (Southwestern at Memphis/Rhodes College) and master’s (Wittenberg University) degrees in sacred music and holds Colleague and Choirmaster certificates from the American Guild of Organists. Her teachers included David Ramsey, Tony Lee Garner, Frederick Jackisch, and Richard White. An attendee at the Sewanee Church Music Conference since 1979, she followed her teachers Ramsey and White on the conference board; she has been secretary since 1996.

The 65th Sewanee Church Music Conference offered attendees a packed week under the leadership of new director Todd Wilson. A stellar music faculty—Robert Simpson and Kevin Kwan—were joined by the Reverend Dr. David B. Lowry as chaplain to lead a week of challenging repertoire and inspiring liturgies. Bob Simpson returned to the conference as choral conductor after a too-long absence. Canon for music at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, he is founder and artistic director of the Houston Chamber Choir and lecturer on church music at Rice University. Kevin Kwan, organist and director of music at Christ and St. Luke’s in Norfolk, Virginia, admirably filled the role of organist for the week, playing the Friday Evensong, Sunday Eucharist, daily liturgies, and performing in recital. 

On Tuesday, the Gerre Hancock Memorial Concert showed a team approach with Kwan and Wilson joined by Robert Delcamp (conference board president). Each presented selections ranging from John Cook’s Fanfare to pieces by David Conte, George Shearing, C. V. Stanford, and Widor (first movements from Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 6). Hancock was recalled with his Fancy for Two to Play and his Maundy Thursday duet from Holy Week. For these, Kevin Kwan shared the bench of the Casavant in All Saints Chapel, University of the South, with Todd Wilson (his former teacher). Delcamp and Wilson rendered the grand finale: the Clarence Dickinson/Charlotte Lockwood transcription of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, showcasing Kwan’s talent on the cymbals!

The Reverend Lowry’s daily lectures and homilies bore titles he integrated into the conference week: “The Changing Role of Religion and Spirituality in the World Today,” “Liturgy and Music in a Hyper-Media Age,” and “Clergy and Church Musicians: Why is it so hard to work together in harmony?”

Masterclasses for organists and choral conductors offered valuable feedback from Kwan, Simpson, and Delcamp. Michael Petrosh, David von Behren, Jared Fenske, Matt Endahl, Paul Miller, and Stephen White performed on the Casavants in All Saints Chapel and in the Chapel of the Apostles.

Simpson endeared himself to choristers by his collegial approach in rehearsal, teaching service repertoire in an organized and timely manner. Evensong featured Preces and Responses by Thomas Ebdon, canticles by Peter Ashton, Anglican chant by T. A. Walmisley (prayerfully and pristinely rendered under Simpson’s training). The eight-part anthem, Pilgrim’s Hymn by Stephen Paulus, was the choral challenge of the week, allowing the 120 voices an opportunity to experience beautiful tone clusters sung well. Kwan led off with a voluntary by Paulus—A Refined Reflection from Baronian Suite and concluded the service with Stanford’s Postlude in D Minor, op. 105. The hymn text “Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation” was sung to the tune Lowry, composed by McNeil Robinson in honor of this year’s chaplain, a friend and colleague of the recently deceased musician.

On Sunday, the musical and spiritual high point was reached during the Eucharist in All Saints Chapel. Kwan’s prelude (Master Tallis’s Testament by Howells) and postlude (Recessional by William Mathias) beautifully bookended the liturgy. Craig Phillips’s 2006 Festival Eucharist, O Sacrum Convivium by Peter Mathews, and Let This Mind Be In You by Lee Hoiby elicited riveting sounds from the ensemble, paired with Kwan’s electrifying accompaniment on the last-named anthem.

This conference has reached an age rarely attained by similar associations. Reasons for this longevity include a tested format not averse to change, reflecting the needs of attendees, and a thoughtful balance between musical skills and spiritual nourishment, with worship that blends these two. But at its root is the sense of ‘family’ felt by many who return every July to its ‘home’—the Dubose Conference Center. Since 1951, this quiet, historic setting has welcomed thousands to the Sewanee Church Music Conference.

In 2016, Dale Adelmann and Tom Trenney will be music faculty, and the Reverend Erika Takacs will serve as chaplain. For more details: www.sewaneeconference.org.

Jane Scharding Smedley has served as organist-choirmaster at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee since 1980. She earned bachelor’s (Rhodes College) and master’s (Wittenberg University) degrees in sacred music, and holds the Colleague and Choirmaster certificates from the American Guild of Organists. Her teachers included David Ramsey, Tony Lee Garner, Frederick Jackisch, and Richard White. An attendee at the Sewanee Church Music Conference since 1979, she currently serves as secretary of the board of directors.

Since 1951, the Sewanee Church Music Conference has offered a rich musical and spiritual experience to musicians who serve primarily in Episcopal churches. Each July, approximately 150 organists, choirmasters, and choristers make their way to the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle, Tennessee, to refresh their skills, learn new insights, and renew friendships with colleagues. A family-reunion atmosphere pervades the weeklong gathering, where first-time attendees are warmly welcomed by those who return every year to the “holy mountain.”

Reverend James Turrell, from the School of Theology at the University of the South in nearby Sewanee, Tennessee, was conference chaplain. The parable of the steward who brings forth both old and new from the storeroom inspired his explorations of the liturgical renewal, inculturation of the liturgy, and the valuable role of musicians in bringing forth both old and new treasures from the storeroom of the Episcopal heritage.

Tom Foster and Janette Fishell served as the music faculty and were a superb team. They alternated as conductors and organists for the two major liturgies of the conference: Friday Evensong and Sunday Eucharist, both sung in All Saints’ Chapel on the Sewanee campus. Along with Reverend Turrell, they provided leadership at the carefully planned daily Eucharists, an important part of the week for many.
Foster, well known for his work at All Saints’, Beverly Hills, until retirement in 2003, last appeared at the conference in 1984. He has served as interim musician in various Episcopal parishes and is now Parish Musician at the Church of the Epiphany in Seattle. Janette Fishell, Professor of Organ at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, was making her first appearance at the conference. Dr. Fishell performed in recital on the Casavant in All Saints’ Chapel, taking us on a musical tour of Prague, London, and Paris, through pieces by Petr Eben, Herbert Howells, and Widor.

Through choral rehearsals, workshops on psalmody, practice techniques, service playing, and an organ masterclass, Foster and Fishell brought forth both new approaches and affirmed older methods from their vast musical backgrounds. Worship repertoire included anthems by Richard Shepherd, Craig Phillips, Malcolm Boyle, and Phillip Wilby. Richard Webster’s Mass in Lydian Mode was sung in the daily liturgies as well as on Sunday. The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis at Evensong were from David Hogan’s St. Alban’s Service. An a cappella setting of Psalm 23 by former SCMC faculty Jeffrey Smith was particularly lovely. This year’s commissioned work for organ, Fanfare and Variations on “Merton” by James Biery, was premiered by Dr. Fishell.

Choral reading sessions were presented by Elizabeth Smith (Lois Fyfe Music) and Jane Scharding Smedley (St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Memphis). A detailed yet practical session on handbell techniques and repertoire was led by Richard Moore (St. Edward’s Episcopal, Lawrenceville, Georgia). Susan Rupert (University of the South) offered sessions on “Episcopal Basics.” Keith Shafer (St. Paul’s Episcopal, Augusta, Georgia) shared organ repertoire based on hymn tunes. Music displays were provided by Lois Fyfe Music, St. James Music Press, Church Music Services, and Calvin Taylor.

The Conference Board of Directors places high importance on each year’s offerings meeting the needs of those in attendance. Surveys are taken to guide the content of future programs and choice of faculty.
Delicious meals and comfortable accommodations are found at the DuBose Conference Center in scenic surroundings. Many comment favorably on the reasonable registration fee for a week filled with musical, educational and social events. The Sewanee Conference looks forward to its 60th anniversary in 2010, which will feature returning faculty Malcolm Archer (Winchester College, UK) and Peter Richard Conte (Wanamaker Organist, Philadelphia). Reverend Dr. Joe Burnett, Bishop of Nebraska, will return as chaplain. For more information on the Sewanee Church Music Conference, contact Dr. Robert Delcamp: [email protected] or Keith Shafer: [email protected].

Photo credit: John Whitmer, Birmingham, Alabama © 2009

Jane Scharding Smedley has served as organist-choirmaster at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee since 1980. She earned bachelor’s (Rhodes College) and master’s (Wittenberg University) degrees in sacred music, and holds the Colleague and Choirmaster certificates from the American Guild of Organists. She currently serves as secretary of the Sewanee Church Music Conference board of directors.

In its sixtieth year, the Sewanee Church Music Conference continues to offer a well-planned week of choral rehearsals, organ repertoire and anthem reading sessions, worship—and fun social events! Regular attendees know to reserve the second week of July for their annual pilgrimage to the ‘holy mountain’ in East Tennessee, home of the gathering since its founding in 1951. This year’s faculty presented a triple encore: Malcolm Archer, Peter Conte, and Bishop Joe Burnett.
One of the strengths of this conference is the sensitivity of its leadership to the needs and requests of participants as revealed in an annual survey, and the attention to detail shown by the board of directors. Choral repertoire for the two major liturgies—Friday Evensong and Sunday Eucharist—is carefully selected to provide teachable opportunities during the week, but also quality literature accessible to most choirs back home. This emphasis on quality as well as usefulness is apparent in the commissioned works. This year’s anthem, penned by Malcolm Archer himself, was premiered during the Sunday Eucharist at All Saints Chapel, University of the South at Sewanee. Using a text from Colossians, Archer’s setting of “We Give Thanks to God” was an excellent example of new music sought by this conference.
On the organ bench, Peter Conte displayed his phenomenal improvisational skills and fondness for transcriptions. Opening a solo recital with his arrangement of Arthur Sullivan’s overture to the Yeomen of the Guard, even more of his touch was shown in selections from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The silent film The Kid allowed Conte ample opportunity to explore the tonal possibilities of the chapel’s Casavant—all to the delight of his audience.
Archer and Conte were a superb team leading the 150 singers through daily rehearsals of anthems by Stanford, Stainer, and Holst for Evensong and Eucharist, demonstrating techniques and sharing their expertise along the way. As chaplain, Bishop Burnett offered a profound look at the “liturgical logics of Rubrics,” using titles known to many organists via Dan Locklair’s suite. One of the strong points of the week is the integration of musical and liturgical issues. Bishop Burnett’s thoughtful words resonated deeply with his listeners.
The week also featured Marty Wheeler Burnett and Mark Schweizer in anthem reading sessions, Bradley Almquist in choral voice training techniques, and Susan Rupert in the ever-popular “Episcopal Basics.” Lois Fyfe’s music display was open around the clock for browsing. Numerous opportunities for interaction with the faculty exist—a strength of this conference. Rehearsals, lectures, worship, and fellowship were complemented by delicious meals prepared by the competent and friendly staff of the DuBose Conference Center. The annual formal banquet gave all a chance to dress up—then let their hair down at the hilarious “Frolic”!
Next year’s conference will include Dale Adelmann and Todd Wilson, with the Reverend Barbara Cawthorne Crafton as chaplain. For more information: www.sewaneeconf.com■

A church musician’s perspective on the Boston Marathon bombings

On April 15th, tragedy marred the famed Boston Marathon when two bombs went off at the finish line. Three people were killed and 260 persons injured. Over the next week the nation was transfixed by news of the investigation and manhunt that culminated in the unprecedented lock-down of a major metropolitan area. Many still struggle to make sense of these terrible events. Richard Webster, director of music and organist of Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston, ran the Boston Marathon, completing the race moments before the blasts. His story provides a compelling context for how church musicians can respond to disaster with hope. 

Jason Overall: What is your background as a runner?

Richard Webster: I started running around 1980 when I quit smoking. At first I couldn’t run around the block without collapsing in a heap, but I found running to be a cleansing distraction from nicotine craving. Eventually, regular running became a habit. I completed my first marathon in 1995 at age 43. I had read a book on marathon training and followed its instructions. As race day approached, I was not overly confident that I could run 26 miles, but I did it. Crossing the finish line was like walking through the gates of heaven. I was hooked. The race I ran this year in Boston was my 25th marathon. With adequate training, anyone can run a marathon. Runners come in all shapes and sizes. 

How often do you run marathons?

Usually two a year—Chicago in October and Boston in April. I run Chicago in order to qualify for Boston, an elite race open to those who have run a previous marathon under a certain time, based on your age. I turned 60 just prior to the 2012 Chicago race, which meant that my qualifying time for Boston went up by 10 minutes. As my husband says, “you don’t have to get faster, just older.” 

Have you found a spiritual dimension to running?

Absolutely. I empathize with those who call the great outdoors their “church.” Being in the glory of nature, even on a bad day, doing what God designed your body to do, is hard to top. If your body is the “temple of the Holy Spirit,” then exercise of any kind is basic housekeeping. There is a deep spiritual component to running. As Eric Liddel said in his Chariots of Fire sermon, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” For me, running is meditation. As a composer, some of my best ideas result from a long run when the mind is receptive, empty. I never run with music, earbuds, or paraphernalia. I love the silence. My footfalls and the wind in my ears are music enough. 

What is a typical weekly schedule for your running?

I would love to run daily, but a church musician’s schedule is so wonky that some days it just doesn’t happen. If I put it in my calendar, like a rehearsal, then I’m more likely to do it. I try to run four to six times a week. A day or two off each week is good. Your body needs to rest, repair and restore itself. In the months leading up to a marathon, one long run a week (8 to 20 miles) is key.

Are there parallels between running and musicianship? Has your musicianship benefitted from running?

Exercise, especially the aerobic kind, increases blood flow. More blood through the brain improves concentration, something vital to musicians. Running has increased my stamina in general. This week I’ve been directing the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys in recording sessions for a new CD. I stand for hours, waving my arms, doing all I can to help this fine choir achieve its best. I don’t tire. Being a distance runner steels you. It gives you endurance.

What were your expectations before this year’s Boston Marathon?

The best day of the entire year in Boston is Patriots’ Day, the third Monday in April, commemorating Boston’s role as the cradle of the Revolution. It’s the day of the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest and most prestigious marathon, something our city is rightly proud of. As a state holiday, businesses and schools are closed. Everyone has the day off. From the starting line in Hopkinton to the finish line in Copley Square, throngs turns out to cheer the runners and enjoy the race. It’s a 26-mile long party. On Patriots’ Day Boston truly becomes that “city on a hill” for all the world to see. The energy, enthusiasm and electricity flowing back and forth between the runners and the fans is hard to describe. It’s like really good church. I find it to be incredibly spiritual.

I usually run marathons in costume. It’s more fun and it jazzes up the fans. Kids particularly love it. I’ve run as the Easter Bunny, Paul Revere, Abraham Lincoln (in 2009 for his 200th birthday), Robin, J. S. Bach (to raise funds for the Bach Week Festival in Chicago), Robin Hood, Cat in the Hat, and a bumble bee. This year, to raise funds for the Trinity Boston Foundation, we held a costume contest. “See Richard run . . . as an Angry Bird, the Pope, or Prince William.” Votes were cast by making contributions to the Foundation. Prince William won handily. The costume was handsome—a red military jacket and sash, à la Prince William on his wedding day. I had a framed photo of Kate Middleton dangling from my neck and wore a big crown so fans could see me coming. All in all, it was a heady mix of fun, adrenaline, and enthusiasm, and for a worthy cause.

Did you have any goals?

No. Unlike Chicago, which is a flat course, Boston is notoriously hilly. Heartbreak Hill is only one of many “ups and downs” in this race. A “personal best” in Boston is as elusive as the Holy Grail. I’m always happy just to finish. Last year’s race, when it was 88 degrees, I ran in 4:30. This year I lopped off nearly a half hour, finishing in 4:03. 

Runners, especially marathoners, rely on their fans to help get them through the race. I knew I’d see one of my choir members at Mile 11 in Natick. She was there with a banana, a swig of water and a hug. Mile 13 is the “Wellesley gauntlet,” with thousands of Wellesley College women hanging over the police barricade screaming and begging for kisses from runners. So inspiring. So fun. At Mile 19 a group of Trinity choir folks awaited me, near the beginning of Heartbreak Hill. One of my tenors jumped into the race. For the next two miles, he ran with me, sticking by my side until we had crested Heartbreak Hill. Thanks to Mark, I forgot about the agony of those two relentlessly uphill miles. A gaggle of friends had gathered at Coolidge Corner, Mile 23.5, cameras and iPhones poised. Their wild cheering jazzed me up so much that I ran the rest of the race. Usually the agony of the last 3–4 miles is so acute that I can’t run continuously. It’s more a mix of running, walking, and hobbling. Lots of runners resort to this toward the end. For me, this time was different. My Mile 26 was the second fastest mile of the entire race. Inexplicably, I just kept running and crossed the finish line several minutes before I should have. Was it the Holy Spirit? Coincidence? The fans? The costume? I don’t know. 

Did you have friends waiting for you at the finish line?

I did, but I didn’t know it. Just after finishing, I spotted one of my choristers and her father in the crowd in front of Old South Church. I went over to the barricade for a quick hug and chat. Soon after leaving them, the first explosion went off a half block away. I will never forget how loud it was. It doesn’t surprise me that some who were close to the blast suffered hearing damage. At this point you think, “Is this a stunt? Fireworks? Something electrical?” Utter bewilderment. When the second blast struck, further down Boylston Street, you knew something was terribly wrong. Suddenly, chaos was everywhere. Sirens. Medical personnel careening toward the scene with stretchers. Emergency vehicles appearing out of nowhere. Choirs of sirens. Race volunteers moving the finishers away from the scene. A cluster of us were standing around trying to figure out what was going on when another runner who had just crossed the finish line, his forehead bloody, staggered up to us. Choking on his words, he said, “I can’t believe I saw limbs lying in the street.” We began to cry. How could this be happening? As this group of strangers wept, race volunteers surrounded us, asking, “How can we help? Can we call a relative for you?” That was futile, of course. Cell phone service was completely down. In the face of evil, the impulse is to overwhelm it with kindness and compassion. People were desperate to find a way to help, to bring relief to the suffering. In the weeks following, this response did not abate. Boston has felt like the Kingdom of God. Goodness, gentleness, and generosity are everywhere. Traffic is less aggressive; crowding onto a rush hour subway more deferential. Our city responded by saying, “The last word will not be evil, but kindness and mercy.” 

Some days later, the same chorister and her father with whom I had spoken at the finish line on race day said to me, “You saved our lives. We had been standing where the first bomb went off, waiting to see you finish. When you crossed the finish line, we left to go find you. Had you not finished when you did, we would have still been standing at that spot.”

How do you make sense of that? Maybe God gave me what it took to run faster than usual in order to spare their lives. But what about those who were not spared? These are hard spiritual questions with no facile answers.

What elements of your spirituality or musicality have nourished you during this time?

It has been a difficult time at Trinity. Our church is near the finish line. For ten days, the Copley Square area was closed as a crime scene. No one could get near the church. We were in exile. Where would we worship the following Sunday? The Church of the Advent graciously invited us to join them. Liturgically, our two churches are famously different. The two congregations worshipping together would have been something to behold. Temple Israel also reached out to us, offering their beautiful, modern building in the Longwood Medical area. “Come and hold your services here,” they invited. Not only did these kind people open up their building, they demonstrated radical hospitality, laying on coffee hour, serving as ushers, directing us to the restrooms. The chief Rabbi publicly welcomed us. We celebrated the Eucharist before the Torah ark in the Jewish temple. Who would ever have thought? Their only request was that we not bring crosses into the building. Roughly 900 people worshipped in a space as un-Richardsonian Romanesque as one could imagine. With a choir of eighty, a grand piano and flute, we were good to go. There was a lightness, grace, and holiness to it all. The congregation belted the hymns as never before, much to the amazement of the Jews, who blogged about “how those Christians really sing!” No one there will ever forget that service. The psalm appointed for Good Shepherd Sunday was Psalm 23. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” What more needs to be said?

The Trinity choirs have been a unifying thread through these trials. The day after the attacks, a choir dad e-mailed, “My daughter insists that the Choristers go ahead with rehearsal today. She is adamant that they be together. If they can’t go to Trinity, then why not rehearse at Mr. Webster’s house?” A 10-year old gets it. When you’re the choir, you come together to do your job. You have a mission. Two days after the bombings, with the church still closed, our Wednesday Evensong morphed into an open-air service at the police barricade two blocks from the church. Colin Lynch led the choir, and clergy offered prayers for the healing of our city. Though our church building was closed, the community of faith carried on. Trinity finally reopened the following Wednesday. The first public service was Evensong with the Choristers. TV cameras rolled. It was another step in a painful, uncharted, redemptive journey that no one could have foreseen. 

At a time like this clichés are helpful because they convey truth. Life is precious. Life is a gift. It can be taken away or altered in an instant. Thank God for it every day, and tell those you love that you love them. Tell them often.

You express yourself so eloquently through your compositions. Can you envision responding to these events through your music?

I don’t know yet. Here’s another irony. The day before the race was a Sunday, known in Boston as Marathon Sunday. It’s a big day in the city churches, with scores of out-of-town runners on hand. At Trinity we bless the athletes during the services. I had composed a new anthem, Have you not known? Have you not heard? based on Isaiah 40, to be premiered that day. The text includes, “They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.” It had been commissioned by Stephen J. Hendrickson, a parishioner whose partner, David McCord, was about to run his first marathon. The energetic music weaves in the famous theme from Chariots of Fire. The Trinity Choir gave it a rousing first performance. Given the following day’s events, the piece has acquired a particular poignancy.

Are there other aspects of this that you would like to share?

There is no doubt that evil exists. We saw it in twelve horrifying seconds in Boston. But evil is everywhere, every day. Though there was injury and death on Patriots’ Day, there is violence in the streets of Boston, Chicago, Baghdad, and Damascus every day. We who claim the faith of Jesus are called to respond to the world’s brokenness passionately, with courage, mercy, and healing. 

Richard Webster, FRSCM, is director of music and organist at Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston. He is also music director of Chicago’s Bach Week Festival, and president of Advent Press (www.advent-press.com).