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In
1948, the late William Dixon formed the St. Augustine Choral
Society, under the sponsorship of the St. Cecilia Society. As its
director from 1948 through 1951, he conducted the chorus in its
initial performance of Handel’s Messiah at Trinity
Episcopal Church, a tradition which continues to the present. After
an absence of almost 20 years, Mr. Dixon returned to St. Augustine
and again led the Choral Society from 1970 to 1978.
In 1978, Wayne
Jornalien conducted Messiah in the Lightner Museum.
Sister Patricia Consier,O.P., music director at the Cathedral,
became conductor of the St. Augustine Community Chorus, as it was
now known, in 1980, and annual performances of Messiah
at the Cathedral continued under her leadership until 1990.
In 1990, Dr. Janet
Graham, minister of music and organist at Memorial Presbyterian
Church, assumed the role of conductor of the Chorus, and continued
its tradition of presenting an annual Christmas Concert featuring
Messiah. Dr. Carl Peters II, minister of music at
Ancient City Baptist Church, joined her as co-conductor in the
mid-1990s, and introduced the Pops and Masterworks Concerts to the
Chorus’ annual concert series. Dr. Peters left St. Augustine in
2003 to accept a position in California.
The Chorus welcomed two
new conductors, Ms. Kathleen Vande Berg and Dr. Theodore K. Mathews,
in 2004. Ms. Vande Berg, with a background in choral conducting in
New York and Atlanta, conducts the Chorus’ spring Pops Concert at
the St. Augustine High School Center for the Visual and Performing
Arts. Dr. Mathews, formerly professor of music and glee club
conductor at Agnes Scott College, is directing the Chorus’
Masterworks Concert in May at Ancient City Baptist Church.
In April 2006, Dr.
Graham passed away after a long illness. For so many years the
“heart and soul” of the St. Augustine Community Chorus, she is
missed by chorus members and the entire community. Dr. Mathews and
Ms. Vande Berg now share conducting duties for the traditional
Christmas Concert, which will be held at the Cathedral Basilica once
again, in 2007, after 17 years at Memorial Presbyterian Church.
last update
11/28/07
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