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The choir has flourished under a series of able organists and choirmasters. Hugh J. Williams, a Welsh tenor, was the first long-term choirmaster, serving from 1926 to 1938. The first organist/choirmaster was J. Sidney Lewis. Somewhat W. C. Fields-like in appearance, Lewis served his dual role from 1938 to 1942, the last five years of his 23 years as organist. From 1942 to 1946 the talented and much-loved Hugh J. MacKinnon was organist/choirmaster. He composed many noted anthems, including Sleeps Judea Fair. His successor, Richard I. Purvis, who served from 1947 to 1971, built the choir into a nationally recognized body. Purvis improved voice quality and repertoire, and enlarged the seasonal choir concerts. Like his predecessor Lewis, Purvis's gruff exterior concealed a warm heart. It was Purvis's search for a steady supply of trebles (boy voices) that led to the development of the Grace Cathedral School for Boys in 1957. Following in his footsteps was John Fenstermaker, who served from 1971 to 2000. He attained international status for the choir, raising it to new levels of excellence. A Fenstermaker choir alumnus of the 70s was the late Louis Botto, founder of the famed vocal ensemble Chanticleer. Fenstermaker made the first commercial LP of the choir in 1979. Two more choir LPs and 7 choir CDs were to follow, the latest being Music for Advent.
As a former cathedral chorister, this writer can appreciate the hours of voice preparation and rehearsal that go into a single Sunday service, not to mention a choir concert or recording. Not seen by the public are the hard-working music staff, the volunteers reponsible for clean cassocks and polished shoes, the choir families getting their sons to the church on time. Within the choir are the satisfaction of a piece well sung, the camaraderie, the comic books hidden under vestments, and the pre-season work/fun at summer camp, held at the diocesan Bishop's Ranch near Healdsburg. Several noted assistant choirmasters have looked after the boys; Jackson E. Nichols in the 30s, John W. Shields in the 50s and 60s and the current cantor/associate choirmaster Boyd Jarrell. One of the hidden treasures of the choir was the late Helene Hackett, robes mistress for the Grace Cathedral choristers for nearly 60 years. Childless herself, generations of trebles were "her boys". She died in 1991 at age 109. Joining the staff to work with Dr. Fenstermaker in 1994 as associate organist and choirmaster, Christopher Putnam was named Canon for Music in 2001. Putnam left in 2003 and Susan Matthews became the cathedral's first woman organist. In 2004 Jeffrey Smith was chosen as the next organist/choirmaster and Canon for Music, and we welcome him to his new post. The full time staff of five oversees an extensive program of choir rehearsals (including both the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys as well as the mixed-voice Cathedral Singers, founded in 1996), music classroom work with the choirboys, education for the cathedral congregation, concerts, and a wide variety of other musical activities in the life of the cathedral and beyond. A continuing emphasis of the cathedral's music department is to look to the future, with an emphasis on the best of existing and new American music, setting the highest standards in repertoire and performance. Given Grace Cathedral's presence on the Internet, the cathedral music program seeks always to be a dynamic enterprise, encompassing a wide variety of the finest repertoire for choir and organ. The choir tradition continues into its 90th year at Grace Cathedral, performing the beautiful treasures of Anglican church music, inspiring those who are privileged to hear it, and bringing back fond memories to old choristers.
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