“I first met Gary Bachlund in 1968, when he was cast to play King Melchior as I was preparing to play the title role in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was in his early 20’s at the time, possessing a glorious baritone voice. We kept in touch over the years, and our musical paths crossed several times. He went on to become a Wagnerian tenor, with a prestigious career, especially in Germany.

“Also, in the early 1990’s he went back to UCLA to get a doctorate in music composition. Once again our paths crossed, as he began to write choral pieces and large-scale organ pieces. I don’t remember who brought it up, but we thought it would be mutually beneficial to engage Gary as our composer-in-residence at All Saints (a volunteer position!). For several years, he greatly enriched our musical/ liturgical life with his works.

“And he’s still writing… I just received a new and intriguing organ piece a few weeks ago, inspired by 34 (i.e. my 34 years at ASC).” — James Walker, May 9, 2017