This was my first national search for an associate organist-choirmaster, and I took a long time! The next two searches (2011 and 2015) I learned how to tighten the process. In any case, it was worth the wait to bring Elizabeth Lenti, moving from Cleveland where she had recently completed her master’s degree >
Charmed and challenged by Handel's Messiah
Philip Brunelle is the organist-choirmaster who worked with Garrison Keillor for many years. When the LA Phil contracted Keillor to lead a Christmas show at Disney Hall, Phil contacted his long-time colleague, Fred Swann, asking which church choirs would be best suited to be part of the event. (Garrison asked specifically for church choirs to participate.) Since Kirk Choir of PPC and Coventry Choir of ASC had just joined forces to lead worship that July for the national AGO convention, Fred recommended us. What a fun event, especially the choir/piano rehearsal with Keillor and Brunelle at All Saints, in preparation for the event — time up close with Garrison Keillor.
What a busy year 2004 was. Since Coventry sang for the National A.G.O. convention in July, when the Los Angeles chapter invited All Saints to open their 2004-2005 season with an evensong, I asked Canterbury to lead this service. It was a "first" for Canterbury Choir to lead a musical event for a professional music organization, and they rose fantastically to the occasion.
With the national convention of the American Guild of Organists coming to Los Angeles, I was honored that Coventry Choir was invited to join with Kirk Choir of Pasadena Presbyterian Church to lead this ecumenical service. Hanan Yaqub, Greg Norton and I planned the service, including the premiere anthem by Williametta Spencer, and 1000 organists attended and belted out those hymns.
