The Second Annual NJ Royal School of Church Music America Choral Festival was held at Christ Church in East Orange on Saturday, April 25, 2015. More than 30 children from around New Jersey, as well as from New York City, participated.
Dr. Rob Ridgell, Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church in Charlotte, NC and Founder and Director of the Queen City Youth Chorus served as guest conductor for the event. Organist for the festival was Dr. John Sheridan, Director of Music at Christ Church in New Brunswick.
Choirs and directors participating included Christ Church, New Brunswick with Dr. John Sheridan; Trinity Choristers, Asbury Park with Diane Caruso; Newark Boys Chorus with Donald Morris; and the St. Paul's Choir School, Englewood and Washington Heights Choir School, New York, with Mark Trautman.
Choral Evensong in honor of the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist was led by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Harmon, Rector of Christ Church, East Orange. In his sermon, Fr. Harmon encouraged the choristers to persevere, always keeping in mind that talent and knowledge must always be nurtured and developed.
The choir sang Bairstow's Evening Canticles in E-flat as well as Kenneth Lowenberg's arrangement of Holy Manna and Barbara W. Baker's arrangement of The Storm is Passing Over.
The Third Annual Choral Festival will take place next spring, and more information will be available in August. All choristers in New Jersey – regardless of affiliation – are welcome! For more information, contact Mark Trautman at St. Paul's Church in Englewood (mtrautman@stpaulsenglewood.org).
