Dear Trinity Community,
With much gratitude for God’s guidance and for all of the work done by our Search Committee, I have the honor to announce that J. Simon Lee will serve as our new Director of Music, the seventh director since the inception of Trinity’s choir program in 1885. Simon will be the choral conductor and vocal instructor, working in tandem with Sarah Johnson, our Associate Director of Music, who will now become our principal organist. As we have witnessed over the past few months, they are a formidable team whose passion for our music program shows in every detail of their work.
From the start of the interview process in 2022, we opened our hearts to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to the insights of the members of our parish and choirs, and to the expertise of professional advisors as we searched for the successor for our beloved Walden Moore. With meticulous planning, we discerned the needs of the choirs and the future of sacred music in our church’s worship. Over the course of the search process, we evaluated over thirty strong candidates, including several of national and international renown. Early this year, we organized in-person interviews, which yielded an inconclusive result. Thanks to the adroit leadership of Marsha Ackerman and Paul Berry as the co-chairs of our Search Committee and with the assistance of prominent sacred music leaders in New England, we were able to pivot quickly to arrange for a second interview series this fall, during which we would again welcome a number of expert musicians to audition. But in the meantime, by a providential stroke of genius, Marsha suggested that, in order to bridge the gap of the 2024-25 season, a Durham, UK-based choral conductor named Simon Lee might serve as Interim Director of Music. As an alumnus of the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale, Simon was not exactly an unknown talent here in New Haven, and the response to this suggestion was, to put it mildly, enthusiastic. And soon after his arrival at Trinity, Simon sensed a call to our open position. With Sarah’s solid mastery at the organ console and the overwhelmingly positive response to Simon’s musical leadership, the selection of our new Director of Music became clear.
I feel very blessed to call Simon and Sarah to be leaders of our music program. We will celebrate Simon's new role as Director of Music and Sarah’s growing leadership as principal organist at our upcoming Annual General Meeting, on January 26, 2025, during the 10:30 am Choral Eucharist. During that celebration we will also lift up the critical role of Trinity’s leaders who have spent countless hours discerning God’s call by assisting in the search. Special gratitude goes to Sarah Johnson to whom we are indebted for her hard work during this transition process.
As I contemplate the uncountable blessings we share here at Trinity on the Green, I invite you all to join me in singing God’s praise: ”When in our music God is glorified, and adoration leaves no room for pride, it is as though the whole creation cried, Alleluia. Amen.“
With tremendous gratitude,
Luk+
