© Copyright 2014: St. Philips Episcopal /Anglican Church
334 MacDonough Street
Brooklyn, NY 11233
Church Telephone: 718.778.8700
Rectory Telephone: 718.467.5250
SOUNDS OF ST. PHILIP'S
St. Philip's Episcopal/Anglican Church
(The Diocese of Long Island)
Reverend Carver W. Israel, Rector
The Right Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano, Diocesan Bishop
ABOUT OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR
Dr. John A. Wolfe is a New York City-based organist, choral conductor and music educator. Recent performance highlights have included the 2018 Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, CO, the Sunday Afternoon Kilgen Organ Recital Series at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, the Bach Meditations series at Grace Episcopal Church in NYC, a solo recital at Central Synagogue in NYC, a performance as featured soloist with the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, and an appearance on the 2017 Naxos Records release Songs of Peace and Praise: Choral Music from Queens College. Dr. Wolfe is a 2016 recipient of the Organ Historical Society's E. Power Biggs Fellowship, and serves as the Dean of the American Guild of Organists Brooklyn Chapter.
In January 2018, Wolfe earned the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance at Rutgers University. While working towards his doctorate he studied with Professor Renée Anne Louprette and performed with the Rutgers Baroque Players, Rutgers Medieval Ensemble and Rutgers Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Dr. Wolfe was the recipient of Rutgers University's Drinkwater and Shaw organ scholarships, and the Elizabeth Wyckoff Durham award for academic distinction and excellence in organ or piano performance. He also holds a Master’s Degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he studied with Professor Walter Klauss and earned the Maynard Walker Organ Award, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Vassar College, where he studied with Professor Gail Archer. While working towards his Bachelor's Degree he additionally studied in Prague, Czech Republic via New York University. Dr. Wolfe is a native of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
MUSIC MINISTRIES AT ST. PHILIP'S
St. Philip's Episcopal Church boasts a long legacy of great musical arts within worship, praising God and uplifting the hearts and souls of the congregation through a wide variety of sacred music. The music program at St. Philip's seeks to find contemporary relevance within tradition, and to involve all members of the congregation in music making.
THE CHOIR AT ST. PHILIP's
St. Philip's is home to an adult choir that combines professional and volunteer singers. All are welcome to participate--no audition is necessary and no prior musical training is required. The choir sings a varied repertoire including classical music, folk, gospel and jazz. The choir rehearses on Sundays from 12:00PM to 1:30PM, with a warm-up before Sunday morning worship at 8:30AM. If you'd like to learn more about the choir or if you're interested in joining, please speak to Music Director John A. Wolfe.
THE ORGAN AT ST. PHILIP'S
The Rev. Dr. John Milton Coleman Memorial Organ, dedicated in 1999, is one of Brooklyn's landmark pipe organs. It was built by the French Canadian organ firm Guilbault-Thérien, Inc. and houses 2,372 pipes, spread across 44 ranks. The organ's great versatility makes it capable of performing music all the way from the Medieval era to the present day. A full specification of the organ is available at the American Guild of Organist's "Organs of New York City" project at http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Bkln/html/StPhilipEpis.html.
