Free lecture to explore Anglo-Caltholic music traditions in Canada

Toward a Canadian Sacred Music Tradition -- poster for lecture by Stephanie Martin to be given on February 19.

Music plays an important role in worship at St. Barnabas. Join composer and organist Stephanie Martin as she explains the roots of a Canadian-made Anglo-Catholic musical tradition in a lecture in the parish hall on the evening of Feb. 19.

Healey Willan emigrated from England to Canada in 1913, and from there began a long and prolific career as a composer of sacred works. (The parish choir performs many of Willan’s compositions, including numerous mass settings and motets throughout the year.) Stephanie herself is the former music director at Healey Willan’s own church, St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto, and her own works represent the state-of-the-art in Canadian sacred compositions. Come here her lay out a roadmap of influences from Willan to her own music in a 90-minute lecture that promises a fascinating glimpse of a tradition on the making.

Included below is one of Stephanie’s compositions, Ave Verum Corpus, performed by the St. Barnabas Choir.