Press Release
PERTH AMBOY – The service of Lessons and Carols is a long-standing tradition of St. Peter’s Epsicopal Church, Perth Amboy. Musical offerings of the season will be performed on December 15, 2013 at 10:30 AM by a 40 voice choir under the direction of R. Douglas Sheldon, Music Director since 1976. This is his 38th Lessons and Carols. All are invited.

The choral works to be performed range from that of the 16th century Spanish composer Tomas de la Victoria to a recent composition of only a few years ago by Martin Sedek, I Sing of a Maiden. Other selections include a Colonia period carol, a calypso tune, and folk carols among the wide variety of offerings. The music alternates with seasonal biblical readings.

Mr. Sheldon is also the founder and principal conductor of the Baldwin Festival Chorus of New York. He is a Senior Vice President at Columbia Artists Management and a leading manager of classical artists internationally. Assisting him in conducting will be Winston Hughes, Jeff Smith, and Patrick Murphy. Mr. Hughes is a retired music teacher from Edison High School and is widely known in the area for his outstanding work with the school’s choir and as a vocal teacher. His choirs were consistently award winning. Mr. Smith and Mr. Murphy are graduates of Rutgers University and alumni of the Rutgers Glee Club. They are now music teachers in Edison and Old Bridge respectively where they also work with the high school bands.

Accompanying the carols, anthems, and hymns will be St. Peter’s organist Jon Tyllian who is a graduate of Duquesne University. He has also accompanied master classes for several noted conductors. Martin Sedek, whose work will be performed, is a composer who has won major awards, works as assistant choir director and visiting professor of music theory at Montclair State University, and is a Ph.D. candidate of Rutgers University.

Soloists for various pieces will be Jeff Smith, Elizabeth Moran, Elena Gisler, Amanda Weiss, Austin Turner, and Patrick Murphy.

Admission to the service is free and open to all. Donations will be accepted. A reception will follow.

Historic St. Peter’s Episcopal Church is located at 183 Rector Street, Perth Amboy, N.J.

For further info, please call the Parish Office (732) 826- 1594.