Church of the Epiphany
1393 York Avenue (at East 74th Street)
New York, NY 10021-3407

MUSIC AND THE ARTS AT THE CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY

Welcome to a very musical parish! The Church of the Epiphany enjoys a well-deserved reputation--in New York City and beyond--as a home for excellent, engaging music, both in our worship services and in our concert offerings. Our programming, while rooted in the Anglican tradition, is original and eclectic, and features our organ and piano, choir and Quartet, as well as outside groups of distinction. Please let us know if you'd like to be a part of this, as an audience member, supporter, or participant!

 

NEW:  Children’s Choir on Thursdays

Cherub Choir: 4-4:45 (K-1st grade)

Children’s Choir 4:45-5:30 (2nd and 3rd grade)

Children ages 5-8 are invited to join us for choir on Thursday afternoons.  Children will learn about music through songs, games, movement, rhythm, percussion, and art projects.  For more information, contact Elizabeth Hung Wong at 212-737-2720, ex. 24. 

 

Epiphany Choir

Our main choir, led by four section leaders, is open to volunteers and rehearses at 7:30 on Thursday evenings, and at 10:15 on Sunday mornings.  For more information, contact Elizabeth Hung Wong at 212-737-2720, ex. 24. 

 

Parish Choir

Our Parish Choir is a special opportunity for musicians of all ability levels to join our choir for one day with no strings attached!  Just show up at 10am on the date for Parish Choir, and we’ll learn a simple anthem and sing it at the 11am service.  No mid-week rehearsals, no long-term commitment—just a good morning of singing!  Fall Date: November 25

Organist and choirmaster, Elizabeth Hung Wong!

Hong Kong born organist Elizabeth Hung Wong studied with Wolfgang Rübsam at Northwestern University, where she received her Masters Degree in Church Music and Performer’s Certificate in Organ. Since her graduation, she has been serving as Organist and Choirmaster in various capacities at several Episcopal Churches in the Chicago and the Tri-State area, including Nutley, New Jersey, Bronxville and Scarsdale, New York.

Elizabeth has performed many concerts in Asia and the United States, including St. John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong; Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore; Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis, Indiana; Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois and Grace Church, White Plains.  She was the accompanist for the Combined Choir of the Evanston Deanery at the Address by the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. George L. Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during his North American visit.  In the summer of 1995, she was one of the service organists at the St. Paul’s Experience, the summer resident choir at  St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England.  In August 1998, she accompanied the 50-voice Christ Church RSCM Choir during its residency at Lichfield Cathedral, England. 

After receiving her Bachelor Degree in Economics from the University of Toronto, Elizabeth worked as a merchant banker for 9 years.  Prior to changing her career to become a musician, she was the Organist and Chairman of the Music Committee at Hong Kong Baptist Church.  She had studied the  piano with Tu Yuet Sin in Hong Kong and Andrew Marcus at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, Canada.  Nominated as a member of Phi Kappa Lambda, the national honor society of music, she was also the harpsichordist in the Early Music Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. David Schrader, and the continuo player for the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra.  In addition, she has performed in masterclasses with David Higgs, Edgar Krapp, Todd Wilson and Marie Claire Alain.  She has served on the Board of the North Shore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is currently the Secretary of the New York City Chapter.

For all musical information, consultation or planning regarding weddings, funerals, or other special services at Epiphany, please contact Elizabeth Hung Wong in the Parish Office at 212-737-2720 x24.

Music Ministry at Epiphany

Music is very important at The Church of the Epiphany. The severely beautiful Norman architecture of the nave makes for an excellent acoustic, and the parish values music highly. Our choir comprises both volunteer and professional singers and delights in a wide variety of music. Our 50 rank, 3-manual Aeolian-Skinner Organ, opus 1412, dates to 1963 and is housed in the chancel tower. The present instrument still retains the Pedal Bourdon and the Dulciana and Unda Maris stops from the three-manual 1916 Steere organ that preceded it. Built under the tonal supervision of Joseph Whiteford, in dialogue with John Cartwright, Organist and Choirmaster from 1958 to 1987, the Epiphany organ is a masterpiece of historic significance. Elegantly and clearly voiced, it works very well for music of widely different styles.

Our piano, a Mason and Hamlin model AA, has recently been lovingly restored under the supervision of Tali Mahanoor and is a beautiful instrument, particularly for interpretation of Romantic repertoire.

Join the Parish Choir!

 


Do you enjoy singing? We would love to talk to you about Choir membership! Our singers are an exceptionally dedicated and loyal group, in part because choir rehearsal is grounded not only in solid musical practice, but also in historical, spiritual and liturgical awareness. Led by a director with an unusually broad background--a background including seminary study and advanced degrees in literature--the Parish Choir of the Church of the Epiphany is a first-rate place for you to grow in musicianship and in your understanding of the role of music in the spiritual life. If you think you would like to explore this wonderful ministry at Epiphany, please call, email, write, or speak to the organist at any time. Rehearsals are held Thursdays at 7:15 throughout the year, except in the summer months. The repertoire is diverse and enjoyable. See you in the choir!

Our choir is led by a Quartet: Kamala Sankaram, soprano; Penny Cruz, alto; Jorge Altamirano, tenor; Andrew Bogard, bass. John Shoemaker is our Senior Chorister in recognition of nearly four decades of service to this parish as a singer.

Sundays at 6 PM

 

Our 6 PM Eucharist on Sundays makes use of the music of the Taizé community, and we are branching experimentally out to include music in other styles. If you like to sing or play the flute, guitar, piano, recorder, or other instrument, please let us know--and you can become part of the musical leadership of this service. For more information on the Taize musical and spiritual tradition, click here.

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Updated: December 6, 2005