Adult Choir
Above: On Sunday, September 19, 2021, the Choir and Director of Music Tyrone Whiting (left) celebrated 40 years of service from Connie Haggard, St. Martin's Liturgical Coordinator, Choir Librarian, and soprano. We are grateful that vaccination has allowed us to resume re-integrating our volunteer choir members.
The Choir of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is a volunteer ensemble of more than 35 members, supported by a professional quartet of section leaders, who support our worship at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Eucharist and monthly Choral Evensongs. Rehearsals take place on Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
With a repertoire spanning from the renaissance to the present day, the choir, while continuing in the richness of the Anglican/Episcopal tradition, often also includes new music and that from other genres/traditions to enhance worship and performances. Tallis, Mozart, Elgar, Stanford, Chilcott, Rutter, Hurd, Price, MacMillan, and much in between and beyond can be heard at our services and events.
As well as adding to our worship services, the choir perform concerts throughout the year, and in recent years have taken part in two choral pilgrimages to the UK. Most recently serving as Choir-in-Residence at Bristol Cathedral in August 2017, the choir also sang Evensong at Westminster Abbey in London.
Our professional quartet of section leaders add much to our music-making offering a strong scaffold to the choir’s development and serving as soloists in our service. We are particularly grateful to our quartet for their continued work and achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An informal group of volunteers help support our semi-monthly Wednesday Compline service, singing plainsong chant in a beautiful short service, which has its routes in the 6th century.
Connie Haggard manages our extensive Choir Library, preparing scores for all our singers for each of our services and events.
The Choir of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is always looking for new members! Please contact our new Director of Music, Mr. Tyrone Whiting.
For existing Choir members: visit the page below to access Choir materials and notices.
Director of Music (215) 247-7466 ext. 105 As Director of Music at St. Martin's, Mr. Tyrone Whiting (he/him) oversees all our music ministries, outreach, and education. Tyrone says: "With a robed adult choir supported by four professional section leaders, a children’s choir Chorister program, and a robust series of concerts throughout the year, St. Martin’s is an incredibly musically active church, whose mission and outreach are at the heart of the music program. I am proud and grateful to all who participate and support our music ministries." Winner of multiple prizes, organist, pianist, and conductor, Tyrone Whiting began his formal studies as a teenager with Nigel McClintock at Croydon Parish Church (now Croydon Minster) in London, UK. Five years later, in the summer of 2011, he was awarded the Associateship diploma of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO). Tyrone previously graduated from the Royal College of Music (RCM) as a scholar from the Postgraduate Diploma in Performance Science course, where he was generously funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council Studentship and supported by the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Award. Returning to the RCM in 2016, Tyrone received a distinction in the one-year fast-track Master of Music degree course, achieving an ‘excellent’ category distinction grade in his final organ recital, and receiving the renowned Harold Darke Prize in 2017. Tyrone studied organ with both David Graham and Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin, conducting with Peter Stark and Howard Williams, and has also undertaken historical performance projects with Jane Chapman and Lawrence Zazzo. Graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where he studied organ performance with William Whitehead, Daniel Moult, and Ann Elise Smoot, Tyrone was three times winner of the Geoffrey Singleton Prize for Organ Performance (2010, 2011 & 2012), and twice winner of the Cardnell Organ Prize for ‘talents as an organist’ (2011 & 2012). Throughout the degree, Tyrone trained as a pianist under the direction of the renowned Phillip Fowke and continues to perform piano alongside his organ work. Tyrone also studied at Trinity’s Junior Department where he was awarded the Hambourg Award for Improvisation. In September 2017, Tyrone was appointed Director of Music at Grace Church in Newark, New Jersey, USA and began working there in February 2018. At Grace Church, Tyrone extended the Chorister Choir School program, developed and expanded the adult choir, and founded a brand-new adult chamber choir, Brick City Chorus, as well as significantly raising the profile of music at Grace Church and the Arts in Newark, NJ. Prior to Tyrone’s arrival in the USA, he was Director of Music at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Battersea from 2012 to early 2018. At St. Mary’s, Tyrone established a biennial recital series as well as a new fully-funded choral scholarship program, and conducted several large-scale concerts including Mozart and Fauré’s requiems, J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion, and Stainer’s Crucifixion. Collaborative work included conducting a recent commission by prominent British composer Simon Bainbridge written for the Choir of St. Mary’s, as well as working as accompanist for the Philharmonia Chorus under conductors Stefan Bevier and Yaron Traub. Passionate about teaching, Tyrone was awarded the Licentiateship diploma of Trinity College, London (LTCL) in Instrumental/Vocal Teaching with a high distinction and worked in and around London as a teacher of organ, piano, and theory. He was formerly Head of Music at Elmhurst Independent School for Boys for many years and worked as an animateur in London schools and with the London Mozart Players. Coordinator of Liturgical Ministries (215) 247-7466 ext. 116 When St. Martin’s Church welcomed volunteer singers into the adult choir in 1981, Connie (she/her) volunteered. She is still singing, and the choir has grown from nine to 35. Her St. Martin’s journey has included choir librarian, three soup kitchens, board of Women of St. Martin’s, outreach committee, book room (now out of circulation) reorganizer and coordinator, clerk of the vestry and, her favorite, playing Peppermint Patty in St. Martin’s production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown in 1986. Currently she works alongside over 100 parishioners as liturgical coordinator, with hopes that many more will come on board. A graduate of Cornell University with a major in English, Connie taught in Ithaca High School and in the Wissahickon School District for 17 years. She and her husband, Dick, a retired research chemist, have lived in their Fort Washington home for 46 years where they raised three sons. They are fortunate to have three grand-daughters who live nearby. When Connie and Dick are not busy at St. Martin’s, they enjoy musical events, visits with family and friends, and travel, near and far.Tyrone Whiting
Connie Haggard
Choir of St. Martin's - Members' Page
Welcome to the Members' Page for the Choir of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Philadelphia!
Please find below all registers, music booklets, and recent communications from the Director of Music.
