Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Soprano: Michelle Wardrip

St. Luke's introduces its Evensong concert series

By Shari Kaplan

St. Luke's Episcopal Church, located at 20 University Ave., has established a new evening concert series called Evensong, to which it invites the community. Evensong is simply evening prayers that are sung, based on the Anglican tradition started in England.

Each Evensong event begins with a service at 4 p.m., led by St. Luke's rector, the Rev. David Breuer. The newly formed Evensong choir will sing selections from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, under the direction of organist and choirmaster Richard Coulter. Following each service is a concert.

The first concert takes place Oct. 18--St. Luke's Day--and features soprano Michelle Wardrip, a resident of Salem, Ore., whose program includes Biblical Songs by Dvorak and Exultate, Jubilate by Mozart. Wardrip has performed with the Portland Opera, Theatre West, Gallery Players of Oregon and at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Salem, where Coulter once directed the music ministry.

Wardrip is also a music teacher in the Oregon public school system and a member and vice president of Mu Phi Epsilon, an international fraternity dedicated to the advancement of music.

The service and concert are free, although there will be a freewill offering accepted to benefit the church's music fund. All are welcome. Other upcoming Evensong programs are the following:

* Nov. 1: Schubert's Mass in G by the St. Luke's choir, soloists and a string orchestra.

* Nov. 29: Advent lessons, holiday carols.

* Jan. 3: Music by Sonos, one of the country's premier handbell ensembles, based in Walnut Creek. They have appeared twice on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. This is the only concert for which tickets will be sold.

* Feb. 7: Classical guitar by Kenneth L. Howell, a native of England and relative of St. Luke's members Julie and Steve Conway.

* March 7: Purcell and Vivaldi pieces performed by Opera San José trumpeter and Bay Area native William Harvey, joined by Richard Coulter on organ.

* April 11: Organist Kyoko Kato, who holds a master's degree in organ performance and plays at the Fremont Congregational Church.

For more information, call the church office at 354-2195.

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