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2022 ACDA Eastern Region Conference


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                                        Concert Choirst Choirs
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               African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas                 Boston Conservatory at Berklee

                      St. Thomas Gospel Choir                                     Choir

















           The St. Thomas Gospel Choir (STGC) is from the
        Historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in
        Philadelphia, PA. The STGC currently consists of 60
        spirit‐filled, energetic, singers, ministers, and musicians

        of all ages and backgrounds. The choirs membership    The Boston Conservatory at Berklee Choir is a tre-

        represents over 10 different area churches. The STGC  ble chorus comprised primarily of voice performance
        shares their music ministry at over 100 services, pro-  majors. As one of two curricular undergraduate choral
        grams, concerts, and celebrations of all kinds every year.  ensembles at the Conservatory, the choir regularly per-
        The STGC has performed for the installation of the last  forms in esteemed venues including Old South Church
        two Episcopal Church Presiding Bishops.             and Sanders Theatre. Recent highlights include featured
                                                            performances as part of Harvard University’s Rising
                    Walt Blocker attended the High School for  Voices Festival and the annual Living Voices/Living
                    the Creative and Performing Arts in Phil-  Songs concert series featuring premieres of student
                    adelphia, PA; the Westminster Choir Col-  works and invited guest composers.
                    lege in Princeton, NJ; and The University
                    of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. In 1991,           Nathan Reiff is a faculty member in the

        Blocker was called to direct a gospel choir at the his-         choral department at Boston Conservatory
        toric African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Phila-          at Berklee, where he conducts choirs and
        delphia. This concept and idea of gospel music started          teaches choral literature. He also serves as
        a change in worship for the entire Episcopal Church             resident conductor of the Harvard Glee
        worldwide.                                          Club and music director of Newton, MA-based hospice

                                                            choir JourneySongs. Reiff holds an MM in choral con-
                                                            ducting from the University of Michigan and a BM with
                                                            distinction from Yale University. He is a DMA candidate
                                                            at Yale University.











        CHORAL JOURNAL  January 2022                                                                           Volume 62  Number 5            13
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