Music/Choir
Music can be one of the most empowering and transformative aspects of the worship experience - it moves us in ways that words often cannot. We invite all of you to join with me in making Psalm 98:4 the cornerstone of our musical worship at St. Gregory’s: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music!”
We don’t care if you’re a trained professional musician, a community choir singer, or just love singing along with the radio in your car... ALL voices are welcome. We often joke that we love making a "joyful noise" together, even when some singing sounds less like singing and more like noise! No matter - StG's is a place to make joyful noise unabashedly.
- MUSIC STAFF: Our choir is supplemented by a wonderful quartet of professional vocalists. Their primary purpose is to lend strength and confidence to the volunteers, as well as to periodically offer solos for Sunday and other services. You can read more about each of them here!
- ORGANIST/PIANIST: We’re blessed to have Kirstie Felland, our resident organist extraordinaire, as part of our StG’s family! She offers beautiful prelude and postlude, as well as beautiful renditions of the service music and hymns chosen for each service. She’s available to play for weddings and funerals at StG’s.
Lessons & Carols - December 20, 2020
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - July 5, 2020
Our music minister, Kathryn Kinjo Duncan, gave a sermon in this morning’s service tying together the Matthew 11 gospel reading (“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”), the sonnet on the base of the Statue of Liberty, and this anthem, “Her Beacon Hand” by Caroline Shaw.
A note from Kathryn:
“As a Japanese American and daughter of an immigrant, this song is especially meaningful to me. When I first sang it under Christopher Windle's direction with The William Ferris Chorale, it was especially meaningful and I knew I’d have to bring this song to StG’s sometime soon! I was so pleased to bring in original members from that choir (Tracie Rhesean Davis, Megan Fletcher, LaRob K. Payton, and John E. Orduña), all of us biracial or people of color, to join me in creating this virtual choir that shares such a powerful message of welcome and unity that is the foundation on which this country was built."
“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!”
Cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
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Vocalists
Vocalist I moved to Chicago with my husband Chris in 2011. We chose Chicago mostly on a whim (we'd been living in a tiny Idaho town and wanted an adventure!), but we've fallen in love with the cultural diversity, the vibrant music scene, and the incredible people we've met here. When I'm not at StG's I work as a professional chorister, singing with many organizations including the Chicago Symphony Chorus (where, as someone who played the violin for many years, it's a struggle to maintain my professional composure and not just completely geek out when I get to sit behind that incredible world-class orchestra!), the William Ferris Chorale, the High Holy Days Choir of Temple Sholom, the studio recording choir for World Library Publications, and many freelance singing gigs all over the city. That said, my latest and greatest musical achievement has been teaching myself to perfectly replicate the sound of a bicycle horn with my voice (to the “we are in PUBLIC” dismay of my husband and the never-ending glee of my nephews), so that will probably tell you something about me. :) When I'm not singing, I love to teach myself how to do handyman projects around the house (last year we purchased our first home in Rolling Meadows), practice embroidery and calligraphy, and read anatomy textbooks just for fun. We recently adopted a dog, Charlie (a 4 year old boxer/beagle who is far too smart for his own good - he loves trying to steal ice cubes from our fridge door ice dispenser), and are hoping to add more dogs to our pack very soon! Our little family loves to eat sushi and spend our spare time binge watching Star Trek, Property Brothers, and any and all zombie movies. :) We’ve learned to maximize the relaxation when we can get it, as we’ve had our fair share of drama over the last couple of years. In 2018 Chris was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer at the ripe old age of 36, so we’ve been endlessly grateful for our StG’s family that has been a constant source of love and support through it all. We’ve wholeheartedly embraced the mantra “it is what it is,” and strive to live every day with joy and light and laughter! I've been a musician my whole life - I grew up Mormon, so one of my earliest memories is going to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing live. I knew from that moment that I wanted to sing in a choir, and that shaped most of my schooling and extracurricular choices from grade school through college, and eventually became my career. Even though I'm not Mormon anymore, sacred music has become part of my DNA - and I've come to deeply appreciate how important it is in both weekly communal worship and in building a personal relationship with God. While music is, for me, the medium through which I find spiritual connection, I also truly believe it is one of the most restorative and empowering forces for good in the world. When I started singing at StG’s as the alto soloist and section leader, it didn’t take long for my Sunday mornings to no longer feel like a job… this church became my spiritual community and home. It’s the greatest pleasure and privilege of my life to get to raise my voice in worship and song with all the welcoming and loving souls in this community! It is my honor to serve at StG’s Music Minister, a capacity in which I take no greater joy than encouraging people of all ages and all skill levels to experience the transformative power of music. VocalistKathryn Duncan
Cameo Humes
Vocalist Keanon Kyles, praised by CNN for his “incredible bass-baritone voice” and by Scottish Magazine, Opera Scotland for his “beautiful technique”. Kyles was raised in Chicago where his musical journey started and where he received his bachelor’s degree in music from Chicago’s Columbia College. Keanon made his opera debut as Colline in Puccini's “La Boheme”. Conducted by Metropolitan Opera’s Maestro David Jackson, he made his Italy debut in Trento, Italy as Betto in Gianni Schicchi and Peter in Hansel and Gretel. Keanon was featured as Billy Evans in the world premiere of Floating Opera Company’s production of “War and Peace”. Kyles made his Chicago Opera Theater debut as Daggoo in "Moby Dick", shortly after he was asked to return perform the role of Tommie in the opera, "Freedom Ride" with Chicago Opera Theater. He has ranked one of the top 5 singers in the National Association of Negro Musicians competition. He made his Lyric Opera debut by way of Lyric Unlimited’s production of “Earth to Kenzie” and soon after made his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut as a featured soloist in their “Purpose Over Pain” concert. Keanon was invited to Carnegie Hall to make his solo debut where he sung a plethora of genres on Perelman Stage. Kyles’s versatile voice has gained him notoriety and has allowed him to share the stage with some of music’s greatest artist- Samuel Ramey, Andrea Bocelli, Kathleen Battle, Celine Dion and more. Aside from his growing Opera career, he has performed concerts across the globe at popular venues such as Allstate Arena, United Center, Chicago Theater and internationally at the Edinburgh Festival and Japan World Music Festival. He made his South America debut doing the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Opera “Noye’s Fludde” under the baton of Maestro Guerrasim Voronkov in Bogotá, Colombia. After making his U.K. debut as Colline, Keanon returned to Scotland in the role of Rigoletto in Clyde Opera Group's production. His career has been highlighted by CNN, Good Morning America and the headline of The Chicago Sun-Times. In addition to his performance career, Keanon teaches voice performance in jazz, gospel and musical theatre out of his studio in downtown Chicago, as well as, at Lyriq Music School in Northcenter. Kyles is a 2 time award recipient of the Reva and David Logan Foundation award and Resident Music Artist of the private club -The Cliff Dwellers Okay, okay enough of the “text bookie” talk lol outside of singing I’m deeply rooted in fashion and interior design. For years I would co-host fashion shows in downtown Chicago for Columbia College’s Fashion Department all while being an Assistant Manager/Visual Merchandiser for department store, Tuesday Morning. So, if you went into their Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Niles store and said, “Oh my what wonderful displays—it was I! *Shameless plug* so feel free to call on me when you get into your spring cleaning! Life is full of surprises, good and bad, I live each day accepting everyone as they are, sharing God’s love, sharing the gift God gave me, speaking life into people trials and tribulations and making sure I smile through it all. Smile—because a smile heals and nourishes the soul with positivity! Vocalist I was born and raised in the Chicago area, starting in Jefferson Park, then moving to Des Plaines at the beginning of 7th grade. Since then I've lived in Wisconsin, Ohio, Italy, then back to Palatine, IL, and finally back to Chicago proper. I'm a city girl at heart, and have found my perfect spot in Lincoln Square where I live with my adorable cats. My current day job is as the Associate Director of Total Rewards at the Illinois Institute of Technology - I've always joked that human resources is great for the right half of my brain, while musical endeavors are for the left half! Many people know that I'm a huge Cubs fan - I finally got my season tickets in 2019 after 13 years on the waiting list! In the summer there's nothing better than a warm, sunny day at Wrigley Field with the Cubs in the lead. It's also one of the avenues I use as an excuse to spend time with my fantastic nephews and niece, who are some of the brightest spots in my life and who I enjoy spoiling rotten. When I'm not at Wrigley I love traveling to see the Cubs in other cities - I'm on a mission to visit all 30 MLB parks, to see the Cubs play in as many of them as I can. I also love just traveling and new experiences in general - my other mission is to do my favorite Bodypump workout in all 50 states. When in Chicago, I love playing tour guide for family, friends, and the aforementioned nephews and niece. For several years now St. Gregory's has been another musical home of sorts, as well as a spiritual one. I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing with such incredible musicians, and to be part of such a vibrant and welcoming community. It is my sincere hope that I can give back to St. G's as much as it's given me.Keanon Kyles
Viki Rill
Music Minister
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