We are pleased to announce we have called Dr. Dana Marsh as our new Director of Music!

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Founded in 1837 and located on Monument Circle at the heart of the Indiana state capital of Indianapolis, Christ Church Cathedral sits at the center of the government, commerce and cultural life of the Circle City. The historical church building is a prominent feature of a thriving downtown. In this context, the cathedral has as its vocation to be a house of prayer for all, a church for our city and a cathedral for the Diocese of Indianapolis. Our life of prayer and our service to others are our primary ways of fulfilling this vocation.

This music ministry is a significant part of our cathedral vocation—both as liturgical prayer but also in service to others in the city and diocese. Our choirs and organs support three of the four Sunday Eucharists. They are also integral to the cathedral daily prayer cycle, offering weekly evensong. In addition to this primary commitment, our program offers choral concerts, organ recitals, and choir tours, which bring sacred music to the larger public life of our city, diocese and beyond.

Our commitment to sacred music is living and growing. We recognize that this tradition did not come to an end in the 19th century and that we have a role in advancing it into the 21st century. Our congregation supports and values newly commissioned works, sometimes challenging ones, to enrich and further the tradition of Anglican sacred music. Similarly, while our 126 year commitment to a men and boys choir links us to Anglican cathedral tradition, we continue this tradition because it serves our mission and vital purposes in today’s culture. The involvement of children and youth in our program provides rich opportunity for Christian formation. Indeed, these choirs are primary parts of our youth program. Dividing children by gender in choirs has allowed us to involve more children, retain more boys, and form both in faith while attending to the different developmental needs of boys and girls. For this reason, the cathedral has for over 40 years supported a girls’ choir, which sings liturgically at the 9 am service, at seasonal liturgies, as well as at concerts and on European tours.

In fact, four choirs sing regularly in our liturgies: The Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, The Cathedral Girls Choir, The Christ Church Singers and Coro Hispano. The music staff includes the Director of Music, the Assistant Organist/Choirmaster, Coro Hispano Director (part-time) and administrative support. The cathedral is blessed with three magnificent organs: The Chancel Organ built by Hellmuth Wolff and Associates, Op. 32 (1990), The Ruth Lilly Memorial Gallery Organ built by Taylor and Boody Organ Builders, Op. 19 (1992), and the Fredrick E. Weber Memorial Continuo Positive Organ from Brombaugh Organ Builders (1996). There is also a Steinway B piano, an extensive music library and a set of handbells.

In addition to the strengths described above, mention must be made of the broad support for our musical ministry from the arts community in Indiana, the Diocese of Indianapolis, and the congregation, as well as the Dean, clergy and staff of Christ Church Cathedral.

The next Director of Music will succeed colleagues of exceptional skill and commitment. Previous incumbents include Jim Litton and David Koehring. The legacy of Frederick Burgomaster’s 32 years of service is inestimable. His tenure at Christ Church Cathedral yielded us our renowned organs, the tradition of European choral pilgrimages, the establishment of the Christ Church Singers and the Coro Hispano, multiple recordings, and a series of Choral Masterworks compositions of exceptional quality. Dr. Burgomaster retired this past summer after a tour that culminated with the Men and Boys singing High Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, in 2009.

Since Dr. Burgomaster’s retirement, we have been well served by Dr. Jeffrey Smith, who is a visiting professor this year at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington. Dr. Smith has strengthened our ties to the Jacobs School, with which we are working to develop an organ scholars program. Thanks to his leadership, our choral sound has thrived during the interim. However, as the interim, Dr. Smith is not a candidate in this search. In addition, Ben Hutto of St. John’s Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C., and the National Cathedral School has consulted with us in this interim period and provided valuable insight and direction. Finally, a parish discernment committee conducted focus groups inside the congregation and interviews with external stakeholders to help us reflect intentionally on where we are going in our music ministry and what kind of leadership we need from our next Director of Music.

As a result of this work, we have reaffirmed our commitment and acknowledge the strength of this ministry. Nevertheless, we have also identified areas of challenge and unrealized opportunity:

• Guiding our program through a transition following a tenure as long and momentous as Dr. Burgomaster’s.

• Articulating the vital place music ministry has as a part of the mission of Christ Church Cathedral.

• Rediscovering the potential for partnership with other parishes, colleges, universities or other arts organizations in our area.

• Addressing an institutional bias toward our Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys.

As we reflect on the qualities that most matter as we discern this call, we have high expectations for the next Director of Music.

 

• We are looking for a strong leader for a strong program. While extensive musical experience and ability are necessary in this position, these qualities are not sufficient. The proven ability to manage a staff and to ensure that administration and communication are effective is vitally important. The Director of Music must also be a strong advocate for this ministry, raising support for it among the congregation and community.

• We are looking for a partner and collaborator. A creative relationship with the Canons and other professional staff under the leadership of the Dean is essential to the health of our music and congregational life. The Director of Music will also need to be a partner who will seek out and deepen relationships in our diocese and city. We need a musician who thrives in collaboration with others.

• We need a musician with extensive knowledge of the sacred music tradition for choir and organ, with particular emphasis on the Anglican musical tradition. Interest in new compositions is also important; being a composer would be even better.

• We need an educator; a musical educator with extensive experience teaching and leading adult and children’s choirs. The children in our programs must receive musical education in singing and reading music, but they must also be formed in faith as we have received it in our Anglican and Episcopal tradition. In addition, Spanish language proficiency would be welcome.

• Finally, we need a musician who sees this position as an expression of baptismal ministry and vocation, whose love for and joy in sacred music is evident and who desires to exercise this ministry as part of the mission of Christ Church Cathedral.