Calvary’s high-quality music program offers an opportunity for active participation by members of the parish of all ages. The focus of the music program is to enhance the parishioners’ experience of the presence of God through the majesty and mystery of the Anglican Church Music tradition.
The adult choir is a non-professional ensemble consisting of members of Calvary along with four post-secondary music students who are paid as Choral Scholars. The role of the Choral Scholars, who are principally drawn from the University of California Santa Cruz, is to enhance the work of the volunteer members of the choir; in turn, they gain professional experience as working musicians and learn the rich heritage of the Anglican repertoire.
Typically, the choir leads the congregation in singing hymns and service music and chanting the psalm appointed for the day in addition to presenting an offertory anthem. During the year the adult choir also sings two or three Evensong services, several Special Choral Eucharist services, an annual Lessons and Carols service, and extra services around the Easter and Christmas seasons. The music ministry at Calvary is supported by our Schoenstein pipe organ (Opus 84, 1981) installed at Calvary in 2018 as well as a 6-foot Steinway grand piano.
Adults and children interested in participating in Calvary’s choir should see Murray Walker after church or email him at mwalker@calvarysantacruz.org.
MURRAY C. WALKER has been the Director of Music and Choirmaster at Calvary Episcopal Church, Santa Cruz since 1996. A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Mr. Walker holds music degrees in choral conducting from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver and California State University, Long Beach. He is retired from a forty-year career as a music educator, most recently at the York School in Monterey. His singing career has included the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the choirs of (the former) St. Paul’s Cathedral of Los Angeles, Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver, Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal and Norwich Cathedral in England. He served as conductor of the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony from 1988-1993. mwalker@calvarysantacruz.org
KATE SAPHIR, Organist has a special heart for chamber music, which has been a part of her family for generations, and a love of serving as church musician as she has done throughout her entire adult life. She is a pianist (BM in Piano Performance at San Francisco Conservatory), organist (Colleague of the American Guild of Organists), published composer (Episcopal Church Publishing), producer, and performer. Her Musical Soulmates program features a trio of musical projects: Performer’s Collective, Suzuki Piano Studio, and Harmony Youth Choir which showcase a kaleidoscopic range of music. Through Musical Soulmates Kate cultivates joy, healing, and connection through both process and performance of music. ksaphir@calvarysantacruz.org
2024-2025 CHORAL SCHOLARS
GAVIN PINNOW, bass, an undergraduate student at UCSC, will graduate with degrees in both music and history December 2024. He has studied voice with UCSC’s Sheila Willey since 2020 and performed multiple productions with the opera program. He is grateful for the opportunity to engage with the community and enrich his musical experience with Calvary’s choir.
SHRUTI SINGH, alto, is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in cognitive science and a minor in music at UCSC. She has studied choral singing for ten years with the National Children’s Chorus, and is currently in the UCSC Chamber Singers ensemble. She is excited to sing in the Calvary Choir and to get more involved with the community here.
LONDON SWANSON, Soprano