Music at All Saints’

Download the 2023/2024 Music Brochure

St. Augustine once said, “He who sings, prays twice.”

Music, in all its forms, is an essential aspect of our worship — a truly transcendent way to experience the Divine. Our Music Ministry has, over the years, earned itself a reputation for excellence and innovation, and our musical offerings resonate not only within the walls of our parish, but also radiate outward to the larger Los Angeles community, inspiring our neighbors to join us and lift their voices in praise.

Music takes many forms at All Saints,’ and we invite you to join us in whatever way you like:

Every Sunday, the Choirs of All Saints’ Church offer meditative opportunities to worship with the sacred choral sounds of the ages, from ancient plainchant to classic masterpieces, and premieres of modern works (including those by our world-renowned composer and organist, Craig Phillips).

Our AS2 musicians provide a new voice for contemporary weekly worship through their stirring contemporary songsmanship and joyful refrains, providing a wonderfully modern modality for worship to all our parishioners and guests.

Supported by the Music Guild, we offer a Chamber Music series unlike any in Los Angeles, featuring world-class musicians bringing to life worship music from a variety of styles and genres.

We also offer a series of music-centered worship services outside of Sunday morning, from Choral Evensong to services in the style of Taizé, as well as our annual services of Lessons and Carols for both Advent and Christmas.

There’s something here for everyone! If you’d like to find out more about singing at All Saints’ or participating in any aspect of our inclusive Music Ministry, Craig Phillips would love to hear from you.

 

 

Meet Dr. Craig Phillips

Craig Phillips, our organist and Director of Music, is a distinguished American Composer. You can hear his choral and organ music every Sunday in churches and cathedrals across the country, and many of his works have been performed in concert throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. He was named the American Guild of Organists’ Distinguished Composer in 2012, making him the seventeenth recipient of this prestigious award. In 2015, Dr. Phillips was named an honorary canon of the Cathedral Center of St Paul, and in 2016 was awarded an honorary Doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary.

Dr. Phillips was the featured soloist at the opening service of the 2012 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Nashville, where he premiered a newly-commissioned work called Three Sketches for Organ, in addition to other works for organ, brass, and percussion. In 2010, he premiered his commissioned work Sojourn for Organ and Winds at the National Convention of the AGO, and was the featured soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra in a performance of his Concertino for Organ and Orchestra in 2002. He has also appeared as a soloist with members of the Eastman Philharmonia, the Oklahoma Symphony, the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, and Musica Angelica.

Craig’s music has been the subject of pieces in The American Organist, The Los Angeles Times, and The Diapason, and he has received commissions from organizations like The American Guild of Organists, The Episcopal Church, The Association of Anglican Musicians, Stellar Brass, The Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthews, CoroAllegro, The University of Iowa, Syracuse University, UC Riverside, the Washington National Cathedral, and many other churches and institutions. He’s also received numerous ASCAP Awards, as well as a Meet the Composer grant for a work premiered at the Ojai Festival, in addition to having his organ, choral, and chamber works published by a variety of prestigious firms.

Many of his works have been recorded, including several recordings on the Gothic Records label, many of which feature the All Saints’ Choir with Dr. Phillips as organist. Other works have been recorded on the Arkay, JAV, Summit, and Pro Organo labels, as well.

Dr. Phillips has been named Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music, and holds a Performers’ Certificate from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he studied under the pedagogy of Russell Saunders. He also earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, and his earliest musical studies were at the Blair School of Music, in Nashville. He is also a member of the American Guild of Organists; the Association of Anglican Musicians; and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers; in addition to serving on the boards for the Ann Stookey Fund for New Music, as well as the Clarence Mader Foundation.