The St. James Choir will offer Choral Evensong for St. Michael & All Angels on Sunday, Sep. 27 at 5:00 p.m., with the prelude beginning at 4:40 p.m. This service is in loving memory of Bev Ward, who died earlier this year.
Bev was a quiet, gentle man but a GIANT in the field of church music. He was the last of the charter members of the Association of Anglican Musicians from 1966.
Bev received his Bachelor in Music cum laude from Furman University, Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and was in the first class of fellows of The College of Church Musicians at Washington National Cathedral.
In Chicago, he was an Instructor of Theory and Organ at the American Conservatory of Music, as well as Director of Music at St. James Episcopal Cathedral from 1965-1968. In Hendersonville, NC, Bev was Administrative Assistant and Organist/Choir Director for the First Congressional Church from 1978–94, then held a similar position at St. James Episcopal Church from 1994–2000. He was pivotal in helping the parish choose the Harrison & Harrison organ for the church in 1999. From 1980–96 he directed The Carolina Chamber Singers. He also served as organist/ Choirmaster for St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Asheville, NC from 2001–2003.
Artist in Residence Tate Addis will be playing two of his organ pieces during the prelude for the service, which begins at 4:40 p.m. Tate will also be playing Sowerby’s Rest in Peace. The St. James Choir will sing Bev’s beautiful setting of Ubi Caritas as a choral benediction at the end of the service, and also My Guardian Angel by Judith Weir, Preces & Responses by Sumsion, Evening Service in C by Ossewaarde, and In the Year That King Uzziah Died by David Williams.
Plan now to attend this beautiful service in memory of Bev Ward on Sunday, Sep. 27 at 4:40/5:00 p.m.
