From Dr. Anthony hammond
Dear St. Peter’s,
I am thrilled and honored to have been appointed as the next Director of Music at St. Peter's. It is humbling to follow in such distinguished footsteps, and I hope to do great justice to the best of what my predecessors established. I would like to thank Rev. Anne and the search committee not only for all of the hard work they have put into the recruitment process over the last few months but also for the extraordinary commitment, vision, and open-mindedness they have shown in being willing to cast the net beyond just the US itself in order to find the right person. To be that right person is, believe me, the pinnacle of a 25-year career working in Anglican church music. The reputation of St. Peter's for excellence in liturgy and music is very well known. It just so happens that I have visited St. Peter’s several times in the past, played the incredibly beautiful organ, and attended concerts and services. I have always remembered those occasions very clearly, so to have the opportunity now to reconnect in this way is quite amazing for me. My fiancée Allie (who is from Charlotte, NC) and I look forward to coming to live and work among and alongside you all just as soon as we can. It will take a little time to sort out the paperwork, so please keep us in your prayers, as we will keep all of you, and know how excited we are to think that we will be with you very soon.
About our music director
Dr. Anthony Hammond is a critically acclaimed international concert organist, choir trainer, church musician, composer, musicologist and teacher. He studied in England with Roger Fisher and David Briggs, and in Paris with Naji Hakim. His repertoire is drawn from many countries and many periods, but his particular passion is for Romantic and 20th century French organ music and improvisation. He is the author of the book Pierre Cochereau: The Organist of Notre-Dame, a study of one of the greatest improvisers in the organ’s history. The book originated in his PhD studies at the University of Bristol and was published worldwide by the University of Rochester Press in 2012. His CD recordings of solo organ music (Priory, Ifo Classics and Raven labels) have received outstanding reviews and he is known for improvising exciting and accessible accompaniments to classic silent films. He has broadcast on television and radio both in the U.K. and U.S.A., and has toured extensively as a recitalist in Europe and America. He has held notable church posts at Chester Cathedral; St. Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol; Bristol Cathedral; Cirencester Parish Church; and St. John’s, Princes Street, Edinburgh. Currently he is a freelance musician based in Edinburgh. In 2009 he made his US solo debut in San Francisco, followed since by concerts in venues including the National Cathedral, Washington DC; St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City; and Harvard and Princeton universities. European concert venues include Westminster Abbey, London; St. Paul’s Cathedral, London; the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris; and the church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris. For much more information please take a look at the website www.anthonyhammond.com, and to view many filmed performances see his YouTube page DrAnthonyHammond. Outside of music Anthony is a keen walker, usually accompanied by his Labrador; a reader of history with a particular fondness for American political history; a film lover; and a classic car fan. He is also, of all things(!), a professionally qualified sommelier who is researching for a book on the history of Scotch whisky.