Our New Music Director
We give thanks to the ministry of the Search Committee, who has now completed their work in helping identify and narrow down qualified candidates for consideration as our next Director of Music. Special thanks to Roberta for getting the committee off the ground while I was on leave, to Dawn Ross (Choir Member), Jennie Wallace (Choir Member), Max Schmidt (Choir Member), Margaret Briscall (Choir Member), Anna Gebauer Morden (Warden), and Gail Helmcken (Lay Rep) for their faithfulness during this process and to the choir for their extra rehearsals with visiting candidates. All of this process has allowed for a very successful search process.
We are delighted to announce that Kirkland Adsett, has accepted the call to come and serve St. Mary's as the next Director of Music and Organist. Born in Fergus, Ontario, Kirk earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. He also holds a Master of Sacred Music degree focusing on the study of organ-playing and choral conducting from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.
Kirk has held numerous organist/choirmaster church positions in Canada and the United States. He was privileged as well to have been the founding director of an after-school program called Reaching Out Through Music which continues to offer free or subsidized music lessons to immigrant children in the St. Jamestown project in Toronto.
Liturgical improvisation at the organ, choral conducting and composition are among Kirk’s main musical interests. To this end, he has studied improvisation in France with Dr. Naji Hakim, Jean-Pierre Leguay, and Marie-Louise Langlais and in Germany with Otto Maria Krämer. Teachers in choral conducting have included Dr. Sun Min Lee, Ralph Allwood and Timothy Brown. Kirk’s hobbies and joys include reading, travelling, socializing with family and friends and walking his blue standard poodle Max.
Letter from Kirkland Adsett
Dear People of St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale:
It is a tremendous honour to be called to serve as your next Organist and Director of Music. St. Mary’s enjoys an excellent reputation for its liturgical and musical offerings, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this. Thank you most sincerely.
In coming to St. Mary’s, my aim is to meet the musical needs of the parish as best I can. To this end, please know that I am comfortable and open to receiving any suggestions you might have. I look forward to the pleasure of meeting and getting to know everyone over the next few months and years.
I am excited to be making the move from Ottawa to Vancouver in early August. I must confess I will not miss the winters in Ottawa!
My first Sunday at St. Mary’s will be on August 13th. I’m grateful to Rev. Lindsay Hills for the inspired suggestion for me to begin on your matronal feast day. How auspicious! I very much look forward to embarking on this next new chapter in my career and life.
Yours faithfully,