Our best wishes go with Sam Nelson as he and his family depart Massachusetts for Sarasota, FL, where Sam has accepted a full-time position as Assistant Organist/Choirmaster at Church of the Redeemer, the largest Episcopal church in the diocese of Southwest Florida.
Sam has been St. Paul’s Music Director for about six years. During that time, he expanded our music program to include new special services, varied musical styles and instrumentalist collaborations, more challenging choir repertoire, and stellar organ playing. And he served ably as our Parish Administrator for three of those same years, helping the church take advantage of 21st century technology for communications and administrative tasks. And all the while charming us all with an underpinning of good humor and a booming laugh. Sam will play his final Sunday service at St. Paul’s on August 11th. We will miss you, Sam. Godspeed and come back to see us when you’re in the neighborhood.
Replacing Sam at the keyboards beginning August 18th will be Dr. Andrew Shenton. Andrew will join us as interim Music Director as we decide together the direction in which we want our music program to proceed. He is already somewhat familiar with St. Paul’s, having collaborated with Sam for our 100th Anniversary Evensong, during which they shared organist and conducting duties. During the early summer, St. Paul’s Music Director Search Committee (Fr. Rob, Priscilla March, Julia Nelson, Bob Sorrentino, and Jim Vath) met with Andrew to discuss the position; the Vestry approved hiring him at its July meeting.
Andrew is an Associate Professor of Music at Boston University. In addition to being a scholar and educator, he is also a prize-winning author and performer based in Boston. Born in England, he first studied at The Royal College of Music in London, and holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from London University, Yale, and Harvard respectively. We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to St. Paul’s and look forward to getting to know him!