Emmanuel Church  
  in the City of Boston  
 
15 Newbury St. Boston MA 02116  617.536.3355
 

Emmanuel Music

 

We rejoice in the election of Ryan Turner as our Music Director!

After a two-year search for Music Director of Emmanuel Church and Artistic Director of Emmanuel Music, Ryan Turner succeeded our reknown interim John Harbison and our late director Craig Smith. As a long-time member of Emmanuel Music and tenor in our choir, Ryan, and his wife, soprano Susan Consoli, are known to many of us. For more details please see Emmanuel Music's announcement, Jeremy Eichler's announcement in the Globe, and David Weininger's article about Ryan's selections for the upcoming season.

Emmanuel Music is the only organization in the world performing the cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach as they were intended, as part of a worship service. Since 1970, the Orchestra and Chorus of Emmanuel Music have presented Bach cantatas during the Sunday services at Emmanuel Church in Boston’s Back Bay. The current placement of the cantata after the distribution of communion provides the congregation an extended time of meditation for integration of the elements of the service, so that we are better prepared to be of service in the wider world during the coming week.

Bach wrote over two hundred sacred cantatas. They were performed during Sunday services at Leipzig’s St. Thomas Church, where he served as Kapellmeister from 1723 until his death in 1750. Emmanuel Church has revived the cantata tradition: during each Sunday’s 10:00am service, from September through May, Emmanuel’s liturgy includes a cantata as well as other great works of music. The 2011/12 Bach Cantata Series runs through April.

Craig Smith (1947-2007)

 
  Emmanuel Music's beloved founder and artistic director died November 14th, 2007. Craig's distinguished career was lived in and with Emmanuel Church for thirty-eight years. His legacy in the church and in the Boston music community is profound. A moving memorial service was held at Emmanuel Church on Thursday, January 31, 2008.  
 
  • Obituary, Boston Globe, Nov. 15, 2007
  • Jeremy Eichler's article about the memorial service, Boston Globe, Jan. 31, 2008

    Memorial Fund:

     Our vestry has established a fund in collaboration with Emmanuel Music to create a memorial to Craig Smith. Please send your donations to Emmanuel Church (or place them in the offering plate) with the notation "Craig Smith Memorial".
 

Please see Musical History, for notes on the development of music at Emmanuel before Emmanuel Music. For additional information, including ticket purchases, please call Emmanuel Music at 617.536.3356 or visit Emmanuel Music’s Website.

 
website.emmanuel@gmail.com
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