Thomas Wikman, Conductor
Choirmaster 1984-Present
Church of the Ascension
Church of the Ascension employs a professional choir of 17 voices to sing on Sunday mornings, on
all major feast days (All Saints', Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, etc.) and on four days during
Holy Week.
A polyphonic mass setting is sung every Sunday. Among the 45 masses sung last year were several by
Mozart; Vaughan Williams' Mass in G minor; Kodaly's Missa Brevis; Gretchaninoff's
Missa Festiva; the Byrd four- and five-part masses; the Monteverdi four-part of 1641; and
several Palestrina masses.
On ordinary Sundays only one or two motets are sung, but a special service may include as
many as 15 motets.
Also every Sunday, the men of the choir sing the complete Gregorian melodies from the
Liber Usuaiis - Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory and Communion. This never amounts to fewer than ten
musical pieces per service.
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