Richard Webster

Richard Webster (b. 1952) is the Associate Director of Music at Trinity Church, Copley Square in Boston. He is also the Music Director of Chicago's Bach Week Festival. As a composer, Richard's anthems, mass settings, canticles, hymn tunes and organ music are published by Advent Press, Augsburg Fortress, Selah, Church Publishing, the Church Music Society and World Library Publications. His hymn arrangements for brass, organ, timpani and congregations are widely used in the U.S., Britain, South Africa, Australia and Canada, and are featured regularly on the CBC live Easter and Christmas broadcasts. His recent commissions include works for the Cleveland Museum of Art, Baylor University, the 2006 AGO National Convention and numerous churches. Two CDs from Advent Press -- Fanfare! and Brass* Organ*Quires -- have been hailed as setting a new standard in music for the church.

In 2003, after 30 years as Organist and Choirmaster at the Parish Church of Saint Luke in Evanston, Richard was named Organist and Choirmaster Emeritus. At St. Luke's he directed the Choir of Men and Boys, the Girls Choir, Adult Schola, and the St. Luke's Singers in a widely respected program. Under his leadership the choirs made seven tours of Great Britain, released six acclaimed recordings and were one of three American choirs selected for broadcast on BBC Radio's Choral Evensong. They were also featured in Robert Altman's film, A Wedding. The 1998 restoration of the historic 1922 Ernest M. Skinner organ in St. Luke's was overseen by Richard and is dedicated by the parish in thanksgiving for his ministry.

He has directed RSCM Training Courses for choristers in the U.S. and South Africa and is a past president of the Association of Anglican Musicians. He frequently performs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Milwaukee and Grant Park Symphony Orchestras.

His organ teachers have included Peter Fyfe, Karel Paukert, Wolfgang Rübsam. As a Fulbright Scholar to England, he studied the English choral tradition and served as Organ Scholar at Chichester Cathedral, under John Birch.

As a diversion, Richard loves running and has completed twelve marathons, including the Boston Marathon four times.

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