Mystery and Transcendence

Todd Wilson

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Wilson, one of America’s leading concert organists, has been Trinity’s organist and artist-in-residence since late 2009. A native Ohioan, he was director of music and organist at The Church of the Covenant in Cleveland for nineteen years, and continues as head of the organ department at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Having grown up in the men and boys choir of Trinity Church in Toledo, the choirs and music of the Anglican tradition have been an influential part of Wilson’s musical life. During graduate school, he served as organist and choirmaster at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. During 1978-79 he served as a visiting assistant in music at Canterbury Cathedral in England under Dr. Allan Wicks. At the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation on Long Island, Wilson directed one of the longest-running choirs of men and boys in continuous existence in the United States. He frequently presents workshops on Anglican choral and organ music, and on service playing. He has been organ clinician at the Evergreen Episcopal Church Musicians Conference, the Montreat Conference on Worship and Music, the Interlochen National Music Camp, the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and the Sewanee National Church Music Conference.
Wilson is also organ curator of the recently restored Norton Memorial Organ (E. M. Skinner, 1931) in Severance Hall, and is house organist at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, where he plays the restored 1915 Aeolian organ.

He has been heard in concert in many major cities throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, including concerts at Symphony Hall (Birmingham, UK), Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Cleveland’s Severance Hall, Dallas’ Meyerson Symphony Center, and Uihlein Hall in Milwaukee.

Wilson received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and completed further study at The Eastman School of Music. He has won numerous competitions, including the prestigious French Grand Prix de Chartres, the Fort Wayne Competition, the Strader National Scholarship Competition and the national competition sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles.

Discography

Elizabeth Billings

Beth joined Trinity with her husband, Steven, and daughter, Maeve, in September 2007 after moving to Shaker Heights from Indianapolis. She has been a member of the Cathedral Choir, Knitting Pearls and a lector since she joined. As a choir member, she regularly attends the 11:15 service on Sunday, the weekly Choral Evensong service on Wednesdays, and monthly Solemn Sung Eucharist. In her past life, Beth was a genetic counselor, working in the area of prenatal diagnosis. In 2001, she chose to leave that field and since then has worked part-time at yarn shops, teaching knitting and selling yarn. In February 2019, Beth realized a lifelong dream and, with her friend and partner, she opened Around the Table Yarns shop in Shaker Heights. Beth is a lifelong Episcopalian and completed an adult catechism program as well as EFM, before moving to Ohio. Beth and her husband served jointly as Stewardship co-chairs in their last parish; she also taught Godly Play and was a co-leader of their congregation’s first Rite 13 program. Beth is a quietly spiritual person but as she has grown older and wiser, she has come to know that it is through all of our direct contributions and participation that the church will thrive, and be a continuing source of community, strength and leadership.

Wendy Miano

Karla Rivers

John McElliott