Meditations on the O Antiphon by Nico Muhly - December 22nd
The Rev Canon Glenn Loughrey, along with the Parish Council Wardens and all the community of St. Oswald’s Anglican Church Glen Iris have appointed Daniel Brace as Organist and Music Director who follows in the tradition of other great St. Oswald’s organists such as Colin Brumby and Calvin Bowman.
‘We thank Calvin very much for sharing his talents for so many years with us and we look forward to hearing him on the Grand Organ at St. Andrews,’ says the recently appointed Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral and Vicar of St. Oswald, Wiradjuri man, Glenn Loughrey.
‘Daniel has been appointed in the role and with the help and commitment of dedicated Oswaldeans is launching an exciting program of music events and activities for the new church year designed to engage the whole community. This is the first of many for the whole family.’
Along with the popular annual Carols Service held on Sunday 19 December at 7.30 pm, and the Children’s Service at 4pm on Christmas Eve, Daniel will give a special concert of music specific to the few nights before Christmas Eve.
The Meditations on the O Antiphon for solo organ by gay composer Nico Muhly (b. 1981) are inspired by the seven Magnificat antiphons likely to have been written in the 6th century A.D. and reserved for vespers on the last seven days of Advent. Each Antiphon draws on an ancient and hopeful prophecy about the meaning of Christmas.
Nico Muhly is a New York composer, student and colleague of the minimalist Phillip Glass. He is a prolific and popular composer and has been commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra and written many sacred works.
Nico was thrilled to learn that these works were being performed at St Oswald’s and has sent a personal note about the music and its meaning to be read at the concert.
The Antiphons form the Latin acrostic ‘Ero cras’ meaning ‘Tomorrow I will be’, these antiphons invoke ancient prophecies about the coming of Christ: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia.
Concert Details
The concert will take place on Wednesday, 22 December 2021 at 8:30pm. Entry is by donation with proceeds used to support the music program at St Oswald’s.
For more details of O Antiphon Preludes or Christmas services at St. Oswald’s, view our website for updates, OR contact Daniel Brace at 0412806034 or Peter Johnson at judysjohnson@icloud.com / 0417 548 896.