Eric Osborne Hired as New Minister of Music
Thursday, September 03, 2009
posted by Tay Moss
The Wardens and Rector of the Church of The Messiah are pleased to announce that they have hired Mr. Eric Osborne to be the new Minister of Music. The search for a new person to lead musical aspects of worship at the church drew many fine applications, and the committee was nearly overwhelmed by the quality of many of those expressing interest. However, Eric stood out as the best choice based on his qualifications, skill, and vocational discernment. A native of St. Mary's, Ontario, Eric's first exposure to the organ and Anglican church music was as a boy chorister at his home parish, St. James. Since then he has studied organ with eminent Canadian, American, and English organists, and possesses a Bachelor of Music Performance degree in organ and church music from the University of Toronto, and an Associateship Diploma of the American Guild of Organists.
Between 1997 and 2000 he was the Organ Scholar at Trinity College and the Healey Willan Organ Scholar at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto. He has served at Anglican/Episcopal Churches in New York State, Alberta and Ontario.
Besides his duties as a parish musician, Eric finds time to lead workshops in church music. For six years he was the musician in residence at the Finger Lakes Conference in upstate New York. He has taught courses in hymnody, modern Anglican music, and singing. His interests in Anglican music include modern Anglican music and liturgy, psalmody, and organ performance especially the English organ tradition and North German organ traditions that influenced J.S. Bach. He has published several articles on organ history in Canada, psalmody, and enriching a music ministry. His written
works also include several anthem settings, hymn tunes, and a complete cycle of psalms for the lectionary. He has also recorded a compact disc of organ music, "The voice of prayer" featuring an 1888 Walter Spencer tracker instrument and 1919 Casavant in Owen Sound, Ontario.
His non-musical interests include cooking, iconography, gardening and English murder mysteries. He has taught courses on iconography and "writes" icons in his spare time. He is married (Sarah) and has two daughters (Clara and Sophie) and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bella.
This appointment marks the beginning of a new time at Church of The Messiah, and the staff and leadership of the parish are very excited to welcome him aboard!