Alec Wyton

Alec Wyton is described in Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, by saying, "Wyton has brought together and caused to flourish three separate traditions: English church music, American church music and music from outside the churches." Also bringing together clergy and musicians of the Episcopal Church, he was the Coordinator of the Standing Commission on Church Music from 1974 to 1985; he was Minister of Music at St. Stephen's Church, in Ridgefield, Conn., from 1987 until his appointment as Minister of Music Emeritus in 2004; and he was Founder and Chairman of the Church Music Department of the Manhattan School of Music. Wyton is the award-winning ASCAP composer of over 100 published works; editor of the Anglican Chant Psalter; contributor of articles to professional journals; performer, teacher and lecturer: he is the complete musician. From 1954 to 1974 he was Organist and Master of the Choristers at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Headmaster of the Cathedral Choir School. He taught at Union Theological Seminary in NYC and was Chairman of the Organ Department at Westminster Choir College, Princeton.

Wyton was born in London in 1921. He earned degrees from the Royal Academy of Music and Oxford University. He came to the United States in 1950, working briefly in Dallas and St. Louis. Wyton died on March 18, 2007, after a prolonged illness.

He has traveled throughout the US and Canada playing recitals, conducting workshops, master classes and hymn festivals stressing the coexistence in liturgy of great music and literature of the past with new and exciting works by artists of our time.

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