Dear Parish Family,

I am delighted to announce that Kevin Jones will join our staff on September 1 as our full-time Director of Music. As you know, this search began over a year ago…well worth the wait! Kevin brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the position. He is a professional organist and choral conductor who is passionate about enhancing the role of music in parishioners’ worship experiences and in their spiritual formation. He demonstrates gifts for vocal development of volunteers and professionals.

Most recently, Kevin has been the Minister of Music at First Congregational Church U.C.C. in Columbus, Ohio, where he is the principal organist, conducts a semi-professional adult choir of 52 singers, and plans, directs and rehearses the children and youth choirs, and the bell choir. He has planned and organized nine summer choral residences in the United Kingdom., a program I have long hoped to bring to St. Paul’s. He has served, also, as Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford, Connecticut, and as Organist/Choirmaster at Christ Church in Pelham, New York. In addition, he is currently an editor for the American Guild of Organists’ monthly journal.

Kevin has a Master of Music in Organ and Collaborative Piano from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is a former student of Karel Paukert’s and served as Assistant Organist and Choirmaster here at St. Paul’s from 1992 to 1993. Kevin is married to Joe Bellissimo, who is a chiropractor.

The Search Committee, along with his references, find Kevin to be an extraordinary talent: precise and encouraging choral conductor, inspiring organist, well-prepared, detail-oriented, collaborative, thoughtful, caring, and deeply rooted in the transcendent nature of music. Indeed, we are excited about Kevin joining the Staff.

I offer my sincere thanks to our Search Committee, who all agreed to serve again this year even after a failed search last year. My thanks to Jason Chance, Susan Gray, Mike Lyford, Julie Micheletti, Dave Mitchell, Nathaniel Powell, and Sandy Simon. I am so grateful for their time and expertise. My thanks, also, to the Rev. Jessie Dodson for shepherding this process while I was away on sabbatical.

Peace,
Jeanne+