Jeremy Spurgeon has been the director of music at All Saints’ since 1980. He came to the Cathedral from London, England, via the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and the Geneva Conservatoire where he gained the Premier Prix de la Classe de Virtuosité. He has appeared in concert with many Canadian and international ensembles, singers, and instrumentalists. His teachers have been Eileen Sullivan, Eric Pask, Lorna Sergeant, Ronald Frost, Eric Chadwick, Una Bradbury, Dame Gillian Weir, and Lionel Rogg. Jeremy has performed as piano accompanist and organist in Canada, the USA, Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Poland. Jeremy was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Alberta in 2018.
Here in Edmonton, Jeremy is organist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, assistant accompanist for the Richard Eaton Singers, and freelance musician much asked for throughout the city. In 2010, the Alberta Choral Federation honoured him with the Con Spirito Award in recognition of his enormous contribution to choral music in Alberta.
At All Saints’ Cathedral, Jeremy maintains a busy and varied ministry as Director of Music. For all services with music, he collaborates with the clergy in choosing the hymns and shaping the liturgy. He also plays at services for Holy Days and numerous special occasions, as they arise. During our fundraising efforts to pay for the refurbishing of our Casavant organ, Jeremy offered three very full and exhilarating organ recitals. As a well-known musician, he frequently arranges concerts and recitals at the Cathedral.
For Jeremy, music is central to the worship of God. He has described the purpose of his ministry here as “people coming to know God more and more through music.” He has dedicated his life and talents to this work at All Saints’.
Choral music has always been central to the liturgy at Anglican cathedrals. The Cathedral Choir at All Saints’ continues in that tradition, singing some of the greatest church music written across five centuries at the Choral Eucharist every week, Evensong every first Sunday of the month, ordinations as they arise, and special services on High and Holy days throughout the year.
Among the most loved choral services at All Saints’ are the Lessons and Carols for Advent and the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve. Holy Week - that is, Palm Sunday to Easter Day - is especially busy for the choir as the choir sings services for Tenebrae, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday (the Great Vigil), Easter Sunday morning (joined by a brass quintet), and, finally, Evensong on Easter Sunday night.
Through our music we help to create an act of worship - a drama through which all participants offer prayer and celebration as a gift of beauty to God.
If you are interested in joining the Cathedral Choir or learning more about the choir, please contact the church office. The Cathedral Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings.
The organ was installed in 1959 and restored in 2009. It was built by the Casavant Freres of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. It has 3 manuals, and 42 ranks with over 2000 pipes, the smallest of which is the size of a pencil and the largest 16 feet long.
The upper part of each side of the Chancel was designed to accommodate the organ pipes housed there. The console is moveable, and may be relocated as required for various performances.
