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Press Releases
Trinity Church Announces 2025-2026 Music Season
Trinity Church Announces 2025-2026 Music Season
Highlights include PIPES, a fall concert series celebrating the inauguration of Trinity’s historic new organ installation, with performances by Anna Lapwood, Avi Stein, Alcée Chriss III, David Hurd, Stephen Tharp, and Janet Yieh.
The world premiere of Trans Requiem – a Trinity Church commission by GrammyTM Award–winning cellist Andrew Yee celebrating the beauty, strength, and diversity of the
trans experience.
For the first time, Trinity’s acclaimed annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah will be split into two portions, one with performances at Christmas and the second at Easter.
New York, NY – June 12, 2025 – Trinity Church announces its 2025-2026 music season, featuring world premieres of new works by Andrew Yee and David Hurd; a split presentation 0f Trinity’s acclaimed “gold standard” rendition of Handel’s Messiah; and PIPES, a season-long celebration of the historic inauguration of Trinity’s new organ by Glatter-Götz/Rosales.
PIPES will open on September 14 with a performance by the genre-defying British organist and luminary Anna Lapwood. Additional highlights include a performance by the Trinity Choir featuring organist and composer David Hurd; Avi Stein exploring the full expressive capabilities of the organ with Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Walter Piston’s rarely performed Prelude and Allegro for Organ and Strings; and Alcée Chriss III weaving jazz and gospel improvisations through timeless works by Bach, Rachmaninoff, and Max Reger. Janet Yieh, in collaboration with Downtown Voices, offers beloved music from the Anglican and American tradition; and Stephen Tharp transforms the organ into a symphonic force with transcriptions of pieces by Liszt, Wagner, and Jongen, and his powerful organ arrangement of Stravinksy’s The Rite of Spring.
A special Jazz at One fall series presented in collaboration with JAZZ HOUSE KiDS gives a nod to the organ celebration by spotlighting the jazz organ’s evolution from sacred spaces to soul-infused clubs. Each week, Jazz at One will feature preeminent keyboard artists and Hammond B3 masters, including Mike LeDonne and Matthew Whitaker, among others. Curated by JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Artistic Director Christian McBride, the Jazz Icons series returns with a set of duet performances: legendary vocalist Dianne Reeves with Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo and acclaimed pianist and composer Fred Hersch with alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón.
Also for the fall of 2025, the Bach at One series moves into Trinity Church to join the celebration of the new landmark organ. Bach’s masterpiece Mass in B Minor will be complemented by cherished organ works and concertos by Bach and other composers.
NOVUS, Trinity’s groundbreaking new-music ensemble, continues its Renewal series on September 18 with a concert called “Undivided,” a program celebrating the trans community. Centered around the world premiere of Trans Requiem, a major new work by Andrew Yee, the performance affirms the beauty, strength, and resilience of trans identity. Commissioned by Trinity Church, Trans Requiem brings together trans voices, choirs, and orchestra. The program also features Barber’s Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings) and a participatory performance of Sonic Meditations by Pauline Oliveros.
On December 3, Downtown Voices will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a festive concert featuring alumni from the past decade in a powerful musical homecoming. The program will feature Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas, the very first work performed by Downtown Voices in its inaugural concert in 2015.
For the first time, Trinity’s renowned annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, named the "gold standard" by The New York Times, will be presented in two liturgically aligned parts presented around Christmas and Easter. Part I, depicting the prophecies and birth of Christ, will be presented during Trinity’s holiday programming lineup in December (including a free, special outreach performance for students), and selections from Parts II and III will be presented in the spring for Easter performances, signifying Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection.
On March 11, Downtown Voices and NOVUS will perform Johannes Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem – a setting of biblical texts that is considered one of the most profound choral masterworks ever composed and a timeless meditation on grief, hope, and transcendence.
On May 16 and 17, the Trinity Youth Chorus will present selections from Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell, in honor of the 50th anniversary of its Broadway debut. Based on the Gospel of Matthew, this concert brings the story of Jesus to life through a buoyant and evocative pop-rock score. With beloved songs like “Day by Day,” “Beautiful City,” and “All Good Gifts,” the Youth Chorus and NOVUS will present this musical parable to close out the Youth Chorus’s 21st season.
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Trinity Church 2025-2026 Music Season
September 14, 3pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Anna Lapwood
Anna Lapwood, organ
Trinity opens its organ celebration with the mesmerizing artistry of Anna Lapwood, the trailblazing organist whose virtuosic performances and genre-defying collaborations have captivated audiences around the world. Famous for her innovative programming and riveting interpretations, Lapwood brings a fresh and dynamic voice to the organ repertoire, making this concert an unmissable celebration of both her musical excellence and Trinity’s newest legacy instrument.
September 18, 7pm in Trinity Church
NOVUS Renewal: Undivided
Andrew Yee Trans Requiem (world premiere commissioned by Trinity Church)
Pauline Oliveros Sonic Meditations
Samuel Barber Agnus Dei
Breanna Sinclairé and Katherine Goforth, soloists; Trinity Choir; Trinity Youth Chorus; NOVUS
Undivided is a concert celebrating the trans community, embracing the fluidity of gender and the wholeness of identity beyond the confines of binaries. The pinnacle of this bold celebration of authenticity and resilience is the world premiere of Andrew Yee’s Trans Requiem, a work for trans voices, choirs, and orchestra commissioned by Trinity Church. Amplifying the beauty, strength, and diversity of the trans experience, Yee’s powerful writing and deeply personal expression offer a moving testament to identity, affirming the dignity of every voice. With stunning harmonies and poignant text, Trans Requiem will be complemented by a Trinity arrangement of Barber’s stunning Agnus Dei (Adagio for Strings) and Sonic Meditations by Pauline Oliveros that will bring together everyone in the church space as performers and collaborators. Undivided will invite the audience into a space of empathy and transformation, where music is a vessel for visibility, pride, and belonging.
September 21, 4pm in Trinity Church
Jazz Icons: Dianne Reeves and Romero Lubambo
One of the most revered vocalists of our time, five-time GRAMMYTM Award-winner and NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves has left an indelible mark on the jazz vocal genre, with her radiant voice, captivating performances, and unique ability to weave story through song with grace and power. Brazilian guitar virtuoso Romero Lubambo will join Reeves to perform songs from their new duo album.
September 23, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Alcée Chriss III
Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, op. 45
Max Reger Fantasy and Fugue on B-A-C-H, op. 46
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach; jazz and gospel improvisations
Alcée Chriss III, organ
This recital on Trinity Church’s new legacy organ showcases the electrifying artistry of Trinity’s assistant organist, Alcée Chriss III. Chriss is a soloist in high demand for his virtuosic playing, expressive depth, and unparalleled versatility. As Chriss is renowned for reimagining the organ’s possibilities, this performance will feature works by Johann Sebastian Bach, movements from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, op. 45, jazz and gospel improvisations, as well as Max Reger's Fantasy and Fugue on B-A-C-H, op. 46. Don't miss this concert of audience favorites and heavy organ repertoire.
September 29, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Joy Brown
October 1, 1pm in Trinity Church
Bach at One
Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 (Part I: Kyrie and Gloria)
Johann Sebastian Bach Organ Prelude
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ
October 6, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Mike King Trio
October 7, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Stephen Tharp
Joseph Jongen Toccata from Symphonie Concertante
Franz Liszt Totentanz - Paraphrase on “Dies Irae”
Igor Stravinsky Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)
Richard Wagner “Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde (Transcribed by Edwin H. Lemare; adapted by Stephen Tharp, all other works transcribed by Stephen Tharp)
Stephen Tharp, organ
The formidable talent Stephen Tharp celebrates the debut of Trinity’s new organ with a program of breathtaking virtuosity and daring innovation. Tharp performs his transcriptions of Liszt’s Totentanz, Wagner’s “Liebestod” from Tristan und Isolde, and Jongen’s Toccata from Symphonie Concertante. The centerpiece of the evening is Tharp’s thrilling adaptation of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring – arguably the most groundbreaking work of the 20th century – that will unleash this new instrument’s full power and gamut of colors. Join us to hear Tharp transform the instrument into a symphonic force, offering audacious reimaginings of these iconic works.
October 8, 1pm in Trinity Church
Bach at One
Johann Sebastian Bach Organ Concerto in D Minor (After 146, 188, and 1052)
Johann Sebastian Bach Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066
Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ
October 13, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Mike LeDonne Groover Quartet and Gospel Choir
October 15, 1pm in Trinity Church
Bach at One
Francis Poulenc Organ Concerto in G Minor
Johann Sebastian Bach Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225
Avi Stein, organ ; Trinity Choir; NOVUS; Melissa Attebury, conductor
October 15, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Avi Stein with NOVUS
Francis Poulenc Organ Concerto in G Minor
Walter Piston Prelude and Allegro for Organ and Strings
Julius Reubke Sonata on the 94th Psalm
Margaret Bonds Troubled Water (Arranged by Avi Stein)
Avi Stein, organ; NOVUS
As a single instrument and in dialogue with an orchestra, this program showcases the full expressive capabilities of the organ as an orchestra in itself. Trinity’s organist and chorusmaster, Avi Stein, joins the strings of NOVUS in two concertos: Poulenc’s lush and witty homage to Bach and American composer Walter Piston’s Prelude and Allegro, written for a radio broadcast in the middle of the Second World War. The organ sonata of Julius Reubke, a brilliant disciple of Franz Liszt whose potential was cut short at the age of 23, is a vast meditation comparable to the great Romantic tone poems or epic Wagnerian spectacles. Rounding out the program is the jazz-influenced spiritual arrangement Troubled Water, by Margaret Bonds, the first African American woman to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
October 20, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Radam Schwartz “Two Sides of the Organ”
October 22, 1pm in Trinity Church
Bach at One
Works by Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, and Handel
Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ and harpsichord
October 23, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Downtown Voices featuring Janet Yieh
Charles Hubert Hastings Parry I Was Glad
William Henry Harris Faire Is the Heaven
Cecilia McDowall O sing unto the Lord
Ralph Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs
Herbert Howells Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing
Gerre Hancock Deep River
Thomas Dorsey Take My Hand, Precious Lord
Alice Parker Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal
Edward Bairstow Sing Ye to the Lord
Janet Yieh, organ; Edmund Milly, baritone; Downtown Voices; Stephen Sands, conductor
Downtown Voices alongside soloist and former Trinity organist Janet Yieh inaugurate the magnificent new Glatter-Götz/Rosales organ at Trinity Church with a program that features iconic works from the Anglican and American tradition. The evening opens with the triumphant strains of Parry’s I Was Glad and Vaughan Williams’s Five Mystical Songs, showcasing the instrument’s brilliance in a space long devoted to sacred music. Join us for a celebration of Trinity’s rich musical heritage and its bold step into the future.
October 27, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Matthew Whitaker Trio
October 29, 1pm in Trinity Church
Bach at One
Johann Sebastian Bach Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 (Part II-Part IV: Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei)
Johann Sebastian Bach Organ Prelude
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ
November 4, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: David Hurd
Works by Hurd
David Hurd, conductor; Bruce Neswick, Alcée Chriss III, and Alex Leonardi, organ; Trinity Choir
Trinity Choir continues the new organ inauguration with a celebration of the artistry of David Hurd, a musician renowned for his incredible contributions to church music as both an organist and a composer. Hurd shares a rich history with Trinity: He has performed recitals here for several decades and was formerly the assistant organist at Trinity Church when Larry King was the director of music. This concert showcases his lyrical and expressive compositions with choral and organ works that offer a blend of spiritual depth and bold harmonies that will culminate in a stirring and emotional performance.
November 9, 3pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Trinity Youth Chorus
Gabriel Fauré Messe basse
Gabriel Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine, op. 11
Maurice Duruflé Messe Cum Jubilo, op. 11
Trinity Youth Chorus; Avi Stein, organ; Peyton Marion, conductor
The final fall concert celebrating Trinity’s new organ will feature the Trinity Youth Chorus singing their own adaptations of two masses: Fauré’s Messe basse, originally scored for upper voices; and Duruflé’s Messe Cum Jubilo, his last large-scale work written for baritones and baritone soloist. In the spirit of versatility and providing opportunity for all young singers to learn these foundational 20th century organ works, the concert will alternate trebles in the Duruflé and lower voices in the Fauré. The program is rounded out with Fauré’s beautiful Cantique de Jean Racine, a favorite of the Trinity Youth Chorus.
November 23
Jazz Icons: Fred Hersch with special guest Miguel Zenón
A pivotal artist in shaping the sound of modern jazz piano, Fred Hersch has redefined the art form with his fearless and groundbreaking improvisation and compositions that redefine the possibilities of the jazz piano. For this Jazz Icons performance, Hersch will be joined by special guest Miguel Zenón, one of the most innovative saxophonists of our time.
December 3, 7pm in Trinity Church
Downtown Voices Celebrates 10 Years
Britten Saint Nicolas, op. 42
Downtown Voices; Trinity Youth Chorus; NOVUS; Stephen Sands, conductor
Downtown Voices celebrates its 10th anniversary with a festive concert featuring alumni from the past decade, bringing together voices past and present for a powerful musical homecoming. The program features Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas, the very first work performed by Downtown Voices in its inaugural concert in 2015. This dramatic and colorful cantata tells the story of the legendary saint, featuring features Downtown Voices, NOVUS, Trinity Youth Chorus, and soloists. Join us for a night of celebration, reflection, and joyful music-making as we mark this milestone in the life of Downtown Voices!
December 10, 11, and 12, 7pm in Trinity Church
(Special outreach performance on December 10, 4pm in Trinity Church)
Handel Messiah
George Frideric Handel Messiah, HWV 56 (Part I)
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Youth Chorus; Melissa Attebury, conductor
Ticketed
Led by Director of Music Melissa Attebury, this New York Times-acclaimed “gold standard” rendition of Messiah presents the Christmas portion of this beloved and timeless oratorio. With Trinity’s peerless choir and some of the country’s finest baroque players, Trinity’s performances of Messiah are a cherished holiday tradition that have captivated audiences since 1770.
December 14, 7pm (at Compline) in St. Paul’s Chapel
Trinity Youth Chorus
Benjamin Britten A Ceremony of Carols, op. 28
Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Trinity Youth Chorus; NOVUS; Peyton Marion, conductor
The Trinity Youth Chorus returns to St. Paul’s Chapel for their annual performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. This beloved holiday concert will also feature a new addition to TYC’s repertoire: Ralph Vaughn Williams’s Fantasia on Christmas Carols, which will highlight the tenor and bass voices of the group as well as organ and strings from NOVUS. Join us for an evening of festive tunes and texts by candlelight with the Trinity Youth Chorus and NOVUS.
December 20, 2pm and 3:30pm in Trinity Church
Sing Choirs of Angels: Holiday Sing-Along
St. Paul’s Chapel Choir; Trinity Choral Scholars; The Choirs from BMCC; NOVUS brass and percussion
Trinity’s holiday extravaganza of carols and other festive works this year features St. Paul’s Chapel Choir in addition to Trinity Choral Scholars, NOVUS brass and percussion, The Choirs of the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), and, of course, Trinity’s congregation.
February 1, 4pm in Trinity Church
Jazz Icons
February 4, 6pm in Trinity Church
PIPES: Messe solennelle
Louis Vierne Messe solennelle, op. 16
Marcel Dupré O salutaris Hostia and Tantum ergo
Nadia Boulanger Cantique
Lili Boulanger Psalm 24
Lili Boulanger Vieille prière bouddhique
Lili Boulanger Nocturne
Lili Boulanger Hymne au Soleil
Trinity Choir; Avi Stein and Alex Leonardi, organ; Melissa Baker, flute; Melissa Attebury, conductor
Hear Trinity Church’s epic new organ with the Trinity Choir in a performance that celebrates the rich legacy of French music through the works of Louis Vierne and his preeminent pupils: Nadia and Lili Boulanger and Marcel Dupré. At one point conceived for full orchestra and choir, Vierne’s stunning and grandiose Messe solennelle captures the incredible versatility of the organ and features Trinity organists Avi Stein and Alex Leonardi. From the harmonic sophistication of Nadia Boulanger to the ethereal lyricism of Lili Boulanger and the virtuosic writing of Dupré, this performance explores the innovation and enduring power of the French musical tradition.
February 24, 6pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Ave Generosa
Francis Poulenc Litanies à la Vierge Noire
Francis Poulenc Ave verum corpus
Maurice Duruflé Tota pulchra es
Bernat Vivancos Nigra sum
Ola Gjeilo Ave Generosa
Zanaida Stewart Robles Karitas á Four
Sarah Rimkus O vos omnes
Ily Matthew Maniano Ubi Caritas
Edvard Grieg Ave maris stella
Pavel Chesnokov Svete tihiy
Hildegard of Bingen Ave generosa
Trinity Choir sopranos and altos; Melissa Attebury, conductor
March 11, 6pm in Trinity Church
Brahms Requiem
Johannes Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45
Downtown Voices; NOVUS; Stephen Sands, conductor
Johannes Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem is one of the most profound choral masterworks ever composed – a timeless meditation on grief, hope, and transcendence. In this performance by Downtown Voices, soloists and NOVUS, Brahms’s setting of biblical texts unfolds in waves of grief and consolation, embodied in richly expressive orchestration and choral melodies. Unlike traditional requiems, Brahms’s masterpiece is not a mass for the dead but a work for the living, offering solace and reassurance. Experience the deeply moving beauty of Ein deutsches Requiem in the warm acoustics of Trinity Church.
April 13 – May 11, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One on Mondays
April 15, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One: Messiah
George Frideric Handel Messiah, HWV 56 (Parts II and III Selections)
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Youth Chorus; Melissa Attebury, conductor
April 15 and 16, 7pm in Trinity Church
Handel Messiah
George Frideric Handel Messiah, HWV 56 (Parts II and III)
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Youth Chorus; Melissa Attebury, conductor
Ticketed
April 22, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Johann Sebastian Bach Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42
Johann Sebastian Bach Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz, BWV 138
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ
April 29, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
April 30, 5:30pm and 6:30pm in All Saints Chapel
Tiny Concert
Matthias Weckmann Weine nicht, es hat überwunden
Dieterich Buxtehude Laudate, pueri Dominum, BuxWV 69
Samuel Capricornus No. 2, O tu vita felicissima
Antonio Bertali Sonata à 6 in D Minor
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein, organ
May 3, 4pm in Trinity Church
Jazz Icons
May 6, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Herbert Howells Take Him, Earth for Cherishing
Benjamin Britten Hymn to Saint Cecilia, op. 27
Ivor Gurney Since I believe in God the Father Almighty
Johann Sebastian Bach Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137
Johann Sebastian Bach Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229
Johann Sebastian Bach Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226
Johann Sebastian Bach Fürchte dich nicht, BWV 228
Trinity Choir; led by Avi Stein, organ
May 13, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
George Frideric Handel Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, HWV 76
Trinity Choir; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; led by Avi Stein
May 16 and 17, 6pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Trinity Youth Chorus: Selections from Godspell
Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak Godspell
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the iconic show’s Broadway debut, the Trinity Youth Chorus will present selections from Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell. Based on the Gospel of Matthew, this concert brings the story of Jesus to life through a buoyant and evocative pop-rock score. With beloved songs like “Day by Day,” “Beautiful City,” and “All Good Gifts,” the Youth Chorus and NOVUS will present this timeless musical parable to close out the Youth Chorus’s 21st season.
May 31, 4pm, Trinity Church
Great Awakenings: John Henry Hobart and America
Music by David Hurd
Text by Christopher Dylan Herbert
Trinity Choir; Downtown Voices; NOVUS; Melissa Attebury, conductor
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Trinity presents a new commission by David Hurd, based on the writings of John Henry Hobart (3rd Episcopal Bishop of NY 1816-1830, former rector of Trinity Church).
About Music at Trinity Church
Trinity Church’s groundbreaking music program – “the top of musical life in New York” (The New York Times)– has changed the landscape of performing arts in New York City, reenvisioning the impact arts organizations can have, with its peerless ensembles, uniquely broad range of expertise from early to new-music performance, long tradition of championing underrepresented composers, and extensive and growing discography.
About Trinity Church
Trinity Church is an Episcopal parish in New York City founded in 1697. We work for justice, serve our neighbors, and bring people together to experience God’s love in community. Trinity’s outreach in the city includes 20 weekly worship services, food assistance seven days a week for people in need, support for asylum seekers, housing for the elderly and people living with disabilities, youth programs, and a wide array of free music and educational events throughout the year. The church also supports communities and ministries serving the world in Africa, Asia, and across the Americas.
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