The Music Program at St. Dunstan’s
The Music Program at St. Dunstan's has a long history of quality music making since the church was founded. Music is a highly valued and integral part of our worship. We strive to sing and perform music from a diverse and ancient repertoire, incorporating a variety of genres, including classical, jazz, spirituals, and contemporary classical music. There is always a joyful noise at our services, whether sung by the Chancel Choir, the Children’s choir, or with the many concert offerings and performances.
St. Dunstan’s Chancel Choir
St. Dunstan’s Chancel Choir is a warm and welcoming community. The Chancel Choir usually rehearses on the first Wednesday of the month 7.30 - 9pm and sings weekly from September to June. Additional services include Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve, Pentecost, Holy Week services and Easter. We are supported by professional singers as well as other instrumentalists as the liturgy requires. Do come and join us for a pre-service Sunday rehearsal at 9.30am and try us out!
Email Diane Atherton for more information at music@stdunstansbethesda.org.
The Children’s Choir
Each Sunday at noon, the Children’s Choir rehearses with Ms Diane and Mr Ulysses. We have learned a variety of unison, two-part, and three-part anthems, and the children particularly enjoy playing the chimes. We sing around once a month in the services but practice every week. We are learning to read music, and all children from pre-K to eighth grade are welcome. It’s a very fun group, and each summer, we also hold a one-day Choir Camp at the end of the summer. If your child is interested in joining us, please email Diane Atherton, Minister of Music, for further information at music@stdunstansbethesda.org.
Diane Atherton - Minister of Music and Cantor.
A church musician all her life, Diane initially started singing in the choir at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in her hometown of Sheffield, UK, and then as a student at St. Peter’s Parish Church in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Her graduate studies took her to London, where she sang as a member of the professional choir at St. Marylebone Church until moving to the United States in 2003, where she sang at Washington National Cathedral for 12 years.
Diane brings a wealth of musical experience to St. Dunstan’s, having sung as a professional soprano both in Europe and the USA for the last 30 years. Notable performances as a soloist include appearances at the Kennedy Center with Choral Arts, in Chicago’s Symphony Center, and at Washington National Cathedral. Concerts include the US premier of Kleiburg’s Requiem Mass, Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate, and Handel’s Messiah and La Resurrezione. Other works performed in Europe include Handel’s Messiah, Samson, various Bach Cantatas, St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion, Magnificent, Christmas Oratorio, and many other masses by composers such as Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart, Rossini, Gounod, Poulenc, and Michael Tippet.
Diane is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice at Shenandoah University and runs a very active private voice studio. Previous posts include Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice at American University and Teaching Artist with the Children’s Chorus of Washington.
Diane feels particularly drawn to highlighting music from unrepresented groups of composers and singers and strives to particularly include sacred music written by female composers in the worship service throughout the year, alongside more traditional music.
www.dianeatherton.com
Ulysses Squitieri - Organist
organist@stdunstansbethesda.org
Originally from Wilton, Connecticut, Ulysses is an undergraduate at American University (Class of 2027), double-majoring in music and political science. Tom Sheehan, Organist and Interim Director of Music at the Washington National Cathedral, is his organ teacher. Prior to coming to DC, Ulysses studied pipe organ at The Juilliard School (Pre-College Division, Class of 2023). From September 2023-May 2024, he served as Organ Scholar at our sister parish, the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, in Glen Echo. He has won various awards and has performed at several notable venues, including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Bartholomew's, and St. Thomas Church (all in Manhattan); Southwark and Salisbury Cathedrals (UK); and our own beloved Washington National Cathedral.
Our Organ
St. Dunstan’s is blessed to have a stately 2-manual (plus pedals), 14-rank pipe organ in the rear gallery that speaks beautifully in the warm acoustics of our building. The organ was originally built by the Wicks Organ Co. (Opus 5957) and was dedicated on January 8, 1984; some of the flute stops have since been re-voiced by local organ builders at Di Gennaro-Hart Organ Co. A complete stop list can be downloaded here.
We are also blessed to have two grand pianos available for concerts.
Special services
Several times a year, the Chancel Choir and Children's Choir sing at special services. These include Advent Lessons and Carols and our yearly performance of Part 1 of Handel’s Messiah with professional Soloists, a String Quartet, and Brass.
Here is the link to our 2024 Prelude concert of Part 1 of Handel’s Messiah and the Christmas Service December 2024: https://fb.watch/xE-2RiXES5/?
Jazz @ St. Dunstan’s
In 2020, St. Dunstan’s began its jazz concert series, Jazz @ St. Dunstan’s. This concert series brings the community together and is a chance to hear both world-renowned jazz artists and up-and-coming D.C. area musicians.
For further information about the current Jazz Concerts, please click here.
