Organ Recital: Stephen Fraser

Jean Langlais (1907-1991)
from Suite médiévale
   5. Acclamations carolingiennes

Paul Creston (1906-1985)
from Suite for Organ
   2. Prayer

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)
from L'Ascension
   3. Transports de joie

Florence B. Price (1887-1953)
Adoration

Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
from Prélude, Adagio et Choral varié sur le thème du “Veni Creator”, Op. 4
   3. Choral varié

Dr. Stephen Fraser has been active as a choir director, organist, singer, teacher, and composer in the New York City area since 2007. He is Director of Music and Organist at St. Malachy’s Church (“The Actors’ Chapel”) in Times Square, where he directs The Actors’ Chapel Choir and The Creston Singers. He is also organist and composer for The Salvatones, a New York-based professional ensemble, and directs their acclaimed youth choir, The Salvatones Young Voices.

In 2008, he was winner of the American Guild of Organists/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition. During the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to New York in 2008, he accompanied the choirs for the papal Mass at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. Moreover, the choristers sang one of his compositions; an arrangement entitled “Now the Green Blade Riseth” for this special event.

In 2014, he received 2nd prize in the International Composition Competition for Sacred Music Pope Benedict XVI in Rome. His choral music is performed at many festivals and concerts on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2006-2007, Stephen studied improvisation with Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin. He has also served as Assistant Organist at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he played weekday Masses broadcast live on SIRIUS/XM Radio.

On the Upper East Side, he was Associate Director of Music at the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he conducted the adult and youth choirs. Stephen has also worked as organist for “The Sunday Mass” on the ABC Family Network, and has sung in several reputable ensembles, including the Yale Schola Cantorum, Cantori New York, and the Oratorio Society of New York.

He holds degrees from the University of Toronto (BM), Eastman School of Music (MM), Yale University-Institute of Sacred Music (MM), and the Manhattan School of Music (DMA).