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Thank you for a successful second season of the Mary Whittle Concert Series! We had four concerts in total and welcomed approximately 376 audience members into the doors of St. Thomas'. We had a variety of musical acts and we added a theatre performance as well.
We started with Paul Winter's Earth Mass with thirty singers, two soloists, and a ten piece orchestra. We also had solos from a whale, seal, wolf and migrating birds. In December, Susan King presented a one hour adaptation of William Luce's The Belle of Amherst, the story of Emily Dickenson. Susan performed in the Parish Hall with rented black curtains along the back wall, so that it looked like a black box theatre. In January, Damian Muller, along with his brother and nephew, performed Damian's original songs with a bluegrass feel. Damian is a great storyteller with the lyrics of his songs as well as his patter. Finally, we ended the season with Desirée Roots and the Brotherhood. They brought the house down with her show, One Voice, using different genres of music to tell the story of God's grace. For her last number, she composed a happy blues number on the spot using four words from the audience. She had the audience on their feet, singing the St. Thomas' Blues. What a thrilling season!
Stay tuned for an announcement for the 2025-2026 season of the Mary Whittle Concert Series!
Mary Whittle was a long time member of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church and was involved in many aspects of church life. She was a member of the choir, served on the Vestry, and spent time in charge of the Property Committee. Mary was a dedicated volunteer with the Food Pantry, and she enjoyed the fellowship and camaraderie of the Parking Lot Ladies. She was a retired English Teacher, and in the early seventies, she was a strong advocate for women’s rights and served as the President of the Richmond Chapter of NOW. Mary loved music and was often reduced to tears by the beauty of what she was listening to. St. Thomas’ named this concert series after her as an honor to her memory.