For over two thousand years, the Christian community has given thanks, prayed, and expressed its faith through song, and St. Paul’s is proud to continue in this dialogue. As an integral part of our worship, we believe that music draws us together as a community and offers us a means by which we can experience God’s grace. St. Paul’s has a long history of fine music in the Anglican tradition and music continues to be a strength and priority at St. Paul’s.
The mission of Music at St. Paul’s is …
• To offer sacred music of the highest quality at worship services, in the praise of God;
• To sustain the future of church music through active education of children and adults in liturgy and sacred music repertoire (especially but not exlusively that of the Anglican tradition), as well as development of the skills and understanding required to perform them;
• To uphold the preservation of St. Paul’s unique Aeolian-Skinner Organ as a central component of the program;
• To utilize all the spaces, instruments, resources and musicians at St. Paul’s for music programs and events in ways which contribute to the mission of St. Paul’s Church and benefit the wider community.
Role of the Music Guild
The Music Guild provides support for the Director of Music to accomplish this mission as delegated to him by the Rector. Members of the Guild provide counsel as requested, administrative and organizational assistance, and help to secure the sustainability of Music at St. Paul’s through promotion and fund-raising. In addition the Guild has administrative responsibility for the Ann Stookey Fund for Music at St. Paul’s, as described in the Terms of Administration and Distribution of that Fund.
Music Staff
Andrew Kotylo has been Director of Music at St. Paul’s since February 2019. Previously he had served as Organist/Choirmaster at the Basilica of St. Peter in Columbia, South Carolina and Associate Director of Music at the historic Trinity Episopcal Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut. While much of his career as a church musician has been working within the Anglican-Episcopal worship tradition, he draws on a broad base of experience that also includes service to Catholic, Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, and Baptist congregations.
A native of Binghamton, New York, Dr. Kotylo holds degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he studied organ with Christopher Young and Larry Smith and choral conducting with William Jon Gray. Other teachers have included Carolyn Albaugh, the late Searle Wright, Jonathan Biggers, and John Schwandt. His doctoral document concerns the life and organ works of Searle Wright, and he was assisted in his research by a grant through the American Guild of Organists National Library at Boston University given by the widow of E. Power Biggs.
Dr. Kotylo has concertized throughout the United States and in England, with performances at conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Association of Anglican Musicians that have earned critical acclaim. A top prize-winner in numerous competitions, including the American Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition and Poister Competition, his performances have been featured several times on American Public Media’s Pipedreams. He is also active as a private teacher, competition adjudicator, and has been a faculty member for A.G.O. Pipe Organ Encounters. He is a frequent workshop presenter for the A.G.O. and he has served as a chapter dean.
Karen Richter has been involved as an alto staff singer at St. Paul’s since 1986. On a Sunday morning, she can be found leading the children and congregation at the family-friendly 9:00am service. She is also the director of the cherub choir for children ages 4-7. She is a graduate of Westminster Choir College where she earned a degree in Music Education, and has taught music at every age level in public and private schools in the greater Philadelphia area. Karen also holds a Master of Music degree from the Combs College of Music where she was a student of Dolores Ferraro. She is additionally employed as a church administrator at the Church of the Advent in Hatboro and Trinity Episcopal Church in Ambler.
