Located in the historic Charpentier District of downtown Lake Charles, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd has been a bedrock of the community since 1884. A gothic-style building of light gray sandstone was build and dedicated in 1897. The tower was buit on the northwest corner of the church in 1953, and a 1,000 pound bronze bell made by Petit-pritzen Bellmakers of Holland was installed the foll…owing year. More recent additions are the Chapel of the Resurrection, the columbarium, and a covered portico. In 1984 the church has plated on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the church actively maintains the legacy of Anglican music for choir and organ through Morning Prayer, Evensong, and world-class concerts. For more information, or to find out how you can be a parto f or support the music ministry, please contact[email protected].
About the Music Director:
Highly regarded for German Romantic interpretations, Patrick Parker has been hailed for his “excellent technique and musicality” and “strong rhythmic lines and expressive phrasing…superlative” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) and proclaimed “one of the nation’s top rising stars of the organ world” (American Press). Early Music Americastates “Parker steals the show by demonstrating his formidable prowess as an organist.” The Journal of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association declared “his understanding of Baroque acoustics and musicality is sublime…exquisitely played.” Patrick was recently selected as one of The Diapason’s ?”Twenty under Thirty” artists setting the pace for the next generation of organ and church music.
Patrick is currently one of only two Artist Diploma candidates throughout the Meadows School of Music at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he studies on full scholarship with Stefan Engels. This program is “designed for extraordinary performers who are on the threshold of a professional career in performance, performers who possess great talent and the ability and determination to realize that talent in the contemporary musical world.” Patrick is also full-time Minister of Music and Organist at the historic parish of Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he leads an ambitious schedule for three choirs and an organ scholar, including monthly Evensong services, a concert series, and the professional eight-voice ensemble Renaissance Southwest.
Patrick founded and for three seasons was Artistic Director of Houston Baroque. The group was featured in the Houston Chronicle and performed over twenty concerts in residence at the historic parish of Houston’s First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Most programs focused on one composer; solo organ repertoire alternated with vocal chamber music in a reverberant acoustic. In January 2017, Houston Baroque released its debut album, My Soul Sees and Hears!, featuring arias, cantatas, and solo organ works by Buxtehude and Handel. About the solo organ works, Classical Voice of North Carolina stated “Parker’s playing is precise and clean. His sense of phrasing and tempo is delightful…finely played. He makes a clear case that he should undertake a recording of all of Buxtehude.” The BritishOrganists’ Review commented on “a grandiose, very mannered (indeed Baroque) reading of the Buxtehude Toccata…a forceful roar, with terrific pedal presence, in the concludingCiacona. The vocal and string-ensemble tracks are no less successful, particularly the beautiful and impassioned account of Handel’s Meine Seele…the band on its own is full of energy in the Handel Sonata…an exuberant album..it’s joyous and often beautiful from start to finish.”
As a concert organist, Patrick’s repertoire spans six centuries and ten nations, including the complete solo organ works of Bach, Brahms, van Eijken, Mendelssohn, Reincken, and Schumann. Major performance venues include St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue and Cathedral of St. John the Divine (New York City); The Cathedral of St. Philip (Atlanta); Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Houston); Trinity Cathedral (Cleveland); La Madeline (Paris); Wells Cathedral (England); Nieuwe Kerke (Amsterdam); and Auferstehungskirche and Michaeliskirche (Leipzig).
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In 2015, Patrick resided in Leipzig and performed on historic organs throughout Europe. He holds degrees from Cleveland Institute of Music and University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance from University of Houston. His perspective has been influenced by his teachers—Robert Bates, Matthew Dirst, and Todd Wilson—and especially by the great Messiaen interpreter Jon Gillock.
Above all, Patrick is grateful for a life well spent in music of the highest caliber—the greatest musical thoughts which have been handed down from musician to musician over centuries, which he gets to recreate on a daily basis—music which has the power to comfort, heal, and sustain.the power to comfort, heal, and sustain (www.patrickaaronparker.com).
2016-2017 Repertoire Schedule:
October 9
Anthem at the Offertory: Teach me, O Lord-Walmisley
Anthem at Communion: O Taste and See-Vaughan Williams
October 16
Anthem at the Offertory: “Nunc Dimittis” from Service in C Minor-George Dyson
Anthem at Communion: Come to the Water-John Foley
October 23
Anthem at the Offertory: Most Glorious Lord of Life-Sir William Henry Harris
Anthem at Communion: “God So Loved the World” from The Crucifixion- Sir John Stainer
October 30
Anthem at the Offertory: O How Amiable-Ralph Vaughan Williams
Anthem at Communion: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” from Cantata 147-J.S. Bach
November 6
Anthem at the Offertory: “Sanctus” fromRequiem-Gabriel Fauré
Anthem at Communion: “Pie Jesu” fromRequiem-Gabriel Fauré
November 13
Offertory: “Magnificat” fromUnison Service in E-flat-Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow
Anthem: “Nunc Dimittis” fromUnison Service in E-flat-Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow
Sunday, November 20-Christ the King
Anthem at the Offertory: “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing” fromFive Mystical Songs-Ralph Vaughan Williams
Anthem at Communion: “The Call” fromFive Mystical Songs-Ralph Vaughan Williams
Sunday, November 27-First Sunday of Advent
Anthem at the Offertory: “Sleepers, Wake!” fromPaulus (St. Paul)-Felix Mendelssohn
Anthem at Communion: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme!-Johann Ludwig Krebs
Sunday, December 4- Second Sunday of Advent
Anthem at the Offertory: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence-Arr. Stephen Cleobury
Anthem at Communion: Maria Walks Amid the Thorn-Distler
Anthem at Communion: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree-Elizabeth Poston
December 11-Third Sunday of Advent
Anthem at the Offertory: “Magnificat” fromService in D Minor -Thomas Attwood Walmisley
Anthem at Communion: Here is the Little Door-Herbert Howells
December 18-Lessons and Carols
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree-Elizabeth Poston
Maria Walks Amid the Thorn-Hugo Distler
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence- Arr. Stephen Cleobury
Of the Father’s Love Begotten-Thirteenth-Century Plainsong.
“Magnificat” from Service in D Minor-Thomas Attwood Walmisley
In the Bleak Mid-Winter-Harold Darke
Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night-Czech Carol
Here is the Little Door-Herbert Howells
“God So Loved the World” from The Crucifixion-Sir John Stainer
December 24-Christmas Eve, 5:00 and 9:00 P.M.
Chancel Choir and Orchestra of Good Shepherd
Voluntary: Gloria in D Major RV 589-Antonio Vivaldi
Anthem at the Offertory: “Let the Bright Seraphim” from Samson-George Frideric Handel
Anthem at Communion: “Overture” from Suite in D HWV 341-George Frideric Handel
Anthem at Communion: Canon in D Major-Johann Pachelbel
Anthem at Communion: “Rejoice Greatly!” from Messiah HWV 56 – George Frideric Handel
Anthem at Communion:”Laudate Dominum”from Vesperae solennes de confessor-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
January 1-First Sunday after Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord
Anthem at the Offertory: Angelus ad virginem-Irish carol arr. David Willcocks
Anthem at Communion: The Holly and the Ivy-English carol arr. H. Walford Davies
January 8
Offertory at the Anthem: Christ is the World’s True Light-W.K. Stanton
Anthem at Communion: Moonless Darkness Stands Between-Richard Shephard
January 15
Anthem at the Offertory: “There Shall A Star From Jacob Come Forth” from Christus-Felix Mendelssohn
Anthem at Communion: “The People That Walked in Darkenss” from Messiah-G.F. Handel
January 22
Offertory at the Anthem: O God, Who By The Leading Of A Star-Thomas Attwood
Anthem at Communion: Bethlehem Down-Peter Warlock
January 29
Anthem at the Offertory: O For A Closer Walk With God-Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
Anthem at Communion: Above the Stars My Savior Dwells-Thomas Tomkins
February 5
Psalm: 112:1-10-Thomas Attwood
Offertory Anthem: Almighty God, Who By The Leading Of A Star-John Bull
Anthem at Communion: O Nata Lux- Thomas Tallis
February 12-Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
Anthem at the Offertory: O Thou the Central Orb-Charles Wood
Anthem at Communion: How Lovely Are the Messengers-Mendelssohn
Sunday, February 12-Evensong for Epiphany
Preces and Responses: Peter Aston, Set II
Psalm: 112-W. Jacobs
Service: Dyson in C Minor
Anthem: Bethlehem Down-Peter Warlock
February 19-Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
Anthem at the Offertory: Teach Me O Lord-Attwood
Anthem at Communion: Teach Me O Lord-Byrd
February 26-Transfiguration Sunday
Psalm: 99-Thomas Tallis
Offertory at the Anthem: The Ways of Zion do Mourn-Michael Wise
Anthem at Communion: Let My Prayer-John Blow
March 1-Ash Wednesday
Anthem at the Offertory: Drop, Drop Slow Tears-Orlando Gibbons
Anthem at Communion: “God So Loved the World” from The Crucifixion-Sir John Stainer
March 5-First Sunday in Lent
Anthem at the Offertory: Create in Me-Mueller
Anthem at Communion: Jesu, Meine Freude-Dieterich Buxtehude
Sunday, March 5, 6:00 P.M.-Evensong for Lent
Preces and Responses: Peter Nardone
Psalm: 32-W. Russell
Service: Walmisley in D Minor
Anthem: Jesu, Meine Freude-Dieterich Buxtehude
March 12, Second Sunday in Lent
Psalm: Psalm 121-H. Walford Davies
Anthem at the Offertory: Let My Complaint-Thomas Morley
Anthem at Communion: Thou Knowest, Lord, the Secrets of Our Hearts-Henry Purcell
March 19, Third Sunday in Lent
Offertory at the Anthem: If Ye Love Me-Thomas Tallis
Anthem at Communion: Verily, Verily I Say Unto You-Thomas Tallis
March 26, Fourth Sunday in Lent
Anthem at the Offertory-Lead Me, Lord-S.S. Wesley
Anthem at Communion-Ave Verum Corpus-W.A. Mozart
April 2, Fifth Sunday in Lent
Offertory at the Anthem-Haste Thee, O God-Adrian Batten
Psalm: 130-H. Walford Davies
Anthem at Communion- Almighty God, Which Hast Me Brought-Thomas Ford
April 2, 6:00 P.M. Evensong for Lent
Preces and Responses: Nardone
Psalm: 32-Samuel Sebastian Wesley
Service: Purcell in G
Anthem: Thou Knowest, Lord, the Secrets of Our Hearts-Purcell
Sunday, April 9, Palm/Passion Sunday
Offertory at the Anthem-“Fling Wide the Gates” from The Crucifixion-Sir John Stainer
Anthem at Communion-“King Ever Glorious” from The Crucifixion-Sir John Stainer
Monday, April 10
Stations of the Cross
Anthems, Hymns, and Voluntaries by Bach, Billings, Brahms, Buxtehude, Johnson, and Tallis
Thursday, April 13, 7:00 P.M.
Sir John Stainer: The Crufixion with the Choirs of Good Shepherd and First United Methodist
Friday, April 14, Noon
Renaissance Southwest
Heinrich Schütz: Passion According to St. Matthew
Friday, April 14, 7:00 P.M.
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem
Choirs of Good Shepherd and First United Methodist Church
Chamber Orchestra of First United Methodist Church
Bret Smithey, Conductor; Patrick Parker, Organist
Easter Sunday, April 16
Anthem at the Offertory: Rejoice in the Lamb-Benjamin Britten
Anthem at Communion: Blessed be the God and Father-S.S. Wesley
Sunday, April 30
Psalm: 23-Sir Edward Bairstow
Anthem at the Offertory: From The Rising of the Sun-Ouseley
Anthem at Communion: How Goodly Are Thy Tents-Ouseley
Sunday, May 7
Anthem at the Offertory: The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)-Howard Goodall
Anthem at Communion: O Sacrum Convivium-Messiaen
Sunday May 7 Choral Evensong for Easter
Preces and Responses: Peter Aston
Psalm: 23-Sir Edward Bairstow
Service: Durham-Christopher Totney
Anthem: O Sacrum Convivium-Messiaen
Sunday, May 14
Anthem at the Offertory: Not Unto Us, O Lord-Thomas Attwood Walmisley
Anthem at Communion: Lord, For Thy Tender Mercy’s Sake-David Ashley White
Sunday, May 21
Anthem at the Offertory: Ave Maria-Zoltán Kodály
Anthem at Communion: Panis Angelicus -César Franck
Sunday, May 28-Ascension
Psalm: 47-Thomas Tertius Noble
Anthem at the Offertory-O God the King of Glory-Purcell
Anthem at Communion-Locus iste-Anton Bruckner
Sunday, May 28, 6:00 P.M. Choral Evensong for Ascension
Preces and Responses: Peter Aston
Psalm: 47-Thomas Tertius Noble
Service: Christopher Totney “Durham”
Anthem: O God the King of Glory-Henry Purcell
Sunday, June 4-Pentecost
Anthem at the Offertory: Laudate Dominum-Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Anthem at Communion: Song 44 (Veni Creator)-Orlando Gibbons
Sunday, June 11-Trinity Sunday
Anthem at the Offertory: My Eyes for Beauty Pine-Herbert Howells
Anthem at Communion: “Pie Jesu” fromRequiem- Gabriel Fauré
Sunday, June 18-Father’s Day
Psalm: 100-Sir John Stainer
Anthem at the Offertory: Never Weather-beaten Sail- Thomas Campion
Anthem at Communion-Tantum Ergo- Gabriel Fauré
Sunday, June 25
Psalm: 86:1-10, 16-17-James Turle
Anthem at the Offertory: “Kyrie” from Messe basse Gabriel Fauré
Anthem at Communion: “Sanctus” fromMesse basse Gabriel Fauré
