East Coast Tour to include the first Black Episcopal Church in the nation
The historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas will be one of the sites to welcome the internationally acclaimed, Grammy award winning San Francisco Boys Chorus to Philadelphia on Friday, July 14, 2017 at 6:30pm.
The Grammy award-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus was founded in 1948 to provide trained singers for the San Francisco 
Opera and quickly grew into one of the nation’s most accomplished music education and choral performance entities. Since 1996 the chorus, led by Artistic Director Ian Robertson has built the group to over 220 singers from 50 Bay Area cities and more than 120 schools at locations in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael.
With a long history of touring, nationally the San Francisco Boys Chorus has performed at many prestigious locations including Carnegie Hall in New York, and in 2009, had the honor of singing at the Inauguration Ceremonies for President Barack Obama in Washington D.C. Internationally the chorus has appeared in England at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Italy in Lucca Cathedral, St Mark’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Basilica, Hong Kong in St John’s Cathedral, Russia in the Glinka Capella, and Costa Rica in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, to name a few.
“We are delighted to welcome the San Francisco Boys Chorus to the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas – the first Black Episcopal Church in the nation. Founded in 1792 by the Rev. Absalom Jones, this year we are in the midst of acknowledging 225 years of our founding with a yearlong celebration that includes many noteworthy events. The presence of this wonderful chorus will be a great addition to the acknowledgement of our history,” said The Very Reverend Canon Martini Shaw – 17th Rector of the Church. “We are proud to be recognized as the only African American church on their east coast tour.”
Also joining their Philadelphia tour will be the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
Leave a Comment