Introducing our New Director of Music!

On behalf of our Music Director Search Committee and Wardens, I am thrilled to introduce St. Clement’s next Director of Music: Kirkland Adsett! Kirk officially starts his new role on August 11, with his first Sunday being August 17.

41 people applied for the position, hailing from more than half a dozen countries around the world. The applicant pool was stellar, and your search team held first-round interviews with 11 of the most-promising candidates. Of these, 5 were called back for second-round interviews. These interviews consisted of further conversation with our search team, live performances & improvisation on both piano and organ, and 30-minutes of intensive rehearsal with our 11 am choir, who rated each candidate individually and ranked them collectively.

I began recruiting our search committee in Fall 2024, with our first official meeting held on January 11, 2025. The committee has worked incredibly hard on our behalf for 6 straight months. The depth and breadth of talent and background among our committee members themselves is astonishing. We owe a debt of gratitude to this remarkable group: Rosalee Jackson, Christopher Lewis, Avila Lotoski, Harold Redekopp (Chair), Jayne Walter, and Lance Wiliford, with very special thanks to Mark Wettlaufer, who charted an incredible path for our search and did so much to steer us safely and effectively along it. Absolutely, the Spirit of God was among the people of God, leading us at every waypoint along the journey.  

From our very first meeting, we identified Scripture to guide our work and clarified our task as building on so much that is already great and cherished in our music program. The successful candidate would need to have the excellence, experience, and humility to build on this legacy, and the faith and vision to also follow where God is leading. We sought a candidate who would uphold the value of congregational singing, who understood the centrality of Scripture in worship, who could welcome and engage people of all ages in music-making, and who desired to truly become a member of our St. Clement’s community. 

In a stellar field of candidates, Kirk rose higher still as the clear first choice of our search committee. I couldn’t be more excited to make this announcement today, and to introduce you to him in August.  

As a way of introduction, we’ve invited Kirk to share a few remarks as we welcome him to St. Clement’s:

I am very much looking forward to August 11th when I will officially assume the duties of Director of Music at St. Clement's Church. I wish to offer my sincere thanks to your Rector and the Music Search Committee for entrusting me with this exciting opportunity and responsibility. 

I am grateful to already have a connection with St. Clement's, having been friends with a past Director of Music, Tom Fitches. In addition to having played for summer services and the occasional wedding, I spent considerable time at St. Clement's when I filled in for a three month period during one of Tom's sabbath leaves. Of course, this was some time ago as this picture of me sitting at the console of the organ at St. Clement's will attest! 

Currently, I live in Vancouver B.C. so a long move across most of the country with my dog Max is in our near future. Once settled in Toronto and after having started work at St. Clement's, I very much look forward to meeting everyone. It may take some time for me to familiarize myself with the culture and traditions of how things are done musically at St. Clement's. I would like to reassure everyone that I welcome input and suggestions. I'm reminded of a quote by the noted hymn-writer Carl Shalk who once said "always respect the piety of the people." I very much want the people of St. Clement's to know that I feel honoured to be on this journey together with them. 

Alongside this good news announcement, I also wish to acknowledge the tremendous leadership of both Kai Leung (Interim Music Director) and Matthew Coons (Interim Pianist/Organist). Since January, Kai and Matthew have helped to anchor our worship experience, and it’s been a joy and privilege to serve and learn alongside both of them. I’m pleased that both will be remaining in their Interim roles through the beginning of August, right up to the beginning of Kirk’s tenure. Please mark your calendars for Sunday, June 22: That will be our final Sunday with our full complement of 9:30 and 11 am musicians and choristers prior to their summer break. We’ll take a few minutes at the close of each service to thank them, along with Kai and Matthew.  

In thanksgiving for God’s incredible provision,

The Rev. Canon Andrew P. Federle

Rector