MagnificatBoston

Mark T. Engelhardt presently serves as Lay Associate and Principal Parish Musician, and founder and director of the Choir School at Grace Church in Salem, Massachusetts

As organist, he has won several competitions, including the National Organ Playing Competition of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (1973), and was a finalist in the International Organ Playing Competition of the University of Michigan (1983).

He has been heard in concert throughout the United States, including Trinity Church, Wall Street, and Columbia University in New York City; Trinity Church, Copley Square, King's Chapel, Methuen Music Hall and Old North Church in Boston; and Bristol Cathedral, Tewksbury Abbey, Truro Cathedral, and the parish Church of S. Mary Redcliffe in England; and in master classes with Arthur Poister, Marie-Claire Alain, Joan Lippincott, and Gillian Weir.

From 1989 through 2005, he served as Organist and Director of Music at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston and was Music Consultant for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Prior to that appointment, he served at St. Peter's Church, Bay Shore, New York; St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Mission, Kansas; Trinity Church in Natchez, Mississippi; and First Presbyterian Church in Greenwood, Mississippi. He has served as a leader for church music conferences, clergy conferences and retreats, and youth and collegiate gatherings at the local, provincial, and national levels.

A native of New Orleans, Mr. Engelhardt received early music training in piano and as a chorister in his parish church, forming his first boychoir at the age of 16. He earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Organ Performance at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, studying with Richard Heschke. Further organ study has been with James Higdon and Peter Sykes. From 1986 through 1989, he served as organist and assistant conductor for the Long Island Philharmonic Chorus conducted by Gregg Smith. He attended the Overseas Course of the Royal School of Church Music in England and has maintained an active career, conducting volunteer and professional choirs including Choirs of Men and Boys, Junior and Senior High School Choirs, Girls Choirs, Women's Choirs, Mixed Adult Choirs, Popular Ensembles, and a Gospel Choir.

He has been heard on the American Guild of Organists Sunday morning radio broadcast, and was heard regularly on the “Sunday at St. Paul’s” broadcast every Sunday on Boston’s Classical station WCRB. He appears as solo organist and choral director on the recording "Author of Light" of the professional choir and unique double organ of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

Mr. Engelhardt has served as Long Island Representative of the Royal School of Church Music, and Subdean of the Greater Kansas City Chapter, Dean of the Suffolk (NY) chapter and Subdean and Dean of the Boston Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

As a composer, Mr. Engelhardt has been commissioned to write several works for liturgical performance. A setting of the hymn "The Church's One Foundation" was composed for the installation of the present Bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi, then sung at the consecration of the Right Reverend Shannon Johnston as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Virginia.  You may hear it as sung in Washington National Cathedral for the consecration here.

The Church's One Foundation.mp3

While on sabbatical from his duties at St. Paul's Cathedral in 2005, Mr. Engelhardt played three concerts in Great Britain. click here to listen to "Fanfare" by John Cook performed in Truro Cathedral.

Cook Fanfare.mp3