Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1538147
August/September 2025 | maconmagazine.com 67 Stephen Darlington, conductor, musicologist, lecturer, recording artist Thursday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. Stephen Darlington is one of Britian's leading choral conductors. He was director of music and tutor in music at Christ Church from 1985 to 2018. Previously he was Master of the Music at St. Alban's Abbey and artistic director of the world-famous International Organ Festival. At Christ Church he maintained the highest traditions of the Church of England in the Cathedral while also developing the College as a center of academic musical excellence. He is the holder of a Lambeth Doctorate in Music and is the chairman of the Ouseley Trust. He is also an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music, fellow of the Royal School of Church Music and Honorary Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Under his direction, Christ Church Cathedral Choir's tonal quality has been praised and admired throughout the world from Sydney to Rio de Janeiro, from Tokyo to New York, from Helsinki to Paris, from Beijing to Toronto. During Stephen's tenure, Christ Church Cathedral Choir has built a legacy of groundbreaking recordings. There have been many awards, including a GRAMMY® nomination for "An Oxford Elegy" by Vaughan Williams. Stephen has also developed a strong media profile on television, featuring as conductor in more than sixteen documentaries in the last fifteen years. Michelle Cann, pianist Saturday, March 14 at 11 a.m. In the words of Michelle Cann: "As a pianist, I am deeply inspired by the incredible contributions of Black female composers who shaped the cultural landscape of Chicago's Black Renaissance. This program, "The Women of Chicago's Black Renaissance," celebrates the voices of pioneering composers who created powerful and evocative music. From Nora Holt's Negro Dance to Florence Price's Fantasie Nègre and Margaret Bonds' Spiritual Suite, each piece is a testament to the resilience and creativity of these women. By sharing their works and talking about their lives, I hope to illuminate their legacy and bring attention to their invaluable contributions to classical music. As an artist, I am committed to preserving and elevating these voices, ensuring that their stories and music continue to resonate for generations to come. This program reflects not only the richness of our culture but also the profound impact of these women on the history of classical music." Caroline Cooke, soprano Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Soprano Caroline Cooke is an alumna of the Eastman School of Music, where she earned her Master's degree in vocal performance and literature. Favorite past roles include Musetta (La bohème), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Stella (Le dernier Sorcier), Meg March (Little Women: The Musical), and Belinda (Dido and Aeneas). She appeared in Eastman Opera Theatre's recent productions of Dido and Aeneas (First Witch), Dialogues des Carmélites (Soeur Anne de la Croix), and Florencia en el Amazonas. While completing her bachelor's degree at Mercer University's Townsend School of Music, Caroline was featured in comedic roles in Guys and Dolls (Hotbox Dancer/Mimi) and Viva La Mamma! (Luigia). A native of Macon, Georgia, Caroline performs regularly in the Southeastern United States, both on the operatic and concert stage. Her career has also taken her to the West Coast, singing roles such as Musetta in La bohème, and performing scenes as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) and Zerlina (Don Giovanni) with Source/Filter Music Collective, a company dedicated to bringing new, exciting interpretations of opera to Southern California. Alumna Guest Recital Townsend Presents Townsend Symposia on Music, Philosophy, and the Arts e Townsend Symposia on Music, Philosophy, and the Arts are meant to open the eyes of professionals and scholars to new ideas, presented especially for students, artists, and arts administrators in the community.