John W. W. Sherer is appointed organist and director of music for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York, where he oversees the church’s music program and plays the four-manual, 68-rank Skinner Organ Company organ built in 1927. An active church musician since 1980, he served from 1996 until 2024 as organist and director of music for Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Illinois. During his tenure there he supervised the building of the 142-rank Quimby pipe organ, dedicated in 2015. He expanded the choral offerings by forming six new adult choirs, four children’s choirs, and five instrumental ensembles. He also expanded the church’s concert series by offering a lunchtime concert every Friday as well as another 50 arts events each year. He has led several choir tours within the United States, but also to Cuba, Guatemala, France, England, Scotland, Israel, Palestine, South Africa, and India. While at Fourth Church he also recorded five CDs, two with the choirs, two with the brass ensemble, and a solo organ CD, Pomp, Pipes and Power, for the Gothic label.
A native of Xenia, Ohio, Sherer is married to the Right Reverend Kara Wagner Sherer, who recently became Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, New York. Sherer has studied organ with David Mulbury, Roberta Gary, Thomas Murray, and John Weaver and conducting with John Leman and Walden Moore. He received two bachelor’s degrees, in organ performance and choral music education, from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He earned two master’s degrees at Yale University, majoring in organ performance and art in religion, and received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance from the Juilliard School. He is available for concerts and hymn festivals on numerous themes (including Titanic), choir clinics, and consulting on matters related to church music. For information: stpaulsec.org.
Other recent appointments:
Michael Delfín to Grace Presbyterian Church, Tuscaloosa
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