Enjoy the Orchestra of St. Peter from Home

So much has happened around the world in the last few months. The members of our orchestra have been sheltering in place and working from home and we regret the prolonged absence of our concerts. We are sure that this is in the best interest of both our audience and musicians.

We would like to brighten your holiday season with a musical greeting.

Christmas Concerts

October 12, 2021

Dear Friends of the Orchestra,

Hoping this letter finds you well, I write with regard to our upcoming Christmas Concerts with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea. We have given ourselves to now to assemble and evaluate important details to truly make an informed decision. While our gathering of information continues, I wish to share our conclusions about this December.

Since 1987, the Orchestra has performed in theaters, churches, and gymnasiums throughout the Metropolitan Area. From Carnegie Hall to the beach at the Jersey Shore, our musicians consistently deliver world-class performances whatever the circumstances. My responsibility to them and our audiences does not end with the music-making; I must provide the performers with an atmosphere conducive for them to do their best and for you to enjoy an event free of reticence. After weekly consultations with musicians, healthcare personnel, and theater professionals, there remains little choice but to postpone our post-covid celebratory season into the future.

I am both saddened, yet hopeful. I pray that, with God’s help, the Spring of 2022 will bless us with a better prognosis of the pandemic. With great optimism, I hope to begin planning for Spring Concerts at various venues to celebrate better times. Please check back here after the holidays for details.

My thanks for your enthusiasm and trust over the years. My heartfelt wishes are with you for a blessed Advent, the choicest of Christmas blessings, and a New Year filled with special and unimaginable graces.

Sincerely,

Father Alphonse

The Reverend Alphonse J. Stephenson

It is with great sadness that the musicians of The Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea observe the passing of two of our beloved colleagues, oboist Peggy Wiltrout and bassist Bliss Michelson.

Married in 2013, Peggy and Bliss first met at one of our rehearsals. Their shared love of music and for each other was always so evident; they died sixteen days apart from complications due to COVID 19.

A concert dedicated to their memory will be planned for the future when performers and audiences will once again be permitted to reunite. May their souls rest in peace, and their memories be a blessing.

Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea - can be reached at 732-775-0820

Jim McIlvain - jim_mcilvain@yahoo.com.

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