I began my church music career as a cherub, one of several actually, in the Cherub Choir of the First Presbyterian Church in Fresno, California.  My older brother and sister were already cherubs, and I was thrilled to join them. My only recollection is that of being confused by how the words to the hymns seemed to jump all over the page rather than moving from one line to the next like they did in regular books.  Music notation was a complete mystery. Soon, I began piano lessons, and I hope I became a better cherub as a result. I wasn’t much older when I realized two things: that music was, for me, a means by which I could express things I felt inside for which I had no words, and that what I thought I was expressing was not necessarily what people perceived.

That is what still excites and fascinates me after all these years about music in worship.

Music, which is a rather inexact but powerful means of expression, when combined with words, enriches our experience of those words, brings the ideas they express into a different focus, and can elevate our understanding in ways that words or music alone fail to do.  When music is added to our liturgical practice, our experience of that liturgy is enriched and ennobled. This may be part of what Martin Luther meant when he wrote “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”

For the last 25 years I have served Grace Lutheran in Palo Alto. During my career I have also served Episcopalian, Methodist and Greek Orthodox congregations. I don’t think I ever really experienced congregational singing before my time at Grace Lutheran - at least not the sense I felt there that “this is who we are, this is what we do.”

I am excited to be joining the song of the people of Saint Mark’s, San Francisco. I have known your reputation for musical excellence for many years. I have enjoyed worshipping in your beautiful sanctuary, and hearing (and now playing) the wonderful Taylor and Boody organ, and am honored that I have been invited to contribute my part. The Taylor and Boody organ is a particular thrill for me to play because of its beautiful sound, mechanical finesse, and marvelous craftsmanship. Those qualities allow it to address the musical literature of our Lutheran tradition with incredible integrity. I specialized in keyboard performance practices while a grad student at Stanford, and I already know that I am going to learn a lot playing this instrument.

In addition to the position at St. Mark’s, I also teach piano and carillon at Stanford University and serve as the University Carillonneur. I maintain a private piano and organ studio, and I perform with ChamberMix, an ensemble I co-founded which specializes in contemporary chamber music. I share my home in Mountain View with my spouse, John Hess, who is Director of Music at Almaden Hills United Methodist Church in San José, and our English bulldog, J.J. In my spare time I like to cook, bake, tend my orchids, and knit.

Installation

Tim will be installed into this position as Director of Music on Sunday, October 18, 2009. Mark your calendars for this special liturgy of installation at the 11:00 am service.