Music At Trinity

Music at Trinity was founded in 2010 by the cathedral’s Canon Musician, Erik Goldstrom and is the musical outreach arm of Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix. Music at Trinity seeks to sponsor a wide range of artists and musical programs in performance at the cathedral for the benefit of the greater Phoenix community. Artists range from internationally-recognized performers to fantastic local talent; well-established groups to newly-formed ensembles that hold great promise. Musical offerings range from organ concerts and chamber music to the very popular Festival of Lessons and Carols for Christmastide.

If you would like to help support the Music At Trinity program please visit the Membership page of our website. Thank you.

A Short History of Music at Trinity

by Canon Musician Dr. Erik Goldstrom

When I started at Trinity Cathedral in January of 2010, it was known for a strong music program but had no regular schedule of musical outreach into the community. I have always been intrigued with the role of cathedrals in society; they serve as more than “just” the seat of the Bishop and more than “just” a place of worship. Cathedrals provide a gathering place for art and community to meet; a fascinating intersection of culture and society. From this idea, Music at Trinity was born, with a vision to provide far-reaching musical opportunities to the greater Phoenix community. Ideally situated at the corner of Roosevelt and Central, and possessing superb acoustic properties, the cathedral stood poised to be an important cultural hub of Downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix Chorale was already well established here and people were familiar with the venue. Our challenge was to speak to a broader audience, attracting not only vocal artists but chamber and solo musicians into the cathedral space. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas (modeled after King’s College, Cambridge and one of the cathedral’s most popular events), was first sung during Christmastide 2010. Shortly thereafter, local ensembles were featured in performance as was the regular offering of Choral Evensong, a staple of English cathedral practice. Our first Ensemble in Residence was the Phoenix Chamber Brass (which arrived in 2012), and thanks to the vision of an ardent supporter of Music at Trinity, the Helen Peel Memorial Concert was instituted in 2015. Because of this amazing gift, we’ve been able to present a wide range of both national and international organists on the cathedral’s magnificent organ.

In 2017 Urban Nocturnes became our resident ensemble and quickly gained a dedicated following with their extremely creative programming and top-notch execution. Last year we added Helios, a vocal chamber group specializing in music before 1700. We also reached further into the community to provide cultural opportunities for children and youth within our midst. In February 2020, Music at Trinity underwrote a program of Hoop Dancing featuring Tony Duncan, co-sponsored with the Heard Museum, for students at Garfield Elementary. Going forward, this will be an important part of our vision.