Composer Andrew Gilpin Commissioned for 175th Anniversary of Churches in Orangeville

Canadian composer Andrew Gilpin has been commissioned to compose a choral anthem for the 175th anniversary celebrations at Westminster United Church and St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Orangeville, Ontario.

Andrew Gilpin has an impressive catalogue of compositions including works for solo piano, flute and piano, jazz piano trio, classical piano trio, brass quintet, string quartet, voice and piano and choir. His “Gloria” for SATB Choir and soprano soloist was recently performed by the Georgetown Choral Society and has been performed in the United States. Mr. Gilpin resides near Alliston, Ontario. He has performed regularly throughout North American with Ebony & Ivory and is currently accompanist and composer/arranger-in-residence with The Wayne Gilpin Singers, a choral group in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Westminster United Church dates from 1837, when a Presbyterian congregation was organized at Orangeville. The United Church of Canada was organized in 1925 with the union of Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches. The Westminster congregation was formed in 1948 when St. Andrew’s United and First Avenue United joined. The church was completed in 1879 by Zion Presbyterian and was used by St. Andrew’s United from 1880 until renamed Westminster in 1948.

St. Mark’s Anglican Church dates from 1837 when a formal congregation was organized and a church building erected, a small log structure built by a missionary Anglican layman named Seneca Ketchum. A stone church was built in 1854 and in 1863 a Rector was appointed. The parish quickly grew to be the largest Anglican Church in the County of Dufferin. The present structure was constructed in 1868.
“Awake, My Soul” by Andrew Gilpin will be performed by a combined choir from both churches on Sunday, June 10th.