Music and the Arts
Appointments
Director of the Edinburgh Sacred Arts Foundation, 2018-
Adjunct Professor of Sacred Music, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, 2010-2012
Founding Director, St Andrews University Music Center, 1991-95
CREATIVE WORK IN MUSIC AND DRAMA
MUSICALS
Over a number of years I produced and directed musicals based on the Bible, with my storyline and lyrics set to music by Dr John Kitchen, Edinburgh City Organist, Director of Music at Old St Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh, and senior Lecturer in Music at Edinburgh. These have been presented by young performers ranging in age for 9 to 25 in Scotland and the United States.
DAMASCUS ROAD -- a sequence of songs in a variety of styles based upon events recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
This musical has been performed by church and student groups in both Scotland and the United States. It has been revised and extended twice.
THE BIRTHDAY -- a sequence of songs in a variety of styles imaginatively constructed on the basis of the navitity narratives in Matthew and Luke.
This musical has been has been performed in a number of Scottish venues,with extra songs in revised versions.
BABYLON
A presentation in music and words based on the book of Daniel. This musical was staged only once, but several of its songs were 'cannibalized' for revisions of Damascus Road
DAMASCUS ROAD -- a sequence of songs in a variety of styles based upon events recorded in the Acts of the Apostles
This musical has been performed by church and student groups in both Scotland and the United States. It has been revised and extended twice.
THE BIRTHDAY -- a sequence of songs in a variety of styles imaginatively constructed on the basis of the navitity narratives in Matthew and Luke.
This musical has been has been performed in a number of Scottish venues,with extra songs in revised versions.
BABYLON
A presentation in music and words based on the book of Daniel. This musical was staged only once, but several of its songs were 'cannibalized' for revisions of Damascus Road
LITURGICAL DRAMA
I have written, produced and directed a number of dramatic productions for inclusion in the liturgical observances of the Church at special feasts and festivals. All of these
CHRISTMAS
This version of a Nativity Play, for performers aged 6-16, is intended to serve as a Christmas Eve service of worship for children. It uses the structure of a television news report to of weave interviews, speeches, specially written songs,and familiar Christmas hymns into a dramatic a presentation of the Christmas story. The play culminates in a procession and clapping song that brings all the performers in their different roles to the Christmas Crib.It ends with the prayers for Christmas Eve and a congregational carol.
EPIPHANY
Derived from the Christmas Nativity
GOOD FRIDAY
This drama for liturgical use on Good Friday is modelled on the Bach Passions. The script is available through Moorhouse Publishing
ALL SAINTS DAY
This children's presentation is intended for use in church on All Saints Day or All Saints Sunday. The script is available through Moorhouse Publishing.
CHRISTMAS
This version of a Nativity Play, for performers aged 6-16, is intended to serve as a Christmas Eve service of worship for children. It uses the structure of a television news report to of weave interviews, speeches, specially written songs,and familiar Christmas hymns into a dramatic a presentation of the Christmas story. The play culminates in a procession and clapping song that brings all the performers in their different roles to the Christmas Crib.It ends with the prayers for Christmas Eve and a congregational carol.
EPIPHANY
Derived from the Christmas Nativity
GOOD FRIDAY
This drama for liturgical use on Good Friday is modelled on the Bach Passions. The script is available through Moorhouse Publishing
ALL SAINTS DAY
This children's presentation is intended for use in church on All Saints Day or All Saints Sunday. The script is available through Moorhouse Publishing.
SAINTS' DAY LITURGIES
A Liturgy for the Conversion of St Paul (Jan 25th)
A Liturgy for the Feast of St Martin of Tours (November 11th)
'Songs of Ascension' -- a liturgy for Ascentiontide, with composer Paul Mealor, whose anthem Ubi Caritas was sung at the wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton in April 2011.
St Andrew's Day (November 30th)
A Liturgy for the Feast of St Martin of Tours (November 11th)
'Songs of Ascension' -- a liturgy for Ascentiontide, with composer Paul Mealor, whose anthem Ubi Caritas was sung at the wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton in April 2011.
St Andrew's Day (November 30th)
ANTHEMS
with John Kitchen
Time and Seasons -- five new anthems for Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost, Trinity and Christ the King. Three of these anthems have been broadcast on BBC Radio.
'Stand Holy Cross' -- an anthem for Holy Cross Day (Sept 14th) written for the St Andrews Choirs festival 1989
with Paul Mealor
Songs of Ascension -- three anthems
'Imagine the tomb' -- anthem of Resurrection
'The risen Lord is risen again' -- anthem of Ascension
'Lord, by thy spirit make our song a light' -- anthem of Pentecost
Lux benigna -- for choir and piano, published by Novello, 2012
Anthem for St David -- choir a capella, published by Novello, 2013
Time and Seasons -- five new anthems for Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost, Trinity and Christ the King. Three of these anthems have been broadcast on BBC Radio.
'Stand Holy Cross' -- an anthem for Holy Cross Day (Sept 14th) written for the St Andrews Choirs festival 1989
with Paul Mealor
Songs of Ascension -- three anthems
'Imagine the tomb' -- anthem of Resurrection
'The risen Lord is risen again' -- anthem of Ascension
'Lord, by thy spirit make our song a light' -- anthem of Pentecost
Lux benigna -- for choir and piano, published by Novello, 2012
Anthem for St David -- choir a capella, published by Novello, 2013
Selected Publications
Books
Philosophy, Art and Religion: understanding faith and creativity (Cambridge University Press, 2017)
The Re-Enchantment of the World: Art versus Religion, Oxford University Press, 2007, paperback 2010
Philosophy of the Arts 3rd revised edition, London and New York: Routledge, 2004
1st edition 1997, 2nd edition 2001 Translations: Portuguese (2001); Hungarian (2000); Serbian (2000) Russian (2001); Persian (2002)
With Strings and Pipe: new essays in church music, (edited) St Andrews: University Music Centre, 1994
Articles in refereed Journals
'Art, Therapy and Design', The Monist, Volume 101, Issue 1, January 2018
'Aesthetics and Sacred Music', Faith and Philosophy, (2014)
‘Liturgy as Drama’ Theology Today 63 (2007)
‘Can there be public architecture?’ Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 66 (2006)
'The Theology of Music in Church', Scottish Journal of Theology 57 (2004)
'Music and Autism', Journal of Aesthetic Education 35 (2001)
'Women in Music', British Journal of Aesthetics, 40 (2000)
'The Value of Music', Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 53 (1995)
'Learning from Art', British Journal of Aesthetics 35 (1995)
'Value and the Visual Arts', Journal of Aesthetic Education 28 (1994)
'Politics and Culture: The Arts in a Free Society', History of European Ideas 13 (1991)
Essays in Edited Collections
'Scruton on Architecture' in Scruton's Aesthetics, ed Andy Hamilton and Nick Zangwill, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)
'Music and Electro-sonic Art', in Philosophers on Music ed. Kathleen Stock (Oxford University Press, 2007)
'Fakes and Readymades', in Contemporary Debates in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Arts ed. M. Kieran (Oxford and Malden MA, Blackwell, 2005
'The Moral Import of Fiction' in Interfaces ed. J. Friggieri ( Malta UP, 1997)
‘The Value of Art’, Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition. (2006)
'Architecture', Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics (2003)
Philosophy, Art and Religion: understanding faith and creativity (Cambridge University Press, 2017)
The Re-Enchantment of the World: Art versus Religion, Oxford University Press, 2007, paperback 2010
Philosophy of the Arts 3rd revised edition, London and New York: Routledge, 2004
1st edition 1997, 2nd edition 2001 Translations: Portuguese (2001); Hungarian (2000); Serbian (2000) Russian (2001); Persian (2002)
With Strings and Pipe: new essays in church music, (edited) St Andrews: University Music Centre, 1994
Articles in refereed Journals
'Art, Therapy and Design', The Monist, Volume 101, Issue 1, January 2018
'Aesthetics and Sacred Music', Faith and Philosophy, (2014)
‘Liturgy as Drama’ Theology Today 63 (2007)
‘Can there be public architecture?’ Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 66 (2006)
'The Theology of Music in Church', Scottish Journal of Theology 57 (2004)
'Music and Autism', Journal of Aesthetic Education 35 (2001)
'Women in Music', British Journal of Aesthetics, 40 (2000)
'The Value of Music', Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 53 (1995)
'Learning from Art', British Journal of Aesthetics 35 (1995)
'Value and the Visual Arts', Journal of Aesthetic Education 28 (1994)
'Politics and Culture: The Arts in a Free Society', History of European Ideas 13 (1991)
Essays in Edited Collections
'Scruton on Architecture' in Scruton's Aesthetics, ed Andy Hamilton and Nick Zangwill, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012)
'Music and Electro-sonic Art', in Philosophers on Music ed. Kathleen Stock (Oxford University Press, 2007)
'Fakes and Readymades', in Contemporary Debates in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Arts ed. M. Kieran (Oxford and Malden MA, Blackwell, 2005
'The Moral Import of Fiction' in Interfaces ed. J. Friggieri ( Malta UP, 1997)
‘The Value of Art’, Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition. (2006)
'Architecture', Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics (2003)