Christopher Thornley, Choir Director

Chris came to Saint John’s as Organist/Choirmaster in February of 1986 following four years as Cantor and Choir Director at Saint Mary of the Assumption Church here in Northampton. Prior to that he had been Organist Choirmaster at the Church of Christ the King (Episcopal) in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany for two years and taught at the Frankfurt American High School, a Department of Defense public high school in that city which is now closed. He served as Organist Choirmaster at All Saints’ Church in South Hadley after moving to the Pioneer Valley in December, 1975.

Prior to moving to Massachusetts Chris resided in New York City where he was the Assistant Director of Music at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin on 46th Street where be began as a paid tenor in that choir in 1972. Following his graduation from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey in 1970 he became Music Director of Music at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Utica, NY. While in college Chris sang in as tenor soloist in the Choir of Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, NJ were he served as Interim Organist/Choirmaster in 1969-1970. His formal musical education began at age 9 when he entered the Columbus Boy Choir School (now America’s Boy Choir) also in Princeton.

In addition to his responsibilities as Choirmaster for the Parish Choir and as Organist, he has brought many instrumental and vocal ensembles to Saint John’s to perform on numerous occasions, including several groups from the nearby University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he currently also works as Director of Admissions, Scholarships, and Facilities for the Music Department there. From 2002-2004 Chris functioned as a consultant to this parish to oversee the rebuilding/renovation and installation of the church’s pipe organ. In 1986 he designed the current organ console which was installed in 1988 under his direction.

In September 2009 Chris resigned a portion of his duties as organist which were taken up by Smith College organist, Grant Moss. They now happily work together to fulfilling many of the musical needs of Saint John’s Church.