music
Come Sing with Us!
St. Stephen’s music program strives to inspire a closer relationship with God, fellow parishioners, and our community.
St. Stephen’s Parish choir
Open to 6th Grade - Adults
Rehearses Wednesday evening from 7:00-8:30 pm
The St. Stephen’s Parish Choir sings for the 10:15 a.m. Sunday services, as well as special services throughout the year (Evensong, Lessons and Carols, Ash Wednesday, Easter Vigil, etc.). The choir is made up of volunteers, Choral Scholars, and staff Section Leaders. Their repertoire includes a variety of musical styles and time periods, and includes anthems, psalmody, and congregational song. The Parish Choir offers the unique opportunity for musical, intellectual and spiritual growth, to lead congregational song, and is a place for community and laughter. A willingness to learn and grow with us is the only audition requirement!
Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings from 9:30 am to 10:00 am in the Choir Room.
Interested in joining? We’d love to welcome you to our choir family! New members are always welcome! Contact Dr. Filippa Duke to learn more and join one Wednesday evening!
Kenan Choral Scholars
This year, St. Stephen’s is happy to host four student singers in the newly reinstated Kenan Choral Scholars program. Each singer will receive a generous stipend and participate in the St. Stephen’s Parish choir through weekly Wednesday rehearsals and Sunday services.
For the spring 2026 semester, we are happy to announce our choral scholars. To learn more and apply, contact Dr. Filippa Duke.
Lainey Burlington (Soprano)
Elon University
Kenan Organ Scholar
Dixon Crews (Organ Scholar)
Kenan Choral Scholars
Alex Fountain (Alto)
North Carolina State University
Weston Curnow (Tenor)
Duke University
Charlie Du (Bass)
Green Hope High School
We welcome our first Organ Scholar, Dixon Crews, to St. Stephen’s during our Spring 2026 Semester. Dixon, an accomplished pianist, will take organ lessons, accompany the Parish Choir, and work on leading congregational song in the liturgy. To learn more about being an Organ Scholar in upcoming semesters, contact Dr. Filippa Duke.
Children
Musikgarten
St. Stephen’s offers children the opportunity to learn more about music in worship during our Formation hour (Sundays 9:00 - 9:30).
St. Stephen’s offers children the opportunity to learn more about music in worship during our Formation hour (Sundays 9:00 - 9:30).
Join us for God's Children Sing, a 6 week class for young children. This is a parent-child Musikgarten class that fosters early childhood music and movement education in a fun, group setting!
Ages: 1 1/2-5 years old
Dates: Mondays 10:00 -10:45 followed by snacks and time on the St. Stephen's playground.
January 26-March 2
Musikgarten Teacher: Dr. Filippa Duke
Location: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
82 Kimberly Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Cost: The class is offered free of charge. There is a cost for the materials fee to take home with you.
Registration (Class size is limited to 10):
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wEd_jS164BRcVHX1RElNZC6VsBc2pRjhetVvia-qkkQ/edit
Registration: If you have two children, please fill out a new registration form for each child.
Materials Fee: $40
Learn more about MusikGarten here: https://www.musikgarten.org/why-musikgarten
Learn more about the God's Children Sing curriculum:
A wonderful, child-centered celebration of God’s presence, this sacred music and movement curriculum addresses the faith development, as well as the music and general development of young children.
As in Family Music for Toddlers and The Cycle of Seasons, basic music concepts such as tuneful singing, and a sense of steady beat are addressed through activities that foster family involvement and an appreciation of the natural world surrounding us. Unique to God’s Children Sing is the fact that this is done in a context that nurtures the faith development of children. Through song, stories, playing instruments, movement activities, and moments of worship in each lesson, children grow in their awareness of God’s love for them and for all creation.
Questions? Contact Filippa at filippa.duke@ssecdurham.org
Arts @ St. Stephen’s
Please see our Arts @ St. Stephen’s page for more information.
To be included in our Arts @ St. Stephen’s event email list, contact Dr. Filippa Duke.
Frank H. Kenan Memorial Organ
The organ in the Nave was made possible by the generosity of Thomas S. Kenan, III and his brother, the late Owen G. Kenan, in honor of their father, Frank Hawkins Kenan, a founding member of the church.
The organ was built in Zaandam, Holland by Flentrop Orgelbouw. After being shipped to the United States it was installed in the newly completed church building during the first six months of 1978. Hans Steketee, then president of Flentrop, designed the instrument and supervised its construction and installation. Fenner Douglass, well-known organist and organ scholar, served as a consultant.
Sitting in the balcony at the West end of the church the organ is a three manual, 45 rank tracker instrument of classical French design. The organ was refurbished by Richards, Fowkes & Co. and was reinstalled in November 2024. The organ was dedicated at a series of two concerts by concert organist Nathan Laube on September 6-7, 2025. For a complete stop list, click here.
musical instruments
In the Teer Chapel is a Flentrop chamber organ. It is a one manual mechanical action instrument without pedals. Its three stops are:
Bourdon 8’
Rhorflute 4’
Fifteenth 2’
The Chamber organ is used occasionally in Teer Chapel and the Church for services and concerts.
The church has a French double harpsichord made by William Dowd. It is modeled after an instrument in Versailles.
The Yamaha grand in the Nave was generously donated by the Kitchen family.
The church has a five octave set of Malmark handbells and a set of hand chimes.