10 October 2025

Music Director Search Committee
St. Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parish
2727 W. Tangerine Rd.
Oro Valley, AZ 85742

Dear Members o f the Search Committee,

I am writing to express my interest in the Director o f Music position at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish. Over the past two decades, I have found great joy in creating worship experiences that inspire, teach, and draw people into deeper faith through music. I was especially drawn t o St. Mark’s commitment to fostering full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy, which beautifully reflects my own philosophy of music as a living expression of prayer and community. To help share more about my work, I have created this webpage with videos and additional materials.

As Director of Music Ministries at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Tucson, I lead multiple ensembles, plan and coordinate music for the liturgical year, and work closely with clergy and lay leaders to create worship experiences that are both reverent and welcoming. My background as a conductor, pianist, and organist has allowed me to shape programs that weave together traditional hymnody, choral repertoire, and contemporary worship music. I have extensive experience training cantors and choir members, collaborating with instrumentalists, and curating repertoire that reflects both the liturgical season and the spiritual needs of the congregation.

I bring a strong understanding of liturgical planning, score preparation, copyright and licensing requirements, and budget management. My academic background in choral conducting and ongoing professional development support a high standard of musical and theological integrity. I place a high priority on building strong pastoral relationships, nurturing volunteer musicians, and forming music ministries that are both sustainable and spiritually formative.

St. Mark’s commitment to excellence in worship and its rich parish life resonate with my own vocation. I would be honored to bring my experience and passion for sacred music to your community, working closely with your pastor, musicians, and parishioners to continue building a program rooted in beauty and faithfulness to the Roman Catholic tradition.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about how my background and vision for liturgical music might serve the life of your parish.

Sincerely,

William Clayton Whittington, M.M.

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Statement of Faith

I believe in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who creates, redeems, and sustains all things. God is both mystery and presence, revealed through Scripture, creation, the life of the Church, and most fully in the person of Jesus Christ. I affirm Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal the boundless love and mercy of God, and whose Spirit continues to guide, comfort, and empower the Church today.

I believe that the Church is the Body of Christ on earth, a communion of believers called to proclaim the Good News, to be a visible sign of God’s grace, and to embody Christ’s love in the world. Worship stands at the heart of this calling: through Word and sacrament, prayer and song, we offer ourselves to God and are transformed in return. In particular, I cherish the sacramental life of the Church, recognizing in it a tangible encounter with divine grace that nourishes, sustains, and sends us forth in mission.

I affirm the authority of Scripture, read in the light of tradition, reason, and lived experience. I believe the Christian journey is both personal and communal—formed by faith, nurtured by the Church, and expressed through acts of love, justice, and mercy. I honor the diversity of Christian expression and trust that the Spirit is at work in many communities and traditions, drawing us toward unity in Christ.

Finally, I believe that beauty, art, and music are among God’s most profound gifts to the Church. Through them, we glimpse the divine and are drawn deeper into prayer, worship, and service. It is my calling and joy to help others encounter God through these means, fostering communities of faith where all are welcomed, encouraged, and sent forth to love and serve.

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Philosophy of Sacred Music

Music as an Expression of Worship

Sacred music is integral to the gathered community’s worship. It is not mere ornament but offering — an audible prayer giving voice to faith, hope, and love. Throughout human history, people have been called to sing: from the psalms of ancient Israel (Psalm 95:1–2; Psalm 150:6) to the songs of the early Church (Philippians 2:5–11). In every age, sacred music has proclaimed the Word, supported communal rituals, and formed individuals and communities in their spiritual journey. Music remains a living tradition that unites people across time and place in shared praise.

Theological Foundation

Sacred music serves a dual purpose: to honor the Divine and to build up the community. It can be understood as sacramental in nature — an outward and audible sign of inward and spiritual grace. When people sing together, their voices create a shared space of communion, deepening their awareness of the sacred. Music in worship must be grounded in reverence, aligned with the truths the community holds dear, and expressive of the breadth and depth of its spiritual life.

Tradition and Practice

Communities of faith inherit a vast musical legacy: ancient chant, hymnody, spirituals, gospel, global songs, jazz, and contemporary compositions. Each of these genres embodies the prayers, struggles, and joys of real people in real places. Worship is both universal and local — drawing from a rich tradition while speaking the language of the community gathered here and now. Sacred music, therefore, honors what has come before while remaining attentive to the living culture of the present moment.

Collaboration and the Shared Song

Sacred music flourishes in community. No artistic gift is given for personal glory alone; each is offered for the good of all (I Corinthians 12:4–7). Meaningful worship arises from collaboration — among leaders and laity, choirs and congregations, instrumentalists and composers, poets and preachers. In this shared song, we join a chorus larger than ourselves: the voices of past generations, present communities, and the unseen company of saints and angels.

Excellence in Service of Worship

Worship calls for both beauty and intention. As Psalm 33:3 proclaims, “Sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully with loud shouts of joy.” Excellence in sacred music is not performance for its own sake but an act of reverence. Through thoughtful preparation, artistry, and hospitality, music serves the gathered assembly, opens hearts, and draws minds toward the presence of the Holy. It is in this spirit that sacred music fulfills its highest purpose: uniting people in awe, gratitude, and love.

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Career Highlights

Throughout my career as a church musician and choral conductor, I have sought to bring together tradition, innovation, and community through the art of sacred music. My work has spanned a wide range of settings, including parish liturgies, academic ensembles, diocesan gatherings, and scholarly publications. Each of these experiences has shaped my vocation as both a practitioner and advocate for music at the heart of the Church’s life.

In 2024, I was privileged to serve as Assistant Conductor of the University Singers at the University of Arizona. In this role, I conducted movements of Marianna Martinez’s Terza Messa, a Classical-era masterpiece that reflects the depth and dignity of the Church’s sacred choral heritage and highlights the artistry of one of the earliest recognized female composers. The performance was broadcast on Classical 90.5 AZPM on Christmas Day, allowing the music to become part of the community’s celebration of the Nativity and extending the reach of beauty, prayer, and praise far beyond the concert hall.

My recent work has also emphasized the intersection of sacred tradition and American musical expression. Between 2024 and 2025, I presented lectures and published research exploring how the sacred legacies of Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and Kurt Weill illuminate the relationship between faith, theology, and artistic expression. These projects have included work with the pipe organ as an instrument of jazz, an unconventional yet deeply expressive pairing that reflects my commitment to expanding the sonic and theological horizons of worship. Through this work, I seek to build bridges between classical liturgical traditions and the unique musical contributions of the American landscape, always with reverence for the sacred.

My scholarly work is an important part of my vocation as a church musician. In spring 2026, my article on clergy-musician relationships will be published in Tactus, the magazine of the American Choral Directors Association Western Region. This work examines the pastoral, theological, and artistic dynamics of these partnerships and offers practical approaches for building healthy, collaborative ministry. I believe that strong relationships between clergy and musicians are essential to the vitality of the Church’s worship and mission, and my writing reflects my commitment to fostering that shared vision.

Earlier in my ministry, I had the honor of directing music for the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real’s 2017 revival with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. This gathering was a joyful demonstration of the unifying power of sacred music, reminding me that song does not merely accompany worship but has the capacity to inspire renewal, foster communion, and call the Church more deeply into its mission.

Taken together, these highlights represent my ongoing commitment to nurturing sacred music that is both deeply rooted in tradition and open to the movement of the Spirit. Whether through conducting, teaching, writing, or leading worship, my vocation continues to be defined by the pursuit of music that serves the Church’s mission: to proclaim the Gospel through beauty, creativity, and the shared song of the faithful.

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Media

Robert Ray’s “Gloria” (from Gospel Mass), as performed here by the University of Arizona Recital Choir (Nelly Hawley-Hayes and Dane Carten, soloists) is an example of my progress in my last semester of the MMus program at the University of Arizona. The rehearsal process involved intensive work on Gospel rhythms and harmonies and the inclusion of this modern style in a traditional setting. It is also representative of my research and concentration in including the Gospel, jazz, and blues genres in traditional worship.

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Kurt Weill’s Kiddush, as performed here by the University of Arizona Recital Choir (Dane Carten, soloist) is also an example of my progress in my last semester of the MMus program at the University of Arizona. The rehearsal process involved intensive work in jazz harmonies and an in-depth study of composer Kurt Weill and his contributions to American musical theatre and Jewish sacred music.

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Pop artist Tori Amos (from Newton, North Carolina) rose in popularity in the early 1990s with the release of her album, Little Earthquakes. Featured on this album is “Winter,” adapted for SSA choir by Fiona Lander and performed here by the University of Arizona Treble Glee.

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Professional References

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Collegiate References

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