St. Paul's Music Page
Come and make a "joyful noise"
Meet our New Music Director
Todd Simmons
Ever since Todd arrived to serve as our interim Music Director on the First Sunday of Advent, people have been buzzing, "Can he stay?" The roar only increased during the Christmas celebrations and especially after Lessons and Carols. Folks in the pews and choir stalls alike have asked this question, which I am delighted to finally answer: YES! Todd and the Wardens and I have worked out an arrangement whereby we can now take away the "Interim" in front of his name to simply and happily call him our new Music Director. Please read more about Todd in his introduction which appears below. But let's also pause to thank our Music Director Advisory Committee which worked so faithfully to bring us to this point: Ranee Bibisi, Andy Bravo, Pam Doerner, Carol Gervais, Anne Leone, Chuck Maynard, Caroline Page and Helen Stowe. Many thanks to all whose efforts have brought us to this happy point.
Making a joyful noise, The Rector
From our New Music Director 
I’d like to take this opportunity to officially say “hello”
to everyone at St. Paul’s church! Since I’m new and haven’t had the chance to
meet everybody yet, I figure you can at least learn a couple of odds and ends
about me in the meantime….
I live in Westport, CT at the Westport School of Music with
my pitbull “Bunny” (odd name for a pitbull I realize, but that’s the name she
came with when I rescued her from an animal shelter 6 years ago!) I’m the
Assistant Director of that school as well as an instructor of piano and have
been working there for the past 10 years. I teach approximately 25 students each
week and in addition to my duties there, I’m also the accompanist for a number
of local schools as well as the accompanist for the Fairfield County Children’s
Choir.
I received my bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Eastman School of
Music and a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Southern
Mississippi. I studied piano with Ingrid Clarfield and Vincent Lenti, and
harpsichord with Dana Ragsdale. I also studied conducting with Helmut Rilling,
Timothy Koch, and David Effron.
I’ve held various jobs since starting my career in music. I’ve been the choir director at Princeton High School and Ridge High School in New Jersey, as well at Fairfield High School here in CT. I was also the founder and director of the Women’s Choir at Fordham University in New York. But I have to say, of all the musical things I have done, being the music director of a church is the most rewarding. I come here after being the music director of the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston for 6 years. I also was a bass section leader at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Stamford, CT for about 6 months following that. I’m excited to be a part of the community here at St. Paul’s! Thank you all for making me feel so welcomed!
Todd Simmons