New music director reinforces momentum at All Saints Church in Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — When Graeme McCullough became interim music director of All Saints Church on Pleasant and Irving streets in November, he noticed that “All Saints has a perfect acoustic for choirs.”

One of Mr. McCullough's first services was the kind where you hope that everything will go perfectly. The occasion was the visit of the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States, who was on hand for the church's 175th anniversary celebrations.

All evidently went well at All Saints that day.

In January, Mr. McCullough was named its new full-time music director, organist and choir director. Besides All Saints being more than 175 years old, it has two of the oldest choirs of their kind in the United States.

However, this isn't the first All Saints Episcopal Church Mr. McCullough has been associated with. For eight years until last August he was music director of All Saints Church in Fulham, London, England. He is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“When I first came to Worcester, it reminded me a lot of my hometown of Belfast — the community is very close-knit,” Mr. McCullough, 34, said. The architecture of Belfast and Worcester is also somewhat comparable, he added. Meanwhile, “All Saints is very welcoming of the community.”

He's made himself at home. “Our congregation, choirs and those who have heard Graeme play, conduct and sing are thrilled with his gifts, skills and whole approach to this important ministry of music, which continues to go from strength to strength here at All Saints,” said the Rev. Kevin D. Bean, rector of All Saints.