St. Mark's Mourns Choir Icon
Message From The Headmaster
Members of the St. Mark’s community:
I am deeply saddened to inform you that Jim Livengood, St. Mark's Choir Director for the last 36 years, died the morning of March 16. His death comes with shock and great sadness for all in the St. Mark’s community.
A memorial service in the St. Mark's School of Texas Chapel will be held on Friday, March 26, at 6:30p.m.
Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with his wife Mary Ann, his daughters Catherine and Jenny, and the whole Livengood family.
Sincerely,
Arnold. E. Holtberg
Eugene McDermott Headmaster
St. Mark’s Mourns Choir Icon
Early Tuesday morning, March 16, St. Mark’s Choirmaster and Organist James Livengood passed away after a difficult battle with liver disease. A veteran of nearly four decades of distinguished service at St. Mark’s, Mr. Livengood’s legacy at the school will live on for generations. Since his arrival on campus in 1968, he led the St. Mark’s Choir program to national and international acclaim that included many trips abroad to sing in some of the world’s finest Cathedrals. During his 36 years on the faculty of St. Mark's, Mr. Livengood trained, inspired, and influenced the lives of hundreds of Marksmen. The whole community benefited from Mr. Livengood's talents as a musician, as the organist for all chapel services, as the director of monthly Evensongs in the St. Mark's Chapel, and as a teacher in the Fine Arts Department.
In 1976 Jim instigated the training scheme of the Royal School of Church Music of England at St. Mark's in order to raise the skill level of his choristers. Most choir directors train their singers as one large group, encouraging private lessons outside of school. The Royal School training regiment requires leading each of the boys individually through the various skill levels including Junior, Senior, Full, and St. Nicholas Medals. In February, 2004, for the first time in the history of the St. Mark’s Choir, four boys were awarded the St. Nicholas Medal, the highest level of recognition for choristers, at a ceremony in New York City. This simply would not have been possible without the individual attention, training, and commitment that Mr. Livengood provided for these and many other boys over the years.
In 1980 he initiated monthly Evensong services to give the Choir even more opportunities to grow and improve. Evensong is the sung Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer. Prior to that, the Choir only performed twice a year – at the Festival of Lessons and Carols around the Christmas holidays and at a concert in the spring. Many alumni now return to sing for these monthly services and families continue to attend long after their sons have graduated.
In 1986, Jim began taking the St. Mark's Choir on 3-week tours to sing in English Cathedrals and enhance the choir experience for each boy, an event that now occurs every other summer. The St. Mark’s Choir has become known as one of the pre-eminent boys’ choirs in the United States, and is regularly invited back to sing “in-residence” at some of the oldest and most famous Cathedrals in England. This summer the St. Mark’s Choir will make its tenth overseas tour, but it will be the first without Mr. Livengood.
In 2003 the St. Mark’s Alumni Association honored Mr. Livengood with the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award for his extraordinary contributions to the school. He also received the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award in 1987, among many other music and teaching honors and awards. Mr. Livengood earned his Bachelor of Arts at Occidental College, and a Masters in Music from Southern Methodist University. He is also a graduate of the Royal School of Church Music in London and was selected in 2002 as one of only 25 authorized examiners for the St. Nichols Medal in the United States. His most recent award was a nomination to Pi Kappa Lambda, a national music honor society for his scholastic achievement and outstanding musicianship.
Mr. Livengood is survived by his loving wife, Mary Ann Livengood, and daughters Catherine and Jenny. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Mr. Livengood’s memory to St. Mark’s School of Texas for the James Livengood Pipe Organ Fund, 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, TX, 75230.
Back
Members of the St. Mark’s community:
I am deeply saddened to inform you that Jim Livengood, St. Mark's Choir Director for the last 36 years, died the morning of March 16. His death comes with shock and great sadness for all in the St. Mark’s community.
A memorial service in the St. Mark's School of Texas Chapel will be held on Friday, March 26, at 6:30p.m.
Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with his wife Mary Ann, his daughters Catherine and Jenny, and the whole Livengood family.
Sincerely,
Arnold. E. Holtberg
Eugene McDermott Headmaster
St. Mark’s Mourns Choir Icon
Early Tuesday morning, March 16, St. Mark’s Choirmaster and Organist James Livengood passed away after a difficult battle with liver disease. A veteran of nearly four decades of distinguished service at St. Mark’s, Mr. Livengood’s legacy at the school will live on for generations. Since his arrival on campus in 1968, he led the St. Mark’s Choir program to national and international acclaim that included many trips abroad to sing in some of the world’s finest Cathedrals. During his 36 years on the faculty of St. Mark's, Mr. Livengood trained, inspired, and influenced the lives of hundreds of Marksmen. The whole community benefited from Mr. Livengood's talents as a musician, as the organist for all chapel services, as the director of monthly Evensongs in the St. Mark's Chapel, and as a teacher in the Fine Arts Department.
In 1976 Jim instigated the training scheme of the Royal School of Church Music of England at St. Mark's in order to raise the skill level of his choristers. Most choir directors train their singers as one large group, encouraging private lessons outside of school. The Royal School training regiment requires leading each of the boys individually through the various skill levels including Junior, Senior, Full, and St. Nicholas Medals. In February, 2004, for the first time in the history of the St. Mark’s Choir, four boys were awarded the St. Nicholas Medal, the highest level of recognition for choristers, at a ceremony in New York City. This simply would not have been possible without the individual attention, training, and commitment that Mr. Livengood provided for these and many other boys over the years.
In 1980 he initiated monthly Evensong services to give the Choir even more opportunities to grow and improve. Evensong is the sung Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer. Prior to that, the Choir only performed twice a year – at the Festival of Lessons and Carols around the Christmas holidays and at a concert in the spring. Many alumni now return to sing for these monthly services and families continue to attend long after their sons have graduated.
In 1986, Jim began taking the St. Mark's Choir on 3-week tours to sing in English Cathedrals and enhance the choir experience for each boy, an event that now occurs every other summer. The St. Mark’s Choir has become known as one of the pre-eminent boys’ choirs in the United States, and is regularly invited back to sing “in-residence” at some of the oldest and most famous Cathedrals in England. This summer the St. Mark’s Choir will make its tenth overseas tour, but it will be the first without Mr. Livengood.
In 2003 the St. Mark’s Alumni Association honored Mr. Livengood with the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award for his extraordinary contributions to the school. He also received the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award in 1987, among many other music and teaching honors and awards. Mr. Livengood earned his Bachelor of Arts at Occidental College, and a Masters in Music from Southern Methodist University. He is also a graduate of the Royal School of Church Music in London and was selected in 2002 as one of only 25 authorized examiners for the St. Nichols Medal in the United States. His most recent award was a nomination to Pi Kappa Lambda, a national music honor society for his scholastic achievement and outstanding musicianship.
Mr. Livengood is survived by his loving wife, Mary Ann Livengood, and daughters Catherine and Jenny. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Mr. Livengood’s memory to St. Mark’s School of Texas for the James Livengood Pipe Organ Fund, 10600 Preston Road, Dallas, TX, 75230.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
About Us
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
