Saint James School, Maryland,  has just celebrated the 180th Anniversary of its founding in 1842. It is the oldest Episcopal boarding school based on the English model in the United States and was begun as part of the Catholic revival originating in the Church of England. It remains faithful to its historic identity as a Church School, maintaining the spiritual witness and discipline of regular daily worship, and continuing attention to the spiritual and moral formation of its students.

Today, Saint James is a coeducational boarding school of 240 students, including enrollment from 20 states and 30 countries. The Chapel Choir of Saint James School is composed of 25 students in Forms III-VI. Term-time singing centers on the twice-weekly services of Holy Eucharist and a student-led service of Compline on Sunday nights. Services of Choral Evensong are sung on and off campus throughout the year. Choir trips revolve on a three-year cycle of regional, national, and international destinations. A new music and art facility with a recital hall was opened in 2021.

On previous trips to England, the choir has sung Choral Evensong and concerts at Christ Church Cathedral (Oxford), Worcester Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, Ely Cathedral, St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral (London), Canterbury Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Wells Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral and St. Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick.

The Rev. Dr. D. Stuart Dunnan was appointed headmaster of Saint James School in 1992. A native of Washington DC, he was head chorister at the National Cathedral while attending St. Albans School. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Harvard, and master’s and doctoral degrees in theology from Oxford. Trained at Pusey House, he subsequently served as Chaplain of Lincoln College.

Linda Morgan Stowe is Chair of Fine Arts and Organist/Choir Director at Saint James School. A graduate in organ performance from Southern Methodist University and the Eastman School of Music, she is a medal examiner for the Royal School of Church Music in America, and has served on the board of the Association of Anglican Musicians.