Alan Whitmore, St. Luke's Interim Music Director, was born and raised in British Columbia. The son of a United Church minister (father) and elementary school teacher/musician (mother), Alan lived in several communities during his growing up. The family eventually moved to Victoria where Alan finished his schooling and studied privately with Stanley Shale, piano, and Charles Palmer, organ. He completed his BMus at UBC and did further study at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ and in Stuttgart, Germany.
Alan has been a life-long performer, educator, and church musician as well as Music and Liturgy editor for Wood Lake Publishing. Many of his students have become nationally and internationally known performers and teachers. He has facilitated music ministry in several parishes/congregations throughout BC, Ontario, North Carolina, and Florida.
His passion has always been and remains to engage people physically, mentally, and spiritually in music and the gifts they receive in their engagement process. He is a naturally gifted teacher/mentor. A certified Spiritual Director/Facilitator, Alan uses this training as well as his musical gifts in all forms of his ministry.
Alan is married to his spouse, Denise Soulodre, and has 5 children, 9 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. When he is not working or spending time with his family he enjoys cooking, entertaining, and doing sudoku and crossword puzzles.
Alan is very excited to be joining the St. Luke’s family as Interim Music Director and looks forward to working with the church family to see what new and spirit-filled ideas can be added to an already rich liturgy and parish life.
Muriel Ali, St. Luke's Bell Choir Conductor, is a retired primary school teacher. She is enjoying bringing her skills as a conductor to St. Luke's to lead a Bell Choir with members of a different age than those she conducted in her working life.