St. Mark’s Announces Summermusic Series for 2026
The choir may put their robes away for the summer, but that does not mean there’s a lack of fine music to be enjoyed at our services. St. Mark’s is pleased to once again offer Summermusic, a series of guest musicians at our 10:00 a.m. service:
July 12 – Sarah Carter, cello
Sarah Carter is tremendously versatile as a performing artist She has been a member of Orchestra Lumos for nearly three decades. Orchestral affiliations include the American Symphony, the Westchester Philharmonic, the American Composer’s Orchestra, the Oratorio Society of New York, and the Riverside Orchestra. She was a member of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra for 30 years and the principal cellist for twelve of those years. She has been a member of many Broadway Show orchestras such as Damn Yankees, The King and I, Parade, The Music Man, Oklahoma, Never Gonna Dance, South Pacific, The Visit and Kid Victory. Currently, she is subbing on Wicked and The Lion King. At home in Cresskill, NJ, she enjoys teaching her private students and playing chamber music whenever possible. Her three amazing children are well on their way to doing great things.
July 19 – Karl Lyden, trombone
Karl Lyden is a trombonist based in New York City. He is a member of ska-punk band Streetlight Manifesto and has held the trombone chair on shows on and off Broadway: Lazarus, A Night with Janis Joplin first national tour, Prince of Broadway, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Rocktopia, and the revival tour of Miss Saigon. Karl is also active as a composer and arranger. His first big band composition “Downside Up” was the 2011 Winner for Undergraduate Orchestrated Work in Downbeat magazine. He released an album of originals for eight-piece jazz group, Undercurrents, in 2015. Karl received his B.A. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he became well-versed in jazz and classical. He then completed an MA degree at New York University where he was an adjunct faculty instructor.
July 26 – Alex Bender, trumpet
Alex Bender is currently the lead trumpeter for the Broadway production of Schmigadoon!. His previous Broadway credits include Ragtime, Sunset Blvd., Spamalot, Bandstand, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, Finding Neverland, and Side Show, in addition to more than twenty productions as a substitute musician. He has proudly worked with George Wesner for the past eleven years at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. His orchestral affiliations include the New York City Ballet, the American Symphony Orchestra, and the
symphony orchestras of Detroit, New Jersey, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Springfield, Hartford, and Princeton. He has also recently performed with artists including Michael Bublé, John Tesh, Seth with MacFarlane, and an appearance Little Big Town on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve welcoming 2026. Bender is completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Michigan State University and serves as Coordinator of Brass Studies and Artist-Teacher of Trumpet at The College of New Jersey.
August 2 – Summer Choir
All are welcome to sing in the choir. Come as you are. Rehearsal is at 9:00am in the sanctuary.
August 9 – Frances Duffy, harp
Fran Duffy is Principal Harp of the Wheeling and Allentown Symphony Orchestras, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and performs regularly with the American Ballet Theatre in Lincoln Center. She has been the harpist for the Broadway show Wicked. She has also performed with the New York Philharmonic, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Albany, and Hartford Symphony orchestras. This year she was elected to the American Harp Society Foundation Board of Directors and recently received a doctorate at Rutgers Mason School of the Arts.
August 16- Jason May, clarinet
Jason is a New York City- based multi- instrumentalist and has most recently held the Reed 1 chair at Pirates! The Penzance Musical on Broadway, as well as the Reed 4 chair at The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes for the last three seasons. He has also performed with Follies and Hello Dolly! in concert at Carnegie Hall, as well as being a substitute in the pit orchestras of Chess, Maybe Happy Ending, Gypsy, Wicked, Aladdin, The Great Gatsby, Once Upon a Mattress, Back to the Future, Cats “The Jellicle Ball”, Days of Wine and Roses, Spamalot, Kimberly Akimbo, Bad Cinderella, and Some Like It Hot. He has also played for the national tours of Wicked, Aladdin, Something Rotten, Motown the Musical, The Color Purple and Grease among others. In addition, Jason is also an organist, pianist, accompanist, and music director.
August 23 – Garry Ianco, violin
From studio recordings and Broadway musicals to orchestral and concerto appearances, Garry Ianco is an experienced concertmaster in both commercial and classical music, Mr. Ianco has performed with the Albany Symphony, The Kingdom Hearts Symphony, Chelsea Opera, Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra, and for the Irish Tenors. Recently, he was the concertmaster for Cameron Mackintosh’s production of The Phantom of the Opera. As an ensemble member, Mr. Ianco has performed with the Santo Domingo Festival Orchestra, The Bellingham Festival Orchestra, The Munich Symphony, and with various ensembles in NYC and abroad. He has performed in the Broadway productions of Miss Saigon, Cats, Carousel, Phantom of the Opera, Evita, and West Side Story.
August 30 – Devin Di Mauro, bassoon
Devin Di Mauro is a low reed specialist who has been active in New York’s commercial music scene for over a decade. His Broadway credits include Old Friends, Days of Wine and Roses, and Once Upon a Mattress. He also held a chair in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall for eight seasons. Devin serves as principal bassoonist with the New York Chamber Players and has performed with numerous orchestras in the NYC area. His teachers include Ron Jannelli and Ed Joffe.
September 6 – Peter Arfsten, flute
Flutist Peter Arfsten, praised for his tone “as gentle as a summer breeze” has played extensively throughout the US and Europe. He is the top prize winner of numerous competitions. He has played with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular and American Symphony. In his most recent performances, he has been heard on Broadway, the Blossom Festival, Greenwich Symphony and as a soloist with the Windham Chamber orchestras. Mr. Arfsten has recorded numerous CDs and films. He is a graduate of Queens College, The Cleveland School of Music, and the Peabody Institute.