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Dear friends,

Music gives voice to so much of our life together at the Cathedral: our joy and sorrow, our longing and thanksgiving, our faith and hope. It is with gratitude for this shared ministry that I write to tell you about a significant transition in our music team.

Our Director of Music, Dr. Neil Cockburn, has been recruited by the University of Glasgow and has accepted the prestigious position of University Organist. This appointment is a wonderful recognition of his exceptional gifts. It also offers him the opportunity to return to Scotland and be closer to his parents and wider family.

Neil Cockburn’s final Sunday as our Director of Music will be December 6, the Second Sunday of Advent. We will celebrate his ministry with cake and an opportunity to offer our thanks and good wishes during coffee hour. Please join us as we send him on his way with affection and gratitude.

Since joining us in January 2025, Neil has brought extraordinary musicianship, thoughtful leadership, and a deep commitment to the place of music in worship. Through his organ playing, his work with our choir, and his careful preparation of our liturgies, he has enriched the Cathedral’s life in ways that reach far beyond the organ loft.

We are grateful for the beauty and depth he has brought to our worship, for his dedication to our singers, and for the musical gifts he has shared so generously. Week by week, his ministry has helped us enter more fully into prayer, hear familiar words afresh, and experience the power of music to speak when words alone are not enough.

Much of that ministry happens quietly—in preparation, in rehearsals, and in the patient work of helping others offer their best. We give thanks for this often unseen work as well as for the glorious music we have enjoyed together. Neil’s contribution will remain part of our shared life, and we will miss him as both a musician and a colleague.

There is sadness in saying goodbye, but also much to celebrate. We rejoice in this opportunity for Neil and send him into this next chapter with our blessing.

Welcoming Neil Robertson — November 1

Neil Robertson begins as Associate Organist on November 1. Many in our community already know him through his service as a substitute organist at the Cathedral. A flautist as well as an organist, Neil holds a Bachelor of Music in flute and organ performance and a Bachelor of Music Honours in flute performance from the University of Cape Town. He completed his master’s in flute performance at the University of Michigan in 2019, studying with Amy Porter while also continuing organ studies with Kola Owolabi.

Neil brings experience as a church organist in South Africa, the United States, and Canada, alongside work as a performer and teacher. From 2021 to 2025, he served as Orchestra Librarian and I.T. Manager for the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, regularly performing with the orchestra as an extra flautist. He also taught flute and organ at Bishops Diocesan College and played for its chapel services. Since moving to Canada in 2025, he has served as Head Librarian for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, played in churches across Vancouver, and continued performing with local ensembles. We are delighted to welcome his gifts into this fuller role among us.

Welcoming Sharon Chu — November 12

Sharon Chu begins as Assistant Director of Music on November 12. Sharon is a conductor, organist, and choral musician whose love of sacred music has grown through her life in the Anglican Church. She holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology from the University of British Columbia, where she worked with the Oriana, Vox, and Chamber Choirs.

Her experience includes singing and conducting at Holy Spirit Church in Hong Kong and St. James’ Anglican Church in Vancouver. In 2023, she received the Cecilia Kwok Church Music Scholarship from Hong Kong’s St. John’s Cathedral to support her further studies. Her musical leadership also includes work with the Vancouver Cantonese Choir, Vancouver Xiaoping Chorus, and Vancouver Extracurricular Music Society. Sharon brings gifts in choral leadership, musical formation, and connecting people across cultures, and we look forward to welcoming her into our Cathedral community.

Moving Forward Together

The arrival of Sharon and Neil Robertson before Neil Cockburn’s departure gives us a welcome opportunity to begin this transition together.

During the interim, Sharon will conduct the choir, and Neil Robertson will serve as organist and accompanist. Together with me, they will guide our music ministry, with overall responsibility and oversight remaining with me as Dean and Rector. These arrangements provide continuity for our worship and clear support for our singers and musicians.

I am also bringing together several members of the previous search committee to begin seeking a new Director of Music. We will approach this work thoughtfully, building on the Cathedral’s rich musical life and keeping the congregation informed as the search progresses.

Our shared vocation continues: to gather in worship, to offer our gifts, and to make room for others to encounter the love of God. Our choir, cantors, instrumentalists, and congregation all have a part in that ministry.

Please join me in giving thanks for Neil Cockburn and praying for him and his family; in welcoming Neil Robertson and Sharon Chu; and in supporting all those whose music helps us pray. We move into this next chapter together, with gratitude for what we have received and confidence in God’s continuing faithfulness.

With every blessing,

The Very Reverend Christopher A. Pappas
Dean and Rector