Presenters and Presentations

BACH/BIBER PROJECT VIOLINIST JUDITH COX: When Judith first picked up a violin at the age of 3, she wanted to play with her musical older siblings. But she also remembers being mesmerized by the voice of acclaimed soprano Beverly Sills singing with the Metropolitan Opera in Cincinnati. Private instruction, then local and statewide prizes followed. At 15, Judith joined the Dayton Philharmonic as its youngest member, and a year later soloed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as a tri-state concerto competition winner. Other solo engagements followed, such as with the Indianapolis Symphony and in Atlanta with the Gwinnett Philharmonic and AUC Orchestras.

 

Post-graduation from Indiana University, Judith was appointed Principal Second Violin of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra and the Cleveland Ballet and Opera. A year later Judith joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and then the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1994. Along her path, Judith has been privileged to tour Europe, perform at Hong Kong City Hall and New York’s 92nd Street Y, and throughout the Midwest, Southeast, Wyoming and California. With the ASO she has been fortunate to perform at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and as part of the Ravinia and Ojai festivals.

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Judith and her husband, ASO violinist Raymond Leung, founded the nonprofit organization LYRA, Inc. in 2000 to serve as a community and educational resource to the city of Atlanta. The LYRA Quartet has visited over one hundred schools throughout Atlanta, performing, mentoring, offering workshops, master classes, lessons and fellowships to thousands of students. During LYRA’s Residency at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center from 2003-11, Ms. Cox helped design adult chamber music workshops as well as educational programming in Dekalb County. 

 

With the aim of finding one's joy through music, Judith helps aspiring amateur musicians to connect at The CMS of Atlanta, and has also taught at Clayton State University, Spelman College, the Hong Kong Youth Music Camp, Spartanburg Chamber Music Workshop, Madeline Island Chamber Music Camp, and Brightstar Chamber Music Festival. Judith has been inspired and informed in her approach to music-making and teaching by the combined artistry and example of her teachers: Constantin Kiradjieff, Sally Thomas, Ivan Galamian and Franco Gulli.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY, ATLANTA, GA: The Church of the Epiphany had its beginnings around 1894 in the informal gatherings of like-spirited Atlantans in the city’s first planned suburb, Inman Park. (Epiphany’s logo, a five-pointed star, serves as an apt reminder of the parish’s first neighborhood, Little Five Points.) The chapel’s cornerstone of Stone Mountain granite was laid in March of 1898, and the first service was held in the building in May. Ten years later, Epiphany was admitted to the year-old Diocese of Atlanta as a parish and called its first rector. In 1922, having outgrown its first building, the parish sold the Little Five Points property and moved to nearby Seminole Avenue. 

 

Under the leadership of Epiphany’s sixth rector, the Reverend Dr. Norman Gore, the congregation moved to its present location, having purchased the property from nearby Emory University in 1956. The first services were held in the new chapel in October 1957. 

 

Epiphany supports numerous Community Engagement ministries such as Decatur-area Emergency Services, Hagar House and Emmaus House, as well as Interfaith Engagement, Racial Justice, Feeding Ministry, Refugee Ministry, among others. Epiphany offers formation for all ages on Sunday mornings with even more and specific offerings on weekdays. The heart of our parish life is worship and sharing in the Eucharist which feeds us spiritually as a community. The liturgies are supported by the worship guilds: Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Vergers, Acolytes, and our all-volunteer Choirs.

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Epiphany’s Earth Guild joyfully practices environmental stewardship to care for God’s Earth and our communities. We partner with one another and with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) to provide ongoing education about issues pertaining to environmental injustice, earth care, and the climate crisis. We also provide opportunities to encounter God in creation, by organizing hikes, field trips, and other outdoor activities.

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Epiphany's Community Engagement ministry aims to build relationships and strategic partnerships through deep listening and collaboration. These methods of engagement reveal the ways in which God is already at work in our communities and help us to discern how we can best collaborate in that work through friendship and service.

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BACH/BIBER PROJECT ORGANIST JULIE RYDER: 

Julie Ryder has served the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany as Organist and Choirmaster since 2012. She coordinates the entire music program including rehearsing 5 choirs and handbell ensemble to support the Sunday services, and choosing and preparing the hymns, service music, and voluntaries for all liturgies. Before coming to Epiphany, Julie served 10 years as Associate Director of Music and interim organist at Fairfax (VA) Presbyterian Church and directed summer MAD (Music and Drama) camps for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia at Shrinemont. She was the Director of the Fairfax Choral Society Children’s Choruses for 8 years, growing the young program from one choir to a graded program of 3 choruses. She also served St. John United Methodist Church in Atlanta as Director of Music Ministries for 13 years. 

 

Julie received the Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music at James Madison University with a major in organ performance and a minor in voice, and a Master of Music in Church Music from Westminster Choir College with concentrations in organ and conducting. Her teachers include Chris Ward, Richard McPherson, and Joan Lippincott.