Bio
Paul Skevington, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, recently retired as Minister of Music and Liturgy at Saint Luke Catholic Church in McLean, Virginia. Paul began playing for Mass in Fort Wayne at the age of 13 under the direction of his first organ teacher, Vernon McArdle and he has been playing for Masses in the Catholic Church ever since. He holds degrees in organ performance from Indiana University where he studied with Dr. Oswald Ragatz, and a doctorate degree in liturgical music from The Catholic University where he studied with Dr. Robert Grogan. He has held the positions of Assistant in Liturgical Music at The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. and Summer Chapel Organist at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart Chapel at Notre Dame.
As Minister of Music and Liturgy at Saint Luke for 28 years, Dr. Skevington coordinated all musical activities at the church and performed a full range of sacred organ music that is an integral part of the liturgy. Under Paul’s direction, the Adult and Festival Choirs have become strong, highly regarded musical entities that provide a glorious, spiritual setting for liturgical celebrations. He has been responsible for establishing a talented core of cantors who lead the singing of the gathered assemblies. Paul led his 40 voice Festival Choir on two European tours where they were featured at venues throughout Italy and France including performances at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Paul spearheaded the effort to secure the purchase of the highly acclaimed Saint Luke Pipe Organ, a 61-rank, mechanical-action instrument built by Steiner-Reck Organ Builders and considered to be the finest in Northern Virginia.
Under Paul's direction, the Music in McLean Concert Series at Saint Luke Church became a popular venue for musical events, presenting concerts with some of the area's finest choral, ensemble, and orchestral groups. Saint Luke Church has also become renowned as a superior site for recordings for many of the talented artists, choruses, and orchestras in the Washington, D.C. area with more than 40 commercial CDs recorded in the space.
In addition, Dr. Skevington maintained an active performing schedule. Known for his artistic skill in guiding and supporting choral voices with organ and piano, he has appeared with the major choruses in the Washington, D.C. area in performances at The Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, and Schlesinger Hall. Paul has performed nationally as guest soloist for the American Guild of Organists and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. He has performed solo recitals at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City; at the Washington National Cathedral and The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Saint Mary Magdalene Church in Altamonte Springs, Florida; Princeton University Chapel in Princeton, New Jersey; Georgetown University Chapel in Washington, D.C,; and Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, New Jersey. In the Washington, DC area he has been featured organist with the Washington Bach Consort, The Washington Chorus, Choral Arts Society, Master Chorale of Washington, The City Choir, New Dominion Chorale, Cantate Chamber Singers, Fairfax Choral Society, National Men’s Chorus, Amadeus Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and Washington Symphonic Brass. He can be heard on five compact disc recordings, including two with trumpeter Phil Snedecor. He is soloist on the internationally released Organ Concertos by Joseph Rheinberger on the Naxos label.
He is past dean of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, past chairperson for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians' Section for Organists, and former adjunct organ faculty member at Northern Virginia Community College. He is the newly appointed Music Director at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.