Stephenson-Moe brings peace offering to Vatican

Ann Stephenson-Moe is about to achieve the closest thing to the holy grail that exists for someone who makes religious music.

On Nov. 2, she’ll conduct the “Cantata of Peace” composed by her late husband, Daniel Moe, during the 12th International Festival of Sacred Music and Art in Vatican City before Pope Francis.

Organizers were seeking an anthem related to peace and found Stephenson-Moe through Google, after reading a dissertation an Arizona student wrote about the brass works of Moe, who died in 2012. Moe wrote the cantata during the Vietnam War. He was the longtime composer for Church of the Redeemer and music director for Key Chorale.

After several discussions, organizers asked Stephenson-Moe, who is organist/choirmaster at Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota and music director of Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key, if she would conduct the piece in the Vatican.

“I pretty much dropped the phone,” Stephenson-Moe said. “I was shocked and flattered, and I said yes.”

Stephenson-Moe is familiar with the piece, having conducted it at least five or six times.

“I would define it as idiosyncratic,” she said. “It has a lot of jazz harmonies.”

The piece includes a solo trumpet, organs and a choir.

Moe’s “Psalm Concertato” will also be performed at the festival, although Stephenson-Moe won’t conduct it.

Stephenson-Moe, 65, knows she’ll be nervous during the performance.

“The trick is to use it for something positive,” she said. “Fear is not necessarily a bad thing. I’ll never have an opportunity like this again in my life.”

Festival music performances will take place Nov. 2, Nov. 3 and Nov. 6. For Stephenson-Moe, the fact that she’ll conduct the piece Nov. 2 has special meaning.

The day would have been Moe’s 87th birthday.

“I keep thinking about how happy Daniel would be to know that his piece was getting this recognition,” Stephenson-Moe said.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]