The Grace Choral Society of Brooklyn and Spiritus et Anima have joined forces under the leadership of Music Director James Busby. Grace & Spiritus Chorale of Brooklyn is the new name for our newly merged choruses.
Building on the Grace Choral Society’s 30-year history in Brooklyn Heights, and Spiritus et Anima’s roots at Saint Ann’s School, we are now an 80-member chorus with smaller ensembles drawn from our ranks. We present two or three concerts a year in brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods, and are dedicated to performing a wide range of music, including the music of living composers.
The Grace Choral Society of Brooklyn is celebrating its 31st year since its founding in 1976. The chorus took its name from Grace Church in Brooklyn Heights, where it was founded as a supplement to the music program of the church. It retains the name of Grace but for many years has been an independent, non-sectarian non-profit organization under the direction of an elected board of directors. In August 2004, James Busby was appointed Music Director.
Spiritus et Anima was formed ten years ago by Linda Kaufman and Mr. Busby, the Chair of the Saint Ann’s School Music Department. Its membership is drawn from faculty, parents, and other members of the Saint Ann’s community. The group has performed many choral classics in concert at The Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity in Brooklyn Heights, including the Verdi Requiem and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.
James Busby
Music Director and Conductor
James Busby has two degrees from Westminster chorus College and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Musicology at the Graduate Center of CUNY.
James is Chairman of the Music Department of Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn. He taught and led choral singing at Hunter College from 2002-04 and was appointed Music Director of the Grace Choral Society of Brooklyn in August 2004.
He performs as conductor, singer, and pianist throughout the United States and in Europe. He has performed at the Spoleto Fesival, the Oregon Bach Festival, the New York Opera Project, in concert with the Brooklyn Heights Orchestra, Arts at Saint Ann's, and Westminster Opera Theater. As head of the music department at Saint Ann's School, he has directed and co-directed numerous musicals and plays, from Shakespeare to Loesser. He has also directed productions at Dixon Place and Sanford Meisner Theater.
Regina Yakubtsiner
Accompanist and Pianist
Regina Yakubtsiner was born in Leningrad and graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory. She has been a leading opera coach and accompanist in Leningrad's Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater, as well as Adjunct Professor at the Leningrad Conservatory. She holds two Grand Prize awards in international opera competitions.
Ms. Yakubtsiner has concertized throughout Europe with the Kirov Company and has accompanied such singers as Sergey Leiferkus, Lubov Kazarnovskaya and Placido Domingo.
In 1992 she emigrated to the United States with her family. She now acts as accompanist to the Amato Opera Theater, Island Lyrical Opera, Liederkranz Foundation, Opera Mobile, American Opera Musical Theatre Company, Genesis Opera, and Rockland Opera. She works with Naomi Music Productions and Recordings as music director.