About Us

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 Assistant Head 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 Festival, 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.

Jason Asbury

Accompanist and Pianist

Jason Asbury is active as a concert organist, conductor and choral accompanist in the New York City metropolitan area. He currently teaches on the faculty at Saint Ann's School and is Director of Music at Prospect Presbyterian Church in Maplewood, New Jersey. He has performed as a solo recitalist in many venues including St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, Augustinerkirche in Vienna, Austria and Princeton University Chapel.

He has served as assistant conductor of the Summit Chorale at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey and recently conducted the Prospect Presbyterian Chancel Choir's concert tour in Scotland. Mr. Asbury is the co-founder and conductor of Voices In Harmony, a 150-member choral ensemble based in Maplewood, New Jersey that promotes community by bringing together people from multicultural and ecumenical backgrounds. He is currently serving as President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians.

Mr. Asbury holds degrees from DePauw University and Westminster Choir College in organ performance and received additional training at the North German Organ Academy.