St. John's
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Dr. Ben Riggs
Music Director
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Ben joined St. John’s as Minister of Music in 2018. In addition to directing St. John’s music program, he is Artistic Director of the Resound Ensemble, a San Francisco mixed voice chamber chorus, and is Adjunct Instructor of Church Music & Liturgical Singing at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley.  Ben was most recently the full-time Artistic Director of Twin City Gay Men’s Chorus, a 160-member volunteer arts organization in Minneapolis, MN. He also served as the Artistic Director of both the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and the Boulder Chorale, a 120-voice volunteer mixed chorus in Boulder, CO.  Ben is a founding member of the Firesign Vocal Quartet, a Denver-based professional vocal quartet. Ben recorded two albums with Firesign: William Byrd & Terry Schlenker: Masses for Four Voices (2011) and Follow We This Joyful Birth (2012). While in Minnesota, Ben performed with The Singers – Minnesota Chorale Artists, a professional choral ensemble under the direction of Matthew Culloton.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Music in piano from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Literature and Performance from the University of Colorado-Boulder.  Ben lives in Berkeley, CA, with his husband, the Rev. John F. Dwyer, and their 160-pound Bernese mountain dog, Lincoln.
St. John's Episcopal Church, Oakland

Location

Contact Us

1707 Gouldin Road
Oakland, CA 94611

(510) 339-2200
welcome@stjohnsoakland.org

Service Times
Sunday 7:45 am
​Sunday 10:00 am (Livestreaming available)
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  • VISIT
    • Welcome
    • Mission
    • Directions
    • History
    • Space Rental
  • WORSHIP
    • Services >
      • Livestream
    • Spiritual Practices >
      • Labyrinth
      • Centering Prayer
    • Religious Rites >
      • Baptisms
      • Confirmation
      • Memorials
    • Hearing Loop
  • ENGAGE
    • Parish Life >
      • Group Activities
      • Committees
      • Worship Ministries
      • Seasonal Traditions
    • Education >
      • Children
      • Teens
      • Adults
    • Commitment to Racial Justice
    • Action & Justice
  • CONNECT
    • Employment
    • Staff
    • Vestry
    • Deanery Delegates
    • Ministry Catalysts
    • Contact
  • INFORM
    • Sermons
    • Blog
    • Parish Business
  • GIVE
    • Giving >
      • Planned Giving
  • SCHEDULE
    • Parish Calendar
    • Family Events