Lowell Mason60

from Medfield Massachusetts

received education from a local singing school

conducted area church and school choirs

went to Savannah, GA at age 18

• worked at Savannah Independent Presbyterian Church

• Superintendent of church's Sunday school program

• served as organist beginning when he was 28 years old

• began first Sunday School for African Americans in 1826

• created The Boston Handel and Haydn Scociety Collection of Church Music

  • included musical terms, music notation, vocal exercises

  • became the president of the society in 1827

• wrote The Juvenile Psalmist (1829), The Juvenile Lyre (1831)

• Served as choir director Boston Street Church

• founded the Boston Academy of Music (1833)

• served as choir director at Boston's Central Church

• received honorary doctorate from NYU (1855)

• wrote 30 original hymns/hymn arrangements, Protestant hymnals, several anthems