Ministry of Music Staff

Dr. Raymond Nagem is Minister of Music at The Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City, and a member of the organ faculty at Manhattan School of Music, where he teaches organ literature, service playing, and improvisation. He completed his D.M.A. at The Juilliard School in 2016, where he was a student of Paul Jacobs. 

A native of Medford, Mass., Dr. Nagem attended the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School and began organ lessons there with John Dunn. He earned his B.A. from Yale University in 2009, studying the organ with Thomas Murray, and his M.A. in 2011 from Juilliard. Prior to his appointment at The Brick Church, he served for eleven years at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, where he was Associate Director of Music and Organist. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020, Dr. Nagem began a weekly online recital series from the cathedral, “Tuesdays at 6,” featuring a diverse range of music across the entire organ repertoire. His album Divine Splendor, recorded on the Great Organ of St. John the Divine, is available on the Pro Organo label.

Meet Dr. Nagem:

Julianna Grabowski is a conductor, music educator, soprano and pianist from Syracuse, New York. Her passion for teaching and performing has led her to obtain two Bachelor of Music degrees from the State University of New York at Fredonia in Music Education and Vocal Performance, studying both voice and piano. She earned a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Duquesne University, where she also served as the Graduate Assistant to Duquesne’s Choral Department. As a professional soprano, Julianna was a Young Artist with Finger Lakes Opera, and has performed with professional groups including the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Lake Junaluska Singers in North Carolina, and The Dukes Music in Pittsburgh. She has also worked as a collaborative pianist at public schools and universities across the states of New York and Pennsylvania. Julianna’s recent work includes the positions of Choral Assistant and Principal Accompanist at Duquesne University, Teaching Artist at New Groove Music Studio, Assistant Conductor and Soprano Section Leader of the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Managing Director of the Pittsburgh Girls Choir, and Conductor of Pittsburgh Girls Choir’s adult ensemble, Women of Song. Julianna currently serves as a Conductor with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and as the Director of Children’s Music Ministries at Brick Presbyterian Church.

Isaac Lee is the Wilson Family Sacred Music Intern for the 2021-2022 church year. He comes to Brick Church with a wonderfully broad range of experience and skills, having studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and at Eastman School of Music. Isaac has served churches and cathedrals in Singapore, Denmark, and Rochester, NY. Most recently, he has done extensive work with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, featuring the organ in a fresh context and educating the public about the spectacular artistic possibilities of the pipe organ. In this video, you can hear Isaac playing and talking about this fabulous project.

Previous Interns:

Tate Addis, 2013-15

Christopher Keady, 2015-17

Meg Cutting, 2018-20