04/23/2026
Join us this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. for a special Choral Evensong as we give thanks for the ministry of Dr. David Henning, Director of Music and Parish Organist, in his final service at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. The service will also feature the world premiere of two commissioned works by internationally acclaimed composer Daniel Knaggs. A reception will follow in Bagby Parish Hall, and all are welcome to attend!
Since 2006, Dr. David Henning has served as Director of Music and Parish Organist at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, shaping a vibrant program that has enriched parish life and extended its reach far beyond Houston through the beauty of sacred music. During his tenure, Dr. Henning has led the Parish Choir on seven European tours. Beginning in 2010 with performances in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abby, Canterbury Cathedral, and St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The Parish Choir has since sung across the United Kingdom, Central Europe — including Salzburg, Vienna, and Prague — and Ireland in 2018, with a residency at St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 2022, the Parish Choir traveled to France, performing at Église de Saint-Sulpice and La Madeleine in Paris, and the Cathedral of Chartres. In 2024, Dr. Henning led the Parish Choir to Florence, Italy, where they sang in the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta and the Basilica di Santa Trinita, among other sacred spaces. An acclaimed international recitalist, Dr. Henning has performed widely across the United States and Europe. A highlight of his career came in August 2023, when he was invited to present solo organ recitals at Westminster Abbey, Coventry Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral. Dr. Henning’s gifts as a musician were recognized early on through several organ competition awards, including the University of Michigan’s International Organ Playing Competition. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa, where he was a Rhan Scholar and teaching fellow.
Described as “a rising star in the sky of serious, young American composers” (Chorzeit, Germany), Daniel Knaggs is an internationally acclaimed composer whose music evokes deep emotion and invites reflection. His works—ranging from opera and large-scale orchestral pieces to intimate chamber and choral music—have been performed around the world and published by leading houses including Edition Peters, Hal Leonard, GIA, and E. C. Schirmer. Having studied six languages and having lived in Mexico, Nicaragua, and France, Knaggs brings a global perspective to his compositions. His awards include the 2019 Noël Minet Prize (Germany), first prize in the 2012 Turoldo Competition (Italy), the 2011 Musica Sacra Competition (Poland), and the 2010 International Commission Competition of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir (USA). He has received commissions from the Puccini Chamber Opera Festival, Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, VOCES8, Wells Cathedral Choir, Houston Chamber Choir, and others. His music has been performed by ensembles including the Mexico City Philharmonic, Sofia Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Vancouver Chamber Choir, Tokyo Cantat Festival, and numerous choirs across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Knaggs holds a doctorate from Rice University and degrees from Bowling Green State University and the University of Michigan. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Cor Mundi, a Houston-based organization dedicated to high-level performances of sacred music.
