Saint Thomas Girl Chorister Course Staff
Our staff is carefully selected to create a professional, positive, and nurturing experience for each girl. Many staff are in residence at the Choir School throughout the course and participate in all aspects of the course (except rehearsals) with the girls, including meals and outings. We strive to build a sense of community among one another, create a high-level musical experience and encourage an environment of kindness and belonging.
Course Co-Directors
Claire Griffin
A previous Saint Thomas Girl Chorister Course participant and floor leader, Claire is excited to return to the course in a leadership role. She attended the Girl Chorister Course for nine years, and recalls it as the best week of her summers. During the school year, Claire is the School Nurse and one of the Houseparents for Saint Thomas Choir School, where she oversees daily residential life and tends to the emotional, social, and health needs of the choristers. After receiving her B.S. in Nursing from Appalachian State University, she worked as a nurse in both hospital and school environments in North Carolina before moving to New York to pursue her dream of working at STCS.
Claire lives at the Choir School with her two dogs, Ziggy and Buddy, and her husband. In her spare time, Claire enjoys walking in Central Park with her dogs, crocheting, cooking, playing tennis, exploring the city, and playing board games.
Claire’s favorite moment of the course has always been the first rehearsal in the gym, where you can hear the resonance of many voices becoming one and truly feel that you are part of a greater whole. She looks forward to working with the girls and creating the meaningful, transformative experiences that are unique to the Girl Chorister Course.
Margaret White
During the school year, Margaret is Director of Admissions and Administration at Saint Thomas Choir School, as well as a member of the Choir School’s residential staff. A lifelong New Yorker, Margaret attended the all-girls’ Brearley School for thirteen years and then Princeton University, where she earned her A.B. in English with minors in Theater and American Studies.
She began her career as a substitute teacher in all grades and several subjects at independent schools across Manhattan. After three years teaching middle school Latin and English at Marymount School of New York, she temporarily relocated to Massachusetts to earn her Ed.M. in Learning and Teaching at Harvard University. As a Choir School faculty member, a product of all-girls’ education, and a trained vocal musician herself, she is uniquely positioned to help oversee the next stage of the Girl Chorister Course.
Margaret lives at the Choir School with her dog, Blaze, and her husband. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading and writing stories for young people (she also holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults) and spending time with family. Her other interests include musical theater, baking, board games, and learning new languages.
2026 Guest Music Director - Carolyn Craig
American organist Carolyn Craig, FRCO, is Assistant Director of Music at Wells Cathedral in England (2024 - present). As Assistant Director of Music, Carolyn is the primary organist for Wells Cathedral’s daily services, assists in daily chorister training, and conducts the auditioned volunteer Wells Cathedral Chamber Choir.
Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Carolyn earned her undergraduate degree at Indiana University (Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance with minors in Conducting and German) and her graduate degrees at Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music (Master of Music in Organ; Master of Musical Arts in Organ). She has studied organ with John Brock, Christopher Young, Ulrich Walther, Jon Laukvik, and Martin Jean, and conducting with Dominick DiOrio, Betsy Burleigh, Marguerite Brooks, and David Hill. In the UK, she has held organ scholarships at Truro Cathedral (2018-2019), Westminster Cathedral (2022-2023), and Westminster Abbey (2023-2024). In the US, she worked with Marilyn Keiser at Trinity Bloomington and with Walden Moore at Trinity on the Green.
Carolyn is passionate about striving for inclusivity and excellence in all things. She is co-founder of amplifyfemalecomposers.org and contributes to greathostcomposers.org, whose work is published in The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians.
Carolyn came to the organ through choral music and is fundamentally a choral person. Major conducting projects include the Duruflé Requiem and the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 (May 7th 2026). Carolyn also thoroughly enjoys singing.
Recent organ prizes include the highest performance and overall prizes in the 2022/2023 FRCO examinations, the 2nd Prize and the Prize for the Interpretation of Tariverdiev’s Works in the 2021 Mikael Tariverdiev International Organ Competition, and Yale’s Mary Baker Prize in Organ Accompaniment for her work with the Yale Schola Cantorum under David Hill.
Recital engagements have recently taken Carolyn to the US, Sweden, France, Germany, and throughout the UK. Carolyn has been featured on a number of radio programmes, including the American programme Pipedreams. She made her BBC Radio 3 debut in October 2025 playing for Choral Evensong with the Wells Cathedral Choir. To learn more, visit carolyncraigmusician.com.
