Dr. Stephen Matthew Black of Louisville went to be with the Lord on June 25, 2023. Born August 30, 1967 in Louisville to Betty Francis Farris Black and Jerry Douglas Black, he is survived by sister Karen Black Smith and her husband. Stephen was a kind, gentle and brilliant soul. His love for music from an early age took him around the world and back, from the mountains of Kentucky through the streets of New York City, to Russia, Latvia, Estonia.. and then west to Los Angeles, where he culminated a lifetime of education in music with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California. There, he completed his doctoral dissertation on The Influence of African-American Harmonizing on the 'American' Choral Works of Frederick Delius. Upon the conclusion of his doctoral choral recital, Stephen jumped for joy in enraptured exultation as was common after his most electric performances. Stephen was simply in awe of the power of music. He lived to experience perfect harmony and the suspension of time that lingers when the last notes of a performance ring through the rafters. Dr. Black was a prize-winning organist. He presented concerts at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, to name but a few venues. He once performed for the Pope. In 2008, Pope Benedict held an ecumenical service at St. Joseph’s Church in Yorkville on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where Stephen was Director of Music.

Stephen is also a graduate of the University of Louisville as well as Yale, where he was awarded the Richard French Prize in Choral Conducting from their Institute of Sacred Music - a prize given only to a student “considered to be in the top 1 or 2 percent of candidates in choral conducting in the country.” He served as Artistic and/or Music Director of the Central City Chorus, St. Joseph's Singers, and the Brearley Singers, all in NYC, as well as the Greater New Haven Connecticut Community Chorus. Stephen directed the Yale University Battell Chapel Choir, and served as guest conductor for numerous choruses on both the east and west coasts. Throughout his life he served as Director of Music in churches in Kentucky, New York, California and Connecticut.

Often serving as some combination of friend, mentor, director, founder, conductor, singer and accompanist to those who loved him, Stephen inspired countless musicians, students, collaborators, colleagues and family throughout his life. Scrolling through his Facebook page now, you find grateful accolades and cherished memories, like the time he literally caught an organ on fire.

Wherever Heaven may be, Stephen is no doubt there, elevated, conducting choirs of angels. Perhaps the next time it thunders, you will hear his playing the organ. Apart from a musical legacy that touched on the divine, Dr. Black is best remembered for his mint juleps, love of flowers.. his marvelous humor. He was always there to offer a helping hand, good advice, or witty banter at dinner. Most recently, Stephen had returned home to Louisville to care for his mother. There, he taught at Bellarmine University and was Director of Music at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. A memorial service will be held 10AM July 17, 2023 at Holy Spirit Church in Louisville. Fare thee well, Stephen, we bid you adieu.

In Paradisum deducant te Angeli

in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres

et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.

Chorus Angelorum te suscipiant

et cum Lazaro quondam paupere

aeternam habeas requiem

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