Alec Wyton (1921-2007) was an organist, choirmaster, composer, and teacher whose career included two decades as organist and choirmaster at New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He was adjunct professor of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary (1956-73) and visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary (1965-73). Dr. Wyton left the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in 1974 to become organist-choirmaster of St. James' Church in New York City. At that time he also became coordinator of the Standing Commission on Church Music which produced The Hymnal 1982 for the Episcopal Church. Complementing a new prayer book which had come out in 1979, it replaced a 1940 hymnal and has been used by Episcopal churches across the U.S. ever since. Dr. Wyton founded the Church Music Department at the Manhattan School of Music in 1984, serving as chairman until 1990.