The creation of the Curtis at All Hallows concert series begins with the story of Cyrus H. K. Curtis and his 
daughter Mary Louise Curtis Bok. Mr. Curtis, the Guilded Age philanthropist and publishing magnate (The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies’ Home Journal) made his home in the Wyncote suburb of Philadelphia in what is now Cheltenham Township. He and Mary Louise were known for their love of classical and liturgical organ music. The musical heritage of All Hallows grew, in no small part, through their largesse as parishioners who provided support for the earliest music at the church at Bent Road and Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote.
The Curtis family donated the Skinner organ to All Hallows (they had another in their home. Curtis Hall) creating an environment where the congregation and professional musicians joined together in worship each Sunday. Over time, this powerful musical heritage lay deep within the parish, planted and nurtured by the generosity and enthusiasm of the Curtis family.
In 1924, Mary Louise Curtis Bok founded The Curtis Institute of Music and soon enabled the school to become tuition-free thanks to her generosity. From the beginning and continuing to this day, the Curtis Institute is internationally known for providing intensive and individualized instruction to a select group of students by a distinguished faculty of professional musicians.
Intrigued by the connections between All Hallows and the Curtis family, Dr. William T. Bowie, All Hallows parishioner and founder the The Noble Rock Consort, a medieval and renaissance music ensemble, arranged a meeting at All Hallows with a team from Curtis with the hope of developing a collaborative relationship. It soon became clear that bridging Curtis student together with the community at All Hallows to play on the historic Skinner Organ in the sanctuary designed by Frank Furness and decorated by Tiffany had the potential to provide a unique experience to lovers of classical music. The enthusiasm for the initial organ concerts by the community has led to the expansion of the concert repertoire to include wind, string and brass performances by Curtis students and faculty.
Completing the circle of musical heritage engendered by the Curtis family, Kathleen Kroll, branch director of The Settlement Music School in Willow Grove, often leads the “Conversation after the Concert” with the evening’s performer. Notably, The Settlement Music School benefited from a generous endowment by Mary Louis Curtis as it grew to serve eager learners in immigrant communities throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area.