Music

Music at St Mary's

Director of Music: Katy Silverman

Winter Recital Series

Join us on Sunday 10th March at 3pm for a piano recital given by Neo Hung (Royal College of Music). Neo will perform music by Beethoven, Scriabin, Liszt and Wang Jianzhong in a programme lasting around 45 minutes. Entry is free with a retiring collection.

Choral Music

The choir of St Mary’s is a voluntary choir, augmented by a team of 4 paid choral scholars. The choir has an extensive repertoire ranging from early Renaissance to the present day. A typical Sunday Eucharist will usually consist of two anthems, a psalm sung to Anglican chant, hymns and a congregational mass setting. Choral Evensongs follow the Book of Common Prayer with sung canticles, psalms and anthem. Recent settings have included Stanford in G, Jackson Truro Service and Howells Collegium Regale. Concert repertoire has included Maurice DuruflĂ©’s Requiem, Dieterich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri and Part 2 of Handel’s Messiah. The choir occasionally commissions a new piece of work, including composers like the late Simon Bainbridge, and the most recent a Jazz Mass by choral scholar Hugo Jennings.

The most recent music list can be viewed here: Music list Epiphany-Lent 2024.

Music making at St Mary’s is diverse, enjoyable and fulfilling, and the choir always welcomes new recruits. There’s no audition, but some experience of reading music is helpful. For more information, please contact the Director of Music: [email protected].

Organ & Choral Scholarships

St Mary’s is pleased to offer an organ scholarship and four choral scholarships each academic year. These positions offer undergraduate and postgraduate students and singers the opportunity to explore new repertoire, improve their technique and broaden their musicianship.

We are now looking for SATB choral scholars to join us in September 2024. Informal enquiries to the Director of Music, Katy Silverman, are most welcome, and more details can be found here:

SMB – CHORAL Scholarships 2024-25

The organ scholarship will next become available in September 2025.

Recital Programme

The Director of Music programmes two series of recitals, one in the winter from January to the beginning of Lent, and the other in the summer weeks, from July to early September. If you are interested in performing a recital or singing at St Mary’s as a choir, please make initial contact with Katy Silverman ([email protected]) who will be able to discuss possible dates and times.

Jazz at St Mary’s

Since 2022 St Mary’s has hosted a series of weekend Jazz concerts, at which up and coming jazz musicians and established performers play gigs. Further concerts are planned for this year and more details can be found here and at Jazz at St Mary’s on social media.

The Organ

A 1991 Saxon Aldred instrument of 2 manuals with 27 stops, the organ of St Mary’s is an incredibly versatile instrument. The organ was refurbished and revoiced in 2020. The specification of the organ can be found here.

Enquiries

Any enquiries, including requests for rehearsal space from professional musicians, should be addressed to the Director of Music.

Our Church & Our Vision

WHAT WE STAND FOR

Meet Our People

View our members

Growing in Faith

groups & courses

St Mary's Rule of Life

Learn more

Serving Our Community

Learn more

Children & Godly Play

Learn more

Our Historic Building

Learn more

Get in touch

If you want to know more about St Mary's, contact the clergy or for another enquiry, please use the Contact Us facility below.

Contact Us