Thursday 21st August 2008
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The Choir @ St. James'
Regular sunday services are a small part of what goes on at St. James' with Sunday services and the all important Choir Practices traditionally on Thursday evenings.
The St James' has had a long tradition of a great Choir and a great choral music. It has had a surpliced choir of men and boys from the mid 18th Century and now with a mixed choir of boys and girls in the treble line and ladies and gentlemen in the 'back' line.
The present mixed voice robed choir consists of over 30 choristers between 7 and 72!
It a very family oriented warm team of people who really enjoy music and singing. There are many social activities and concerts that are undertaken throughout the year; which includes, junior choir swimming party/BBQ, annual choir dinner, musical concerts, visits ot other Churchs/Cathedrals to sing evensongs, etc......
Over past decades we have sung in; Douai Abbey, Wellington Chapel, St. Georges Chapel - Windsor Castle, Salisbury, Arundel Cathedrals, Bath Abbey, Windsor Parish Church, etc.
In 2010 we are planning to welcome again the visiting choir from Milton, Vermont, USA who are coming to join in with our singing and enjoy a joint Musical Concert, probably some Cathedral visits and at least a BBQ or two!!!!
Our junior choir and young people are an important part of our choir life. We have 10 children and 12 teenagers in our ranks. The young people participate in the Royal School of Church Music "Voice For Life" training programme. We presently have four Bishop's Choristers with some young people presently working towards the Dean's Chorister examination. 
Services at the church involve singing a wide range of music from Plainsong to worship songs. The choir draws much of it's repertoire from traditional choral music, but we are able to cope quite easily with music from Taize and Iona, worship songs and music from the modern Catholic tradition.
The choir regularly sings traditional and the more modern hymns and Anglican pointed psalms.
We are starting to use the "Common Worship' psalms for Eucharist services.
The main purpose of music making at St James' is to lead the musical side of worship in a real and corporate way. It is an acknowledged fact that many people come to a true and living faith (some even to ordained ministry) by initially being members of a church choir. St James' is an extremely lively church with a wide range of music making of different styles, to suit all tastes.
The choir sings at the 11am service each Sunday (and 9:30am on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month) and also at the monthly Choral Evensong (or Choral Eucharist from time to time!!).
The 11am Family Service, which is on the 2nd Sunday of the month is totally different! "Modern" Worship as it is often known, is a more informal service, at which the music is of a more modern nature and often contains a musical group.
The Director of Music, not only teaches us all to sing but also teaches us how to read and interpret music as we go along. He often goes into the theory of music and or about a specific composer and is well known to entwine this into a story or two!!!
He helps will all the choir but, specifically with the junior choir, conducting and playing the Organ. He is even found organising the choir social events and outings.
So anyone with an interest in Music or Singing can get a good background to the subject, which, for those who are taking Music at school or just out of interest, might even find it helpful with their GCSE / 'A' level studies.
Apart from turning out on a Thursday evening for choir practice there is also the commitment of turning-up on a Sunday for the morning Service and once a month for a Choral Evensong. Buns and even doughnuts are often to be seen disappearing inside choristers between services or on special 'choir tea' occasions. We have a fun Games / Barbeque / Swim once a year at the end of the summer and several outings either to sing at other venues such as cathedral evensongs, festival occasions, etc. We often combine these with a picnic or something on the way!!
We often, during the warmer months sing for Weddings that is not only 'fun' but also very lucrative since the juniors get extra pay for these sought after public performances. It helps the pocket money go further and they feel that they have actually earned it.
Now to the Adult choir; we are also looking for some 'adult boys' of various voices from; Tenors, Baritones, Basses. They also join in the Fun & Games although sometimes these finish-up in the Pub, unlike with the juniors. Of special interest for the senior choir is the seasonal music that we sing for; Easter, All Souls Day, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and other festival occasions were we are challenged by Requiems, Anthems and other choral works. Sometimes we combine with other choirs and instrumentalists for special performances.
Listen to the choir:
Angel Voices Ever Singing
O Praise ye the Lord
