The Choir

Music List | The Choir | The Organ | Organ Scholarship 

St. Stephen's currently has a choir of approximately 40 members, which includes a junior section of children (boys and girls) aged between 7 and 13 years old.

The choir sings a variety of different music ranging from congregational settings of the Eucharist to 'cathedral' style settings of Evensong. Music from a wide period of composition is sung ranging from plainsong through to contemporary music recently written (some even written for us!). Of course, we also lead the congregation in Hymn singing (of various styles) and in the singing of the psalms. Every Autumn we sing in the Royal School of Church Music Canterbury Area Festival where we join with choirs from all over the Canterbury Diocese. The junior members work their way through a chorister training scheme organised by the R.S.C.M., called 'A Voice for Life' and this provides them with basic musical knowledge, singing technique and also helps them to build confidence in themselves - it has actually been proved that a musical education can help in other areas of a child's academic studies.

However, learning and singing music of this difficulty and to a high standard takes a lot of hard work and commitment both from the choristers themselves and from parents who provide lifts etc.! Each Sunday there are two sung services - Sung Eucharist at 10.30am and Choral Evensong at 6.00pm. For juniors there are two practices a week, first on Wednesdays from 6.30-7.30pm in which we spend part of the time working on technique and working towards the various awards that can be gained and secondly on Fridays between 7.30 and 8.30pm where we rehearse with the rest of the choir, usually on music for the next few services. As well as all the hard work though, there is a social side to the choir including 'parties', barbecues and a various trips.

Prospective choristers would be given a short audition (although nothing to be frightened of!) just so that I can see what stage of development their voice is in and what musical skills they may already have (and are often unaware of!). The ideal age to join the choir so to get the most out of the voice would probably be somewhere between 7 and 10, but of course this is always flexible! There is also plenty of room in the choir for adults who rehearse on Fridays from 7.30 - 9.00pm so do contact me if you want any further information about that.

If you have any questions about the choir or are interested in joining then contact steve@ststephenscanterbury.net.

Music List | The Choir | The Organ | Organ Scholarship

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The Friends of St Stephen's raise money to help maintain the fabric of the church. More...

St Stephen's Church Choir has around 40 members and sings a wide variety of music at the Sung Eucharist and Choral Evensong each Sunday.  More... (the choir photo has been updated on this page too - or click here for a larger image!)

Listen to the choir singing William Byrd's Ave verum corpus and William Fox's Teach me thy way O Lord

St Stephen's has a ring of eight bells and these are rung regularly before the Sung Eucharist and Choral Evensong on a Sunday, and for Festivals.  The Bell Ringers maintain their own website accessible here...

A number of committees oversee the day to day running of the parish, and more information from some of these committees can be found here...

The Annual Report, prepared for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting is available here...

For full details of the history of St Stephen's, click here...

 

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