Parish Choir
The Parish Choir consists of adults and students drawn from across the city
and University, and forms an important part of regular worship at LSM and
sings at High Mass on every Sunday morning, at important Festivals throughout
the year, and at weekly Sung Mass services on Saints' days. The Parish Choir
regularly combines forces with the Choristers, and also provides cantors for Sunday Evensong
and Benediction.
A wide variety of music is sung with a strong emphasis on the English choral
tradition, but also including works by composers of all nationalities, from
the thirteenth century to the present day, and often unaccompanied. Recent
services have included performances of major works by Byrd, Victoria,
Schubert and Fauré, and in 2009, the choirs released their first
CD. Building on its rich musical traditions, the church also looks to the future, and has recently embarked on a new project to commission and premiere choral works by leading contemporary composers.
As well as singing for the regular services at LSM, the Parish and Junior
Choirs have sung Evensong at local Cathedrals, including Ely, Norwich,
St Edmundsbury Cathedrals and, most recently, St Mary the Virgin, Nottingham
and Peterborough Cathedral. In 2003 and 2007, the Parish Choir and Choristers
visited the church of Chant d’Oiseau in Brussels, and in 2005 they undertook
a tour to Rome, singing services at Sta Maria Maggiore and All Saints’
Anglican church, as well as a concert at the Anglican Centre. Future tours
are being planned.
Rehearsals are held on Friday evenings from 18:30–19:30 and are
directed by the Choir Director and Organist and the Assistant Choir Director
and Organist. The first half hour of the rehearsal is held jointly with the
Choristers.
The Director of Music, Simon
Jackson, is always pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining the
Parish Choir.
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