Church Services
Our Choir is a very important part of the liturgical life of our church.
They lead the singing and spoken responses at our main services, as follows:
The Parish Communion which begins at 9.30am on the first, third, fourth and fifth Sundays of each month. On second Sundays a non-Eucharistic service, without choir, is held.
At the Parish Communion, we sing at least five hymns, and the Gloria, or Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei for the Eucharistic setting. We also present an introit at the start of the service, before the processional, and an anthem during the administration of the communion. We are delighted to announce that the St John’s Setting, commissioned and funded by the choir themselves, is now being used in the Parish Communion and that, from Easter Day 2011, we will be leading the singing of this lovely setting, with the congregation.
Choir practices are held weekly, on Thursday evenings, starting at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9p.m. In preparation for special events, and festivals such as Christmas and Easter, we are delighted that the choir is augmented by a number of singers who are not able to be with us throughout the year. In preparation for these festivals, the choir often practices at least twice weekly for three weeks leading to the main services. In addition, the choir sings at other churches, when requested, within the Arle Benefice.
The choir makes a strong contribution to the occasional Choral Evensong or other evening services, that are held through the year, with Psalms, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis set to Anglican Chant, and with specially selected Anthems and responses.
The choir is very much in demand for Weddings, at St John's and at other local churches. We support the singing of hymns, lead the spoken responses, and also provide some beautifully prepared anthems that are performed during the signing of the register and during an additional blessing.
There are many other exciting events in the church year in which the choir has a vital part to play. These include opportunities to sing in concert with other groups and with well-known professional musicians. In 2008, for example, the choir joined with the Hampshire County Youth Choir in concert with Dame Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg, at St John's Church. We sang some well-known anthems such as Panis Angelicus by Franck, the Cantique de Jean Raçine by Fauré, and Laudate Dominum by Mozart.
The choir has also sung ‘in tandem’ with Troubar Clair a chamber choir visiting St John’s from Bordighera, in Northern Italy.
Such events, often part of the “Music at St John’s” season, support the location of St John's at the musical centre of the town.
On March 2nd 2011, at 7.30pm, the Choir of St Catherine’s, from Richmond, Virginia, USA, will be completing their tour of England by singing Evensong at St John’s.