Music News Archive

Magnificat from our Advent Carol Service 3rd December 2023
Recording of our choir singing the Magnificat ( Stanford in G) with a solo sung beautifully by chorister James Razzell, at our Advent Carol service on 3rd December 2023. Thanks to Peter De Vile for this recording. More ...
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St Mary's Music News December 2023
Autumn is always very busy for the church and for the choir. However, the SMMA managed to squeeze in 2 coffee (and delicious! cake) concerts, an organ concert by Oli King on 11 October, followed a week later by a chamber choir from SWCHS... More ...
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Choral Evensong at Birmingham Cathedral 4th November 2023
A chance to lsiten to Choral Evensong sung by our choir at Birmingham Cathedral. Amongst other pieces we sang Stanford’s "Magnificat" and "Nunc Dimittis in B flat" and Bairstow’s “Save Us O Lord”. More ...
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St Mary's Music News November 2023
One of the pleasures of the autumn term is what has become an annual scholar’s concert. This is usually led by the scholars who are leaving for university. This year however, as no one is leaving us, it was a celebration of present and past scholars. More ...
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Junior Choir at our Harvest Festival Family Service
Members of St Mary's Church Junior Choir who led the singing at our Harvest Festival Family Service on Sunday 24th September with goods donated during the service to the Uttlesford Foodbank. More ...
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St Marys Music News - October 2023
On 7 July we were delighted to welcome 4 new children to sing in the morning service, each wearing a smart new St Mary’s Junior Choir polo shirt. It is always impressive to see them adapting to their new “front of house” roles... More ...
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Organ Scholar Appointed
St Mary’s Saffron Walden and St Mary’s Wendens Ambo have appointed the third Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholar, Ziyi Wang, a year 11 pupil at Saffron Walden County High School More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - August/September 2023
There were 2 very successful taster sessions on 9 June, one for Joyful Noise and one for the Junior Choir. There were 4 potential recruits at each session, with more children expressing an interest but not able to join in the singing and other activitie More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - July 2023
Choral singing requirements calm down a little at this time of year, but to balance this out the SMMA’s Wednesday lunchtime concert season is in full swing. As always, refreshments are available from 12.30 pm, and the concerts start at 1.10pm... More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - June 2023
Music this month was book-ended by services combining the choir and the Brass Group. The Easter Sunday morning service started with a rousing rendition of The Heavens Are Telling from Haydn’s Creation by the Brass Group, and culminated with congregation . More ...
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Organ Scholarship
The churches of St Mary’s Saffron Walden and Wendens Ambo invite you to apply for the Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholarship worth £752 plus lessons. The closing date for applications is 21 June 2023 More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - May 2023
The Choir and the Brass Group, supported by the increasingly frail and temperamental organ, have been very busy participating in worship during Lent and through to Easter, not only on Sunday mornings, but also in the evenings in 4 services ..... More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - April 2023
One very lively event has already taken place though – the annual outing for the Junior choir, organised by Alison Lawrence with a doughty band of responsible adults. This year they visited Ely, first stop the fascinating Stained Glass Museum .... More ...
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SMMA AGM Sunday 12th March 12 noon
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Mary’s Music Association will be held in the Parish Rooms on Sunday, 12th March 2023 at approximately 12 noon - following the 10.30am service More ...
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St Mary’s Music News - March 2023
A mixture of coughs, colds and exams left the choir somewhat depleted immediately after Christmas, but numbers are now returning to normal. On the second Sunday in Epiphany Ellie gamely held her own as the only alto among a sea of sopranos, tenors and ... More ...
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Junior Choir Cake Stall
Members of our Junior Choir running their cake stall on Saturday 4th February 2023 to support their forthcoming trip to Ely. More ...
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Music News - February 2023
The traditional movement “from darkness into light” during the Advent Carol Service on 27 November was as ever an uplifting reminder that the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. The music matched this trajectory, modulating from ...... More ...
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Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal 18 Dec 2022
Photos from our Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal on 18 December 2022 with full Choir and Brass More ...
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SMMA Music Programme for Spring-Summer 2023
The St Mary's Music Association Programme for the Spring and Summer 2023 is now available and contains details of Choral Evensongs, and Coffee, Lunchtime and Organ Concerts.  More ...
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'Malda' (Prayer) - Music for All Souls - 30th October 2022
Malda' (Prayer) - Music for All Souls composed by Jonas Tamulionus with Oli King on Organ. All Souls Service at St Mary's Church Saffron Walden. More ...
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Music News November 2022
The evening of 9th September was full of contrasts. Practice started sombrely with a prayer for the late Queen Elizabeth II, and then a complete change for the Patronal Festival and Choral Evensong. More ...
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Music News October 2022
The end of the summer was properly celebrated with 2 very different musical events. The Organ Plus concert on 24 July, and somewhat less elevated was the mermaid and pirate themed musical party, complete with visiting octopus and jelly fish. More ...
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Music News - August - September 2022
Special musical activities in June started with a rousing Festal Evensong. While “rousing” is not usually a word associated with the calm, meditative nature of this most reflective of services, this was an exception, including Stamford’s Magnificat .. More ...
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Music at St Mary's Spring-Summer 2022
See our programme for Lunchtime Concerts, Organ Recitals and other Choral events this coming Spring and Summer 2022 More ...
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Music News July 2022
There has been little reduction in pace for the choir, even after Easter. Rehearsals are already underway for Festal Evensong at 6.30 on Sunday 12 June, followed by Choral Eucharist for the Feast of Corpus Christi at 8pm on Thursday 16 June. More ...
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SMMA Bursary
St Mary’s Music Association offers up to £250 to support the musical training and education of a young musician in St. Mary’s parish in full time education. More ...
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Music News - June 2022
Palm Sunday heralded the return not only of Junior and Senior Choirs singing together again, but also processing amid the congregation. The first time in over two years! More ...
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Music News - May 2022
6th March was a big day for some of the newest members of the Junior Choir, as it was their first appearance at a regular morning service with the Senior Choir. The two groups have now started rehearsing together, and will be singing together ... More ...
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Music News - April 2022
The first part of February seemed indeed like the start of Ordinary Time, before the shocking events later in the month. Services in late February were very exciting for some of the newest members of the Junior Choir, as they made their first appearances More ...
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Fundraising for Ukraine
Two recent events organised by St Mary's Church Saffron Walden to raise funds for the crisis in Ukraine. A concert featuring our choir and friends and our most junior choir Joyful Noise More ...
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Music News - March 2022
This year’s Epiphany Carol Service on Sunday 23 January was the first Rev’d Jeremy Trew had ever attended, and I hope it will form part of his traditional worship in future. The music opened with the fireworks of MacMillan’s O Radiant Dawn and ... More ...
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Choral Evensong - 13 February 2022
A chance to listen to a recording of this service. The conductor was Jeremy Allen, organist was Oli King, cantor was Eden Faith and soloist in the Bairstow was Alison Lawrence. More ...
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Music News - February 2022
It was a great pleasure that all the music took place with both choir and congregation, and indeed brass instrumentation, in contrast to the scaled back lockdown events of 2020. More ...
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Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal 19 December 2021
Photos taken during the Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal 19 December 2021 More ...
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Grand Chœur in D 'alla Handel', Op. 18 - Guilmant (Christmas 2021) 
Oli King performs Grand Chœur in D "alla Handel", Op. 18 by Guilmant (Christmas 2021) More ...
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Music News - December 2021 
Choral Evensong, that calm spiritual traditional musical service as the light of the day fades. It’s always a joy to take part in and to listen to. In October the choir sang the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis .. More ...
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Opportunities for enthusiastic young singers
Opportunities for enthusiastic young singers to join one of our two lively groups. Age ranges are 5½ to 7½ for Joyful Noise and 7½ to 13 years for the Junior Choir. If you think this is for you and would like more information, please contact Bron Ferland More ...
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Music News November 2021 
From the beginning of September, the Adult and Choral scholar choir has been enjoying its first rehearsals in St Mary’s. All those lockdown Zoom practices have borne fruit, though Oli did seem a little pale after some of the efforts during the first week. More ...
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New Organ Scholar appointed
The second Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholar is Yechan Yun, a 16-year-old pupil in the sixth form at the Perse School. Yechan says, “I was motivated to start playing the organ 6 years ago ... More ...
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Fiat Lux ‘Let there be light' by T. Dubois (Oli King on Organ)
Fiat Lux ‘Let there be light' by T. Dubois on YouTube. Another delightful video by Peter De Vile with Oli King on the organ More ...
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Music News August-September 2021
Friday 11 June was a joyful day. First the Junior Choir, and then the Adults held socially distanced outdoor but, crucially, in person rehearsals outside the West door, with Oli standing on the church steps with microphone at the ready, and Jeremy on .... More ...
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Toccata Festiva by Guy Turner (Oli King on Organ)
We have created a short joyful organ video in celebration of 19th July and the start of a return of music to our church with Oli King on organ. More ...
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Music News - July 2021
Due to Covid restrictions adult choir rehearsals have remained on Zoom, though the Juniors have managed at least 1 indoor practice, and singing at Sunday services has been restricted to 6 members of the adult choir. More ...
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Choir Taster Day 
This event has had to be postponed due to the Covid19 situation in many of our local schools. More ...
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Music News - June 2021
On 30 April the SMMA held its first AGM with Rector Jeremy Trew as its new President. The AGM was attended by 26 devices (what a strange world we live in now!), equating to around 30 participants which was quite an increase on last year. More ...
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SMMA Annual General Meeting 30th April 2021
The SMMA AGM 2021 will be held (via zoom), at 7.30pm on Friday 30th April. All members of the SMMA, and others wishing to attend, are welcome. More ...
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Updated Organ Leaflet
There was apparently an organ in St Mary’s as early as 1451. The present organ is a descendant of one built in 1824 by John Vincent. Rebuilt in 1885 by T. C. Lewis and subsequent further rebuilds. Find out more in our recently updated Organ Leaflet.. More ...
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Music News May 2021 
The choir was delighted to welcome a new chorister for the first part of our weekly practice on 12 March. Jeremy Trew admitted to having enjoyed life as a treble a ‘few’ years ago, and joined in enthusiastically with the warm ups for both the Junior .... More ...
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Music News - April 2021
During February the choir has again been represented in Sunday services either by soloists or by small family groups, as well as by home recordings. We are very grateful to everyone who takes part in musical worship virtually or in real life. More ...
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Music News March 2021
The choir’s celebration of Epiphany has been very different from usual in lockdown 3. No Epiphany carol service, and there will be no February choral evensong. More ...
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The Lord Bless You And Keep You
The Lord Bless You And Keep You - John Rutter arr. Bobby Goulder who was a chorister here at St Mary's from 2002 to 2008. More ...
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Music News February 2021
The choir has been very busy since the last newsletter which took us to the beginning of November. Importantly, members of the choir have sung for every service either live in groups of 2 to 6, or in larger numbers in recordings. More ...
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Music News December 2020
The choir in limited socially distanced form with 8 or so choristers has been singing in the regular Sunday morning services. Larger numbers provided the virtual music for Online Choral Evensong during the time of Covid at half term. This included ....... More ...
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Music News November 2020
The first major choral act of worship of the new academic year was the Patronal Festival at St Mary’s on 13 September, where the choir’s first physical contribution to a service since lockdown ... More ...
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Online Choral Evensong - October 2020
We have put together an online Choral Evensong for October 2020 despite the extra challenges of doing this online during the Covid-19 restrictions. Thanks to members of our choir including soloists, organist, Director of Music Oli King and Marisa Baltrock More ...
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Music News October 2020
Back to school, back to the office, shops and cafes, but best of all, back to the choir! Zoom practices began again at the beginning of September with a lengthy programme of music, some familiar and some new. More ...
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Magnificat in G - C.V. Stanford
The Choir of St Mary's Church,Saffron Walden, conducted by Oli King. Recorded during the pandemic lockdown 2020 and used in a service. More ...
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'A Song of Hope' - Jeremy Allen and  St Mary's Choir
A Song of Hope - Words by Anne Frank - Composed by Jeremy Allen with the Choir of St Mary's Church Saffron Walden. Recorded during the pandemic lockdown 2020 and premiered in an online service. More ...
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Ave Maris Stella - Titelouze. 
Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star of the Sea) recorded live in St Mary's Church Saffron Walden for our Patronal Festival September 2020. The singer is Peter De Vile and Oli King is playing the organ. More ...
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Music News August-September 2020
During lockdown the SMAA reports have focused on parts of the church’s musical life which are less visible to the congregation. Last month starred the Junior Choir. This month we have contributions from our organist, Jeremy Allen, and from Peter De Vile. More ...
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Choir Resources
This new page of resource material for our choir members can be accessed via a link on our Choirs page. More ...
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Locus iste
Locus iste - Anton Bruckner - sung by the choir of St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden. This sacred motet was composed by Anton Bruckner in 1869. Often sung for the annual celebration of a church's dedication. More ...
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Music News July 2020
This month’s newsletter focuses on the Junior Choir, with many thanks to Bron Ferland and Karen Goddard for their contributions to this article, as well as to all the families who have encouraged and facilitated the juniors’ participation. More ...
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Organ and Choral Scholars during lockdown 
Music extracts from online worship - May 2020. St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden: Organ and Choral Scholars during lockdown. God is Love:his the care, Come, my way, my truth, my life - Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Sing Hosanna. More ...
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'The Lord ascended up on high'
Sung by the the Under 18's of St Mary's Church Choir, Saffron Walden with music by Director of Music Oli King. Recorded individually online. 31st May 2020. Pentecost. More ...
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Music News June 2020
Our organ scholar, Elliott Randall, has been awarded a place to study the organ at the Royal College of Music Junior Department and James Razzell from the Junior Choir obtained a distinction in his Grade 3 piano exam. More ...
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The music plays on 
The adults and choral scholars of our nearly 70 strong choir are continuing weekly choir practices online by Zoom. All parts of the choir (adults, choral scholars and juniors) are also working towards various online recording projects. More ...
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The music plays on!
During the COVI-19 pandemic the adults and choral scholars of our nearly 70 strong choir are continuing weekly choir practices online by Zoom. More ...
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Easter Day Choral Evensong 21 April 2019 
As there can be no choral evensong at St Mary's SW this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, here is a chance to celebrate Easter by listening to a recording made of last year's service. More ...
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Music News April 2020
Please be aware that this was written for the April edition of our Parish News before we knew of the cancellation of events due to Coronavirus. More ...
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Music News March 2020
On Sunday 26 January we celebrated the end of the Christmas season at St. Mary's with the Epiphany Carol Service. There was a goodly sized congregation with many holding lighted candles as the service began with the choir, conducted by Oliver King .... More ...
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SMMA AGM 11.45 am Sun 8 March 2020
Notice in hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Mary's Music Association Will be held in the Parish Rooms on Sunday 8th March at approximately 11.45am immediately following the 10.00am service. Please see following documents: More ...
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Music News - February 2020
November is always the start of a very busy period for music at St Mary’s, which can be testing for the stamina and patience of all participants in the choir, organ loft and brass group. More ...
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Recording of Nine Lessons and Carols - 22nd December 2019 
Recording of our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Thanks to Peter De Vile for this recording – https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ahi-vSE3jNZnik7apFaeUoVUY19D?e=frPrIS More ...
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Waiting here for you
'Waiting here for you' - sung by Alison Knights at our Family Service on 15 December 2019 accompanied by Oli King on piano. More ...
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Music News November 2019
On 29th September the brass group performed a stealth operation to surprise two former members by substituting for the expected organ voluntary at the end of the morning service. More ...
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Do you play a Brass instrument? 
St Mary’s Brass meets on Monday evenings 6.15–7.15pm during term time. The group plays at various events in the year including our Easter Service, Christmas Carol Service and Christmas Fair. New members of any age are always welcome. More ...
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Music News October 2019
This is always a difficult month to report on the music at St Mary’s as the choirs and the brass group all have the month of August off, but after the four week break the choirs met to rehearse for the first time this academic year on 30th August. More ...
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From the Archives
Photo of St Mary's Church Choir Saffron Walden taken in 1913 More ...
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SMMA Autumn/Winter 2019-20 Music Programme
Latest SMMA Autumn/Winter 2019-20 Programme of Music Events at St Mary's SW, from our Patronal Festival on 8th September until Easter Sunday on 12th April 2020. Subject to change. More ...
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Music News Aug-Sept 2019
Despite being the end of term, the past month has certainly been a busy one!. The Junior Choir visited St. Botolph’s Church, Hadstock, to sing at the Holy Communion service on Sunday 7th July........ More ...
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Music News - June 2019
I think that the best word to describe Easter at St Mary’s is ‘wow’. Our musicians really pulled out the stops this year. Easter week involved around 65 singers, 5 organists, 15 brass players, 1 viola player, 1 cellist, and 1 timpanist. More ...
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Music News - May 2019
As Easter is unusually late this year, the second half of March and the beginning of April have been full of Lenten music, some already performed, and some still in prospect at the date of writing. More ...
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Music News April 2019
ecently the Rector was able to present Alex with her surplice, Isobel, Patricia, Harry, James and Hayden with their light blue ribbons whilst Charlotte, Tabby, Eden and Peter received their red ribbons...... More ...
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Music News - March 2019
The New Year has seen no let-up for the Choir. It is worth remembering that, along with the usual Sunday service music, the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Carol services all occur in a period of less than two months.... More ...
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Music News February 2019
December 2nd saw the traditional Advent Carol Service. This is always a very special service, hugely atmospheric with the whole thing beginning in darkness and then candles and light gradually being added as the service progresses..... More ...
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Recording of Nine Lessons and Carols - 16th December 2018
Recording of our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Thanks to Peter De Vile for this recording – https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ahi-vSE3jNZnii-W6EwQRn1kannJ More ...
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Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal Photos 16 December 2018
Christmas Carol Service Rehearsal Photos 16 December 2019 More ...
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Christingles and Joyful Noise - 9th Dec 2018
Christingles is always special, and Joyful Noise, our young children’s singing group for children aged 6 -8 years old, sung a carol, ‘Jesus is Born, composed by one of our junior choristers James Razzell. More ...
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Music News – Dec 2018/Jan 2019
At the very start of November Oliver King gave the final organ recital in this year’s occasional series, entitled ‘Music for the start of Remembrance Week’..... More ...
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Music News – November 2018 
The choir certainly hit the ground running after the August break with seven services in September including the Patronal Festival, Ordination and, of course, the wedding of the much-loved Rev’d Tim Hardingham and fellow choir member Nell Bacon. More ...
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Music News – October 2018 
August is usually a quiet month for the St Mary’s music groups while everyone takes a well earned summer break. As a final flourish at the end of the academic year, Oli King and Martin Huggett gave a superb concert of piano duets .... More ...
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Music News – Aug-Sept 2018 
We have just sung the July Choral Evensong on what felt like the hottest Sunday for a very long time! .... More ...
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Music News – July 2018 
The Junior Choir and the children from Joyful Noise together took part in an informal concert for family and friends on Sunday 20th May.... More ...
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Recording of SMMA Festal Evensong on Sunday 10th June 2018 
Each year there is a special Festal Evensorg for the St Mary;s Music Association which provides practical, administrative and financial support to help maintain a high standard and wide variety of musical events in the parish. More ...
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Choir sings at Guildford Cathedral 28 April 2018  
On a dull and drizzly day the Choir headed round the M25 to sing choral evensong in the exceptionally spangly, recently revamped Guildford Cathedral. More ...
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