Regularly throughout the year Choral Evensong is offered, preceded by a “come and sing” or “scratch/pop-up” rehearsal, encouraging choristers from other choirs and choir-less churches in the area to join forces with our own. For some Red-Letter days a Festival Choir augments the regular choir. These provide an opportunity for those who can only sing every once-in-a-while or who would like to try out the choir for the first time.
Additionally brass, winds, strings and percussion and keyboard instruments and chamber ensembles are used to help us celebrate God’s gift of music in worship.
An important part of the Ministry of St Nicolas' to the community is outreach. Weekly numerous area choirs use St Nicolas' as a rehearsal venue and others use the church for performances.
“If we consider and ask ourselves what sort of music we should wish to hear on entering a church we should surely, in describing our ideal, say first of all that it must be something different from what is heard elsewhere; that it should be a sacred music, devoted to its purpose, a music whose peace would still passion, whose dignity should strengthen our faith, whose unquestioned beauty should find a home in our hearts, to cheer us in life and death; a music worthy of the fair temples in which we meet and of the holy words of our liturgy; a music whose expression of the mystery of things unseen never allowed any trifling motive to ruffle the sanctity of its reserve. What power for good such a music would have!” – Robert Bridges, 1844-1930, Poet Laureate.
We are always keen to welcome new choir members. Why not come along on a Sunday and join us - our choir practice is straight after the 10am service.
Please email the Director of Music for more information.