St Mary's Music News March 2024

The Epiphany Carol Service on 28 January started quietly with Moles’ O Tribus Miraculis and the lilting French version of Away in A Manger with a quintet including the Junior Choir’s Flo and Poppy. The volume grew as the stone rafters rang with the triumphant chords of Mathias’ modern carol A Babe is Born, matched by the Victorian solemnity of Wood’s O Thou the Central Orb. The choir also gave, not quite a premiere, but certainly an early performance of Pike’s Epiphany, starring “wise travellers from the east, Each riding on a splendid beast And richly dressed, as for a feast To greet a newborn King”.

Away from formal services, the SMMA is sponsoring its latest series of Wednesday coffee concerts. In February the SWCHS Music Academy’s performance was followed by Mercadante Duo on clarinet and piano. On 6 March Philip Sunderland is giving an organ concert, on 13 March Emmanuel Bach will be performing on the violin, and 20 March sees the return of the SWCHS Music Academy. Coffee, tea and cakes are available from 10.45 am. The concerts start at 11.30 and last for around 40 minutes.

Another key area for the SMMA is supporting the Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholar. This is how the third scholar, Ziyi, describes her first term in the role:

“I really enjoy being the organ scholar, because it has taught me so many new skills. For example, I've learnt many ways of improvisation, and recently I also learned how to conduct. Once a month I play for services at Wendens Ambo which allows me to explore what playing for a full service is like, and how to manage my music independently for it. Additionally, nearly every week, I play a hymn for services or small pieces before or during it, and this has all built up my confidence in playing during services and for a large number of people. Oli and Jeremy have been very helpful with this in making me feel comfortable playing, and encouraging my progress. I've learned a lot about how to play for services from observing them, and also how to play for/direct the choir as a whole. Each week I have organ lessons with Oli - I really enjoy these due to the wide range of music and skills we cover, and how I can choose what to focus on for each week. Oli has been really encouraging with developing my organ and conducting skills. The people in the choir are also all very friendly and welcoming, giving me lots of helpful advice and also making me feel comfortable at St Mary's.”

Meanwhile the choir is supporting worship throughout Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday. The next Choral Evensong is on Sunday 24 March at the
winter time of 4pm. That will be followed at 7.30 pm on Good Friday 29 March by a Devotional Offering of Faure’s Requiem, and finish with Choral Evensong on Easter Day at 6.30 pm.

And finally, a brief mention that the SMMA AGM will not take place in March as usual because for good practical reasons we aim to synchronise with the AGM of the PCC. As that is being held in May, the SMMA AGM will be correspondingly delayed. Once the date is fixed it will be published in the Parish Magazine and on the noticeboards inside the Church and outside the Parish Rooms as well as in the Grapevine.

Ottilie Lefever
4 February 2024