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This week
Music at St Michael’s (21/04/2024) Choral Eucharist this morning is a special celebration for which the choir sings a special mass setting – the Missa Brevis by Jonathan Dove. It was first performed at Wells Cathedral in 2009 and features powerful organ accompaniment, unsettling compound time signatures, and vibrant chorus sections, bringing a new perspective to the familiar words of the mass movements. The vibrancy of the Gloria, the cascading rhythms of the Sanctus and Benedictus, and the meditative chords of the Agnus Dei provide a new way to approach these texts in our thoughts and worship. The anthem, “Sicut cervus”, by Palestrina (1525 – 1594) is a setting of familiar and appropriate words from psalm 42: Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks, so longs my soul after thee.
The “Spring in Summer” concert series at St Michael’s returns in 2 weeks’ time with a concert, on SATURDAY, MAY 4TH at 7pm, from prize-winning British soprano, Imogen Baker.
CONCERT DETAILSThe pictures opposite show the choir from the Easter Family Service, and Esme (7), receiving her RSCM White Medal that day. The choir included our junior choristers, and some previous members of the choir, who were visiting Southampton for Easter
MUSIC WEEK BY WEEK CHOIR VISIT TO SALISBURYTHE JUNIOR CHOIR’S YEAR Psalms & Daffodils (How to sing Anglican Chant)
Join our Junior Choir
Our Junior Choristers start from Year 3 and Youth Singers from Year 7.
find out moreHalf-Term Singing Days
Open singing days run during half terms for those in years 3 and over.
find out moreListen to the Choir
Listen to audio and video recordings of the St Michael and All Angels’ Choir.
find out moreAbout us
We sing Choral Eucharists Evensongs, Carol Services,
The Family Service…We rehearse on Wednesdays from 7.30–9.00pm (6.30–7.45pm for younger singers) and before services. The choir doesn’t sing at St Michael’s immediately after Christmas and Easter, or during the school summer holiday, when cathedral visits are sometimes arranged.
Director of music: Andrew Hanley
The Choir and COVID-19
During COVID times, it was hard to keep singing! Yet as a choir, we found it more important than ever. We worked hard to keep a choral sound available, and keep practising. Virtual anthems and hymns were produced for services. We ran a “virtual pub” after Zoom-based choir practices, complete with the occasional “pub” quiz, and birthday and special occasion celebrations. From the first service featuring our recordings (Palm Sunday, 2020) through to the end of the second lockdown in May 2021, well over 100 recordings of our hymns, anthems, and psalms were used in our services.
You can view the recordings of these virtual anthems on the YouTube “NSABparish” channel. virtual anthems on YouTube