This year we welcome Abi Buck who is our student Director – she will be leading the majority of rehearsals and services during the year, helped by me as and when needed; I’m sure that you will all give her lots of encouragement as she takes on her role. It is my job to oversee that everything goes smoothly and that we maintain the highest possible standard of music in the choir-led services, and I will be around for a lot of the time when my various other commitments allow.

Please take a moment to look at the calendar of events that is on this website; it will be kept up to date as the term goes on. Those of you who use Google calendars to organise your lives should be able to import the Chapel Choir calendar into your own – see me if you’re not sure how to do this! You will also find the music lists online very soon so that you can see what music we have coming up.

Those of you who are new to Christ Church will need to audition to join the choir – nothing too scary, just come prepared with a hymn to sing (we use the New English Hymnal) and we’ll also do a short ‘speed of learning’ exercise, but please don’t be put of by this. To apply for an audition, fill out the online form and I’ll be in contact with an audition date and time. Existing members of the choir don’t need to re-audition.

Up to eight scholarships, valued at £10 per rehearsal or service attended, are available to suitable students. To apply for these, please indicate this on your online application to join the choir. Existing members of the choir DO need to re-apply for Scholarships via the online application form.

I look forward to meeting you all in due course and to an exciting year of music-making together.

Steve
Director of Chapel Music

PS If any of you are looking for an excellent Church Choir to join in Canterbury, then take a look at St Stephen’s Church Choir. As well as a Sung Eucharist and Choral Evensong each week, they are also singing in Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Chichester Cathedral and Portsmouth Cathedral over the next 12 months, and a number of students from Christ Church already sing with them.

Below are a few photographs taken during the rehearsal and after the service.

Please note that the closing date for applications is 4pm on Wednesday 15th June and that those candidates who are short listed should be prepared to spend 15 minutes working with the choir on a liturgical piece of their choosing on Thursday 16th June, beginning at 5.30pm. After these auditions final short-listed candidates will be invited to interview at a time to be arranged in the following week.

If anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via the ‘Contact’ page.

Chapel Choir begins again tomorrow, Thursday 28th April with a rehearsal from 5.30 – 6.30pm. I know that this term is a busy one with the pressure of coursework and exams, but your contribution to the Chapel through singing in the choir is very much appreciated so I hope that you will make every effort to be there as often as possible. If you know in advance that you’re not going to be able to make it, please drop me an email with plenty of notice so that we can adjust the choice of music if necessary.

Two particular dates to draw your attention to are the 26th May which is our annual service in St Augustine’s Abbey which this year actually falls on his Feast Day, and Sunday 12th June which is our third Cathedral service of the year, similar to the one at Candlemas.  You’ll also notice that on the 9th June we’re doing a Choral Evensong rather than a Chapel Eucharist for a change.

If anyone has any questions or wants to comment on anything then please don’t hesitate to drop me an email.

If you would like to be a part of this service then let me know. You will need to take your cassock and surplice with you but all music will be provided. The rehearsal is at 5pm in the Quire followed by the service at 6.30pm.

I hope that many of you will be able to be there.