Music
St.Mary’s Music Group
We are a small but enthusiastic group consisting of 3 regular musicians and up to 4 singers, varying in age from young to old, providing music at the 10.30 am service on Sundays. The music is led on piano or organ, supported by violin, guitar, drum and occasionally flute. The aim of the group is to lead and enhance the church’s praise, making it more enjoyable and to provide quiet contemplative music during communion. We also love to provide the music for the combined 'Songs of Praise’ service held biennially in the village hall.
Practice is held on a Friday afternoon, usually at 5.30, lasting about 45 mins. If the Sunday service is a combined one, then we meet at 6.30 on the Friday so that we can practice with the choir. We would love to expand our group, so if you can play any musical instrument (we did for a time have a didgeridoo player!) and would like to join us, please do come along. Don’t worry about what standard you are, we are a complete mix of abilities and would warmly welcome you. Just have a word with Tim Ward (551488) or any of the musicians if you would like to try.
St Mary’s Church Choir
St Mary’s church has been blessed with a strong choir in modern times, singing a wide range of music from the Psalms to the great hymns of the Wesleys, to anthems for special occasions and modern worship songs. It usually sings at the 9.00 service on Sunday morning and also joins the informal music group at the 10.30 United Service on the First Sunday of the month. They practice on a Friday evening at 6.30pm when new recruits are always made most welcome. Please contact Andrew Naylor, Organist/ Choirmaster (07973 800796).
When music was introduced into church services it was often led by a group of singers in a wooden gallery at the west end of the church – so it was in St Mary’s. Later, musicians joined them playing violin, cello, flute and bassoon.
Sometimes these Gallery Musicians were difficult to control and so it was some relief when, in the late 19th Century, they were replaced by organs! The old gallery at St Mary’s was removed late in the 19th Century when it became unsafe. The present gallery was built in the 1990s; from here the church bells are rung, but it is also used as an overflow seating area at busy services such as the Crib Service on Christmas Eve.