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The music at St. Peter's seeks continually to enhance the worship experience through a balanced repertoire of traditional hymns, music of the masters from the 16th to the 21st centuries, psalms, and songs of praise and renewal. The service music and hymns, most of which are congregational, come from the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church as well as from several alternative sources, under license from CCLI. The Parish Choir St. Peter's has a great congregational singing tradition. The Parish Choir of thirty-two volunteer singers under the direction of George Bayley, meets weekly for rehearsals to prepare music for four or more worship services monthly. They also sing for special occasions such as the Festival of Lessons and Carols for Advent, Christmas Eve at 11.00 P.M., Lessons and Carols for Christmas, Maundy Thursday, and occasional services of Choral Evensong. |
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From time to time choir members form quartets, octets, and somewhat larger chamber ensembles for services when the full choir is not scheduled to sing. The choir’s repertoire includes music from the great Anglican choral tradition and American music as well as many contemporary works. For information on joining the choir, please contact George Bayley. |
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Worship with Alternative Music We have a Family Service at 10:00 am on the 1st Sunday of each month with WAM (Worship with Alternative Music). Group members range in age from 10 to 75 and offer their talents with both voice and instruments. Musicians will be playing flutes, strings, percussion and keyboard to offer alternative music during the worship with some new spirited songs. The group practices a few times a month and new members are always welcome. Call the church office for details.
Special Music Events In addition to the music for various services, St. Peter's also offers an extensive program of special music events which include choral concerts, organ recitals, Choral Evensongs, and church music workshops. Brandywine Baroque, Delaware’s award winning early music ensemble and orchestra with an annual performance series in Wilmington and Philadelphia, has presented an annual series of concerts in St. Peter’s since 2003. Other music events include a Festival of Lessons and Carols, organ recitals, choral evensongs by St. Peter’s Choir and guest choirs, church music workshops, and a hymn festival. For full concert details, please consult the St. Peter’s Music Events brochure, available in the narthex of the church or on the church’s website, www.stpeterslewes.org. British Cathedral Musician in Residence Program Beginning in the Spring of 2001, St. Peter’s inaugurated the annual project to invite a prominent British cathedral organist and choirmaster to spend several days in residence to work with the Parish Choir, lead a church musician’s workshop for area musicians or play an organ recital, give a lecture, lead the choir in the Sunday morning Eucharist, and lead the choir in a traditional service of Choral Evensong. The Musicians in Residence have included: Philip Moore of York Minster, Dr. Barry Rose, of St. Alban’s Cathedral, Dr. David Flood of Canterbury Cathedral, Malcolm Archer of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. Organist Exchanges Since June 2000, St. Peter’s organist has “exchanged organ benches” with an organist from the British Isles for several weeks in the Summer To date, we have had Stephen Shaw and Michael McCracken, both from Northern Ireland; Alastair Chisholm, from Scotland; and Stephen Buckman, from England. Simon Pusey will be here in August, 2008. | ||
For more information contact:
George Bayley
Minister of Music
302-645-0282
stpeterslewesmusic@verizon.net
