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St. Peter's Church Choir |
The Choir with the Home Team July 2008
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St. Peter's choir sing at the two main Sunday services - 10.00am Parish Communion and 6.30pm Evensong. Weekly rehearsals take place on Wednesdays at 5.00pm and on Fridays at 6.15pm. Director of Music: David Friel
Choir Secretary: Rachel Chitham-Mosley The choir consists of 15 Trebles, 7 Sopranos, 5 Altos, 4 Tenors and 4 Basses. It is always on the lookout for new members to join the team (previous choral experience is not necessary). Treble Choristers needed. Boys and Girls 7+ will be most welcome. Head Chorister is Jacob Werrin and Suzannah Molloy is deputy. Congratulations to the following for achieving RSCM awards: Saturday 27 September 3.30pm: RSCM Annual Festival Service at Birmingham Cathedral. Suzannah, Jacob and Sophie from the choir will be awarded their certificates and medals. |
(Details of the organ below choir matters)Friday evening choir practice timetable
| Treble practice | 6.15 (prompt) to 8.15pm (young trebles finish at 7.30pm) |
| Full choir practice | 7.15 to 8.00pm |
| Adult practice | May last an extra 20 minutes |
Reminders:
Friday choir practices start at 6.15pm promptly and will finish at 8.15pm.
Sunday morning practices start at 9.30am in church.
Choir Newsletter Autumn Term 2008
Dear Chorister,
We hope you have all had a good and well-deserved break over the Summer. This term is always very busy, with several major services. Giving advance warning of dates and details are sometimes subject to change but especially this Autumn we would ask you all to bear with us as the interregnum gets under way. We will try to get information about services to you as soon as we can.
1.WEDDINGS
Saturday 6 September - 2.00pm
Saturday 20 September - 2.00pm
2.BAPTISM REUNION SERVICE - Sunday 14 September -3.00pm
This is a reunion for all those baptised in the last year. Father Jo has asked if the younger members of the choir could attend this service. It will only last about 30 mins.
3.FATHER JO'S FINAL SUNDAY 21 September
David Twigg will be with us for both services. As many will know, he has written a special blessing to be sung at the end of the 10.00am service.
Father Jo has requested Choral Evensong for his last service and has chosen the music. If you do not usually attend in the evening, PLEASE try to be there. We will be singing 'Achieved is the glorious work ' by Haydn and Stanford's Settings in Bb. There will be many visitors in the congregation and we would love to make this a very special service for Father Jo as he retires. David Twigg will be leading Friday practice on 12 and 19 September in order to learn the music. We will also have an early rehearsal on 21 September at 5.00pm.
We have been extremely fortunate to have a vicar who has supported us in so many ways. He has been very anxious to promote the Choir as a valuable and significant part of the life of St. Peter's and always been very grateful for our achievements.
David and I would like to express our deep gratitude to Jo for all his love and encouragement.
4.HALF TERM
There will be no Friday choir practice on 31st October. Sunday services are as usual.
5.REMEMBRANCE Sunday-9th November
a)9.45am-Parish Communion (rehearsal 9.15am)
b)10.50am-Remembrance Service.
If you are only attending this service, please be in church by 10.30am. Children need to be collected from the church at 12 noon.
c)6.30pm-Bereavement Service. No rehearsal but choir for the service please.
6.CHRISTMAS
We will let you have all the details for the Christmas services after half term.
Please could you let David or me know your availability, especially for the 'special' services. We understand that many of you are juggling other commitments and we appreciate advance warning of absence is not always possible. Choosing the music and planning rehearsals becomes much easier when we know who is available! We are very grateful for all the talents you bring and the loyalty you demonstrate week by week. Thank you.
With best wishes,
David Friel and Rachel Chitham-Mosley
Organ History
Built in 1975 by Messrs W. Hawkins of Walsall, the slider windchests & ½ of the pipework came from an organ in 1920 by J J Binns for Walsall Congregational Church, the rest is new. The case was made by the Lindford- Bridgman cabinet-makers of Lichfield in oak and was designed by Anthony Chatwin. The console is also in oak.
Organ specification
Swell Organ (659 pipes in Swell box)
8 Rohr Flute
8 Salicional
8 Voix Celesta
4 Gems Horn
2 Fifteenth
1⅓Larigot
Mixture III rks 15 19 22
8 Cornopean
8 Krumhorn
Sub Octane
Octane
Tremulant
Great Organ
8 Open Diapason
8 Stopped Diapason
4 Principal
4 Block Flute
2⅔ Nasard
2 Fifteenth
1 3/5 Tierca
Mixture IV rks 19 22 26 29
8 Trumpet
Swell to Great
Swell Sub Octane to Great
Swell Octane to Great
1975 Hawkins & Son, Binns Organ
Pedal Organ
16 Open Diapason
16 Bourdon
10⅔ Quint
8 Octane
8 Bass Flute
4 Fifteenth
4 Flute
Mixture IV rks 12 15 19 22
16 Trombone]
6 Trumpet } from Great
4 Clarion ]
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell Octane to Pedal
Accessories
5 Thumb pistons to Great Organ
5 Thumb pistons to Swell Organ, dup on Pedal
5 Toe Pistons to Pedal Organ
Great to pedal toe pistons, reversible
Swell to Great reversible thumb piston
Balanced Crescendo pedal to Swell Organ
Watkin & Watkinson duplex blower unit
Action: Electropneumatic for pedals 16 & direct electric for all Stops above 8.
Solid state switching for action.
Notes
The Pedal trumpet is an extension Rank.
The pedal and extension are constructed on the electropneumatic Roosewell System for all pipes below 8ft.c.
& direct electric system for all pipes above 8ft.c.
There are 1631 pipes in all. 659 are in the swell box.
The former organ was built by John Compton c 1940 of 7 or 8 ranks. Extension totally destroyed by a fire in 1974.