Choir

The Choir serves to lead the singing on Sunday mornings and special occasions. Their present full strength is 8 ladies and 4 men. They would welcome more singers, especially men, to improve the balance of sound. (Ability to read music is not essential, but it helps.) Anyone interested should not hesitate to contact any chorister or the organist about joining.

The sung Mass which is used at present is the “New People’s Mass” which may be found at numbers 459-466 of the new Celebration Hymnal for Everyone. This book provides a rich selection of hymns old and new, and the Choir tries to cater for all tastes while bearing in mind the themes for particular days. They welcome suggestions and discussion about choice of hymns. For big family occasions like Confirmations and First Communions they liaise closely with the school.

At the moment Choir practices are limited to a brief after-Mass rehearsal for the following Sunday, except in the approaches to Christmas and Easter, when weekday evening practices are necessary.

The 13-stop organ was built in 1869 by Thomas & James Hamilton of Edinburgh, (“Organ Builders to the Queen”, proclaims its plaque); it is one of the best preserved Hamilton organs anywhere and therefore earns the attention of various organ experts.