Choirs

St Mary's Choir

Music is at the heart of worship at St Mary’s. Rooted in the rich musical tradition of the Anglican church, our robed choir, directed by Organist and Choir Master, Dr. Francis Rumsey, sings at the 10:45 Sung Parish Eucharist.

Francis brings tremendous skill to our recently acquired Regent Classic organ, enhancing services and delighting audiences with occasional recitals and musical events.

Our friendly four-part choir is voluntary and meets to rehearse at 9:45am each Sunday, other than during August when they enjoy a well-earned break. The choir also sings at special services through the year, notably from the gallopers at Witney Feast, on Remembrance Sunday at the town’s war memorial and at the carol service and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The choir can be hired for weddings and funerals at St Mary’s, arranged through the Parish Office. If you would like to join the choir, please speak in the first instance to Francis.

From time to time, St Mary’s choir also joins forces with other local choirs to perform larger works in the church. An example of this was a moving performance of Faure’s, ‘Requiem’ marking the centenary of the end of the First World War in 2018.

St Mary’s Singers is an ad hoc choir of local singers that sings Choral Evensong some three times a year, often marking festivals at St Mary’s. If you’d like to sing for one of these, it’s expected that you will prepare the music in advance, or be a good sight reader, and be capable of singing the service on one rehearsal. Again contact Francis for details.

Holy Trinity Choir

Holy Trinity has a long established record of enhancing its worship with music provided by a SATB choir under the direction of Paul Francis, the organist and choirmaster. Paul has worked with the Holy Trinity choir for many years and produces musical events for special occasions with a wide range of music from traditional choral works to songs from the shows as well as contemporary music.

The choir sings at the Eucharist, every Sunday morning, and other services, as well as singing choral Evensongs when arranged. They have also performed choral music which have included some taxing works by composers such as Stanford, Dyson, Faure and Rutter as well as many more. The choir is affiliated to the RSCM and have participated in several of their Festivals which have included singing at Christ Church, Oxford and St George’s Chapel, Windsor among other venues. They have also led a choral Evensong at Birmingham Cathedral.

The choir meets for rehearsal on a Wednesday evenings at Holy Trinity (7.30p.m.) finishing by 9.00p.m. and then socialises in the local hostelry. If you would like to join us please contact Paul (paul@witneyparish.org.uk) or call him on 07799 026 666, or the choir administrator, Charlotte Tremain (charlotte@witneyparish.org.uk) , tel: 07900 456 299. There is no requirement to be able to read music – just a willingness to join in, have fun singing and being sociable! All ages welcome.