Music At St Michael's
Music is integral to the worship at St Michael's. Find out more about our organ, choir and scholarship programme as well as information about how to join the choir, the rehearsal times and the choir's repertoire.
St Michael's has a friendly SATB choir numbering around 20 which is formed of local residents, students of the University of Exeter and those from further afield. The choir sings a wide repertoire of sacred music including motets and settings of the mass by Byrd, Victoria, Stanford, Part, Lassus, Darke and Palestrina and, at each Solemn Mass, plainchant propers from the English Gradual.
The choir sing at the weekly Mass, for Evensong and Benediction on the first Sunday of the month, and a smaller group meets to sing Vespers on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6.00 p.m. to which all are welcome.
The Choir Director is Neil Page and the Organist is Nigel Browne. They are supported by a choir directing scholar usually from the university.
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The choir would welcome new members and anyone interested in joining is encouraged to come along to a service or rehearsal to hear the choir sing, and to speak to members of the choir to find out more information. You can also hear recordings of the choir by following the 'Hear Us' link.
The choir rehearse once a week on a Tuesday evening from 7pm- 8.30pm in the church. They also rehearse from 10am each week before the Sunday Mass and for around an hour before the occasional weekday evening services on special occasions. The choir usually meet at their local, the North Bridge Inn or The City Gate, after Tuesday choir practice and for Sunday Lunch after Mass. There are many other social events throughout the year including trips to sing at other churches and cathedrals, and joint events with other local choirs. In recent years there has been a weeklong choir tour in the summer with succesful visits to Yorkshire, Wales, Norfolk, Dorset and locally around Devon.
St Michael's has a very generous acoustic making it a very rewarding place to sing in and a popular place for choirs to perform and record in. One of the highlights of the year is the singing of Tenebrae on Good Friday from the West Gallery, attended by people from all over the country. Main festivals, such as Michaelmass, Corpus Christi and the Advent Procession also attract a large congregation from the city.
Although the style of worship at St Michael's is firmly rooted within the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church Of England, the choir welcomes members of any denomination.
If you would like further information please come along to a service or rehearsal or contact the Director of Music Neil Page (neil@orchardway.net) and further information will be sent to you.
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The choir prides itself in singing to a high standard a diverse repertoire which includes plainsong, as well as a wide range of settings and anthems by composers ranging from Byrd, Palestrina, Stanford, to Mozart, Leighton and Part. At Mass each week, the choir sings a different mass setting (occasionally with instrumental accompaniment) and an anthem, together with the plainsong propers set for the day. At Choral Evensong and Benediction, they sing through-composed settings of the canticles, Psalms sung to Anglican chant (sometimes plainsong), responses and anthems, and settings of the Benediction hymns.A list of music for the current term can be found by following the 'Music List' Link to the left.
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Summary of Service and Practice Times
Sunday Mass
Practice 10am
Service starts 10.45pm
Service finishes 12noon
Evensong
(NB: 1st Sunday of every month only)
Practice 4.45pm
Service starts 6pm
Service finishes 7pm
Tuesday Choir Practice
Starts 7pm
Finishes 8.30pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays (optional)
Vespers 6pm
Service finishes 6.45pm
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The original organ was a three-manual instrument built c.1866 by William Hill & Son. Details of this organ (specification, etc.) can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register website (N10545). Unfortunately, in 1967 the organ was damaged by a water leak in the organ chamber roof and the decision was taken to remove the pipe organ and install a four-manual Compton electronic, installed in 1968. A three-manual Wyvern replaced this instrument in the 1990s. Some of the original Hill pipework survives in the organ at Ottery St Mary Parish Church.
The church is currently without a pipe organ, but plans to house a redundant organ are currently under consideration. If you have any information about a suitable redundant organ, or wish to make a donation to the St Michael's organ fund, please contact our Organist Nigel Browne on 01363 881137 or the Director of Music, Neil Page, on (neil@orchardway.net)
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In 2008 St Michael's set up a scholarship for a student Director Of Music in partnership with The University of Exeter. Erika Borley has been awarded the scholarship for 2009/2010.
If you are interested in finding out more about how the scholarship is run, or in applying for the scholarship for future years, please contact our organist Nigel Browne on 01363 881137, or Neil Page the Director of Music at neil@orchardway.net
Scolarship Advertisment
St Michael's is a daughter church in St. David's parish, a short distance from the University campus. The liturgy is Anglo-Catholic, and music forms an important part of the worship. The choir is friendly and enthusiastic, numbers about twenty, and includes some university students.The scholar will be responsible for assisting with the planning and directing of the music for the services in consultation with the clergy and the organist. This will be under the overall direction of the Director of Music. The basic commitments are weekly Choral Mass, monthly Choral Evensong and Benediction, and weekly choir practice on a Tuesday evening. There will be other occasional festivals in addition.The scholarship is awarded at the rate of £350 per term and is reviewed annually. For further information please contact the organist, Nigel Browne, on 01884 32850 or email him at nigel@browne1851.freeserve.co.uk
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