
A delightful choir outing to Winchester for the Royal School of Church Music festival

Why not join our choir?

An introduction and welcome to the choir from our Organist and Choirmaster, Daniel Campbell

The choir leads our worship here at Richmond Hill St Andrews, as it has since the 19th century.

We meet every week for choir practice on a Friday evening to prepare Sunday’s music. This usually means an anthem at Morning Worship plus an Introit on special occasions. We also practice an anthem and a psalm for Evening Worship.

We draw our music from as far back as the 16th century by the likes of Tallis and Tye, through the 19th century with S.S. Wesley, Stainer and Stanford, and into the present times with John Rutter, David Halls and Malcolm Archer. The last two composers are currently at Salisbury Cathedral and Winchester College respectively.

Affiliation with the Royal School of Church Music

We are affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music. Our affiliation brings such benefits as photocopiable music resources, in the main by living composers. This boosts the already comprehensive choir library built up over many years. This extensive library also enables us to choose and sing music which is relevant to the season or to reflect the readings for a particular Sunday.

Each summer an Area Festival for RSCM choirs is held at Winchester Cathedral. The festival provides a wonderfull opportunity for us to sing with others and often includes special music which would perhaps be otherwise denied us. In common with many church choirs today it is often not possible to perform the larger scale works of the 19th and 20th century without greater forces.

Special occasions

Nevertheless, there are occasions during the Church Year when we can call on additional voices in order to bring special music to enrich our worship such as the Church Anniversary in the autumn, Advent and Christmas, to name but three.

The Advent Service “From Darkness to Light” was introduced as recently as 2006, whilst last year’s Carol Service attracted more congregation than there were Orders of Service!

Social activities

There is a good social side to the choir as well, including summer barbecues, the occasional garden tea party or skittles evening, sometimes a day or afternoon out. The Festival at Winchester is usually rounded off by a choir dinner at one of the city’s lovely restaurants.

Inheriting a long tradition of choral singing

The British Isles has a long tradition of choral singing. Rooted in the educational and religious establishments of the mediaeval period, it managed to survive the upheavals of the 16th and 17th centuries, the indifference of the 18th and early 19th centuries, and then invigorated by the religious revivals of Victorian England so that by the beginning of the 20th century robed choirs were to be found in virtually every church in the land, and indeed the far flung extremities of the Empire. We are proud to be just a very small part of this continuing inheritance.

Why not come and join us?

Singing in a choir is acknowledged as being a healthy and enjoyable pursuit, and brings a sense of purpose, especially after a good performance! The choir also enhances the worship here, helping through words and music to reinforce the theme of the worship Sunday by Sunday.

If you enjoy singing and have a reasonable ability to read music then our choir could be just the place for you! We are always looking for new members in each part, soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

Rehearsals are held on Friday evenings at 6.30pm. Just come along, or get in touch with our Organist and Choirmaster, Daniel Campbell email: daniel1944@virginmedia.com or phone 01202 556239

Richmond Hill St. Andrews Church

A welcome at the heart of Bournemouth