Music at St. Nicholas’ church
Choral Tradition
A Boys’ Choir has flourished since Victorian times and our Girls’ Choir was founded in 2009.
We have eleven Choral Scholars aged 15-18 and an Organ Scholar.
Our excellent Adult Choir consists of talented Sopranos, Contraltos, Counter-Tenors, Tenors, Baritones and Basses.
The choirs sing at 9.30 Sunday Eucharist and 6.30 Choral Evensong and on Feast Days. Music lists are below.
We are affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music
Contact : music@parishofharpenden.org
News – a busy and varied 2024!
Spem in Alium
On Sunday 27 October we held a Come and Sing workshop led by Rufus Frowde on Tallis’ wonderful 40 part motet Spem in Alium. 80 singers worked from scratch for an hour and half, followed by tea. Donations raised £270 for parish funds and the informal performance was followed by a Come and Sing Evensong.
RSCM Awards
Congratulations to Choristers Charlotte, Mabel, Izzy, Libi and Abby who recently successfully passed their RSCM Bronze Award exams, and to Choral Scholars Theo, Olivia and Matilda who successfully passed their RSCM Silver Award exams.
New Head Chorister
In September Imogen was installed as Head Chorister of the Girls after Cheuk-Ling and Matilda moved on to become Choral Scholars. Clarice is Deputy Head Chorister and Jonathan and William remain Head Choristers of the Boys. Imogen’s first role was to help the director and other head choristers with the admissions of four new junior singers receiving their surplices and seven junior choristers receiving their light blue medals.
Trip to Milan
In mid-October 2024 part of the choir travelled to Milan, Italy, for a weekend, to sing at the installation as Chaplain at All Saints’ Anglican Church Milan of former Harpenden curate, Revd. Dr. James Hadley.
Directed by Marie Price and accompanied by Chris Muhley the group of 13 adult and child singers sang for two services and a concert of English Choral classics, and Chris led a masterclass on organ accompaniment for services, while the remainder of the choir directed by Hannah Gill and accompanied by John Winter led services back in Harpenden.
Cathedral Visits
On Saturday 14 September our full boys and girls choirs, choral scholars and adults sang for Choral Evensong at St Albans Cathedral on the occasion of the presentation of the Order of Alban. Music included canticles by Bairstow in D, Greater Love by John Ireland and responses by Reading. Chris Muhley was the Organist.
On Sunday 25 February our adult singers, choral scholars and senior choristers sang for Choral Eucharist at St Albans Cathedral, and the Full Choirs including girls, boys, scholars and adults sang for Choral Evensong.
Music included Byrd: Ave Verum Corpus, Mass for Four Voices and Responses; Leighton: Solus ad Victimam; Dyson: Canticles in F (with superb solos by Jonathan, our Head Chorister and Theo, Choral Scholar)
Chris Muhley was the Organist.
Our previous recent Cathedral trips –
2023 St Albans, St Edmundsbury, Rochester
2022 St Albans, Wells, St Paul’s
2021 St Albans
Join us
Boys and Girls may join the choirs from the age of 7 and receive free musical and singing training, pocket money for attending, and fees for singing at Weddings! We currently have vacancies for boys and a waiting list for girls.
Choristers move on to the adult section from about age 14 or when their voice changes.
The boys and girls rehearse and sing services both separately and together, with and without the adult choir.
There are no auditions for the junior choirs as children will learn ‘on the job’, but to join the adult section you will need to be able to read music competently. More details about the choir, including how to join, are available from the Director of Music or you can download our recruitment document. We currently have vacancies for boys and a waiting list for girls.
We offer Choral Scholarships (by audition) to excellent singers/musicians aged 15 to 18. These are worth £50 to £100 per term depending on attendance. Contact the Director of Music to apply or for more details.
Musicians
Marie Price joined us as Director of Music in 2018.
Our Organists are Chris Muhley and Hannah Gill
Our Organ Scholar is Ivo McGrandle
Music Lists
Music-monthly-merge-March-2025-1Music Group and Orchestra
We have a Music Group who lead the worship at the 11.30 Morning Praise service every week.
If you are interested in joining the Music Group, contact the Director of Music who will connect you to the relevant people.
Organists and Directors of Music have included :
CB Kaye (around 1886)
ER Billingham (1897-1933)
HEW Sanders (1933-1940)
Connie Hogan (1940-1942)
J Loggie (1942-1943)
Stanley Bennett (1943-1944)
Stanley Milnes (1945-1970)
Victor Bowden and Mary Searby (1970-1972)
Michael Hammond (1972–75)
Robert Gower (1975-1976)
Charles Collins (1976–1981)
John Mower (1981-1983)
Norman Hurrle (1983)
Alan Boston (1983-1984)
Jonathan Walton (1984-1985)
Eric Pask (1985–2009)
Jonathan Eyre (2009–10)
Peter Hopkins (2011-2017)
Rob Bishop (2017-2018)
Alex Hall (2018-2019)