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 five 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
In September we installed a new Head Chorister – Matilda joins Cheuk-Ling as our Girls Choir Head Choristers, while Jonathan remains our Boys Choir Head Chorister with Marcus as Deputy Head.
On Saturday 2 September 2023 we sang Choral Evensong at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The music included Stanford in C, Ayleward Responses and Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral September 2023
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-October-2023-1Music 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)