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The Choir of St Mary’s Church, Beverley

Beverley has been a centre of musical excellence since medieval times. Beverley Minster and St Mary’s Church together contain the largest collection of medieval musical carvings in Europe, typified by the famous painted carving of minstrels in the nave of St Mary’s. The Guild of Minstrels was based in Beverley and there are records of organists, singers and musicians (note the distinctions!) gracing the Beverley churches almost continuously for well-nigh five hundred years.

Some of their musical efforts must have been quite colourful. During Victorian times the singing master at St Mary’s was paid an extra fee not to sing in any services though we are not told why!

St Mary’s has maintained a robed choir of boys and men fulfilling its role of leading the worship and performing special services and concerts for many years. In 2003 recruitment of boys was becoming difficult and both the standard of singing and the extensive repertoire expected in such a large church were in danger of becoming compromised. The organist and choirmaster with the wholehearted approval of the existing choir, the vicar, churchwardens and PCC took the historic decision to encourage ladies and girls to audition for choir membership.

The result has been a complete and resounding success. Standards are better than ever and the repertoire has expanded enormously. The boys have stayed with the choir, the men love the situation (for musical reasons of course) and the whole church is very much alive with the sound of singing. The church music group is also thriving with the two groups of singers working very well side by side. Socially the choir is thriving with regular trips out for the youngsters and meals out for the adults.

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All our Sunday services are fully choral. The choir sings a musical setting and an anthem every Sunday morning for the 10.00am Eucharist with the music group frequently providing worship songs before the service and during the Communion. The 6.30pm services follow a regular pattern of Choral Communion from the Book of Common Prayer on the first Sunday evening of the month and Choral Evensong on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. These services have choral settings of responses, canticles and anthems. The third Sunday is evening prayer with an anthem but the congregation are encouraged to join in with Anglican Chant settings of psalms and canticles. Every fifth Sunday evening is sung Compline with the men’s choir.

The organist and choirmaster always welcomes enquiries from singers who are interested in joining the church choir, especially altos, tenors and basses. Please contact Alan Binnington direct on (01482) 882748 or see him after any service.

Last revised: 21 September, 2004