Like many churches, St. John’s can look back on a glorious and impressive musical past. A large robed choir of men and boys led the singing at packed services, and also contributed a varied and demanding repertoire of anthems, motets, communion settings and canticles. Under choirmasters such as Cuthbert Nunn in the early years of the 20th century and Bernard Wilshire during the middle years, the choir gained a national reputation (it was described recently by one cathedral organist as having been “legendary”) and commissioned new music from composers such as Martin Shaw, Francis Jackson and Bryan Kelly. Additionally, the church ran its own music society which regularly presented concerts of larger choral works.

However, also as with other churches, the closing decades of the last century were less kind. A general decline in church attendance, coupled with a reduction of singing in schools and a wealth of other attractions for children and families, led to a slow but seemingly irresistible decline in the choir and music. Many fine Directors of Music wrestled with the inevitable logic of demographic change and peaks followed troughs, but the slide went on.

Nonetheless, this slide was not fatal. Musically, St. John’s started from a higher point than many churches so that, whereas other churches lost their choirs entirely, as one Millennium gave way to another St. John’s choir continued. Smaller than before - yes, but still singing in parts and still tending the flame of English church music which had burned since St. Augustine converted the Saxons, and had survived the Reformation and the Cromwellian Commonwealth.

And the tradition goes forward. Valuing and supporting the singers and young musicians of the congregation, the vicar and PCC in 2002 appointed an organist AND a director of music to lead and encourage the music. So, at present this aspect of St. John’s life is led by three people. Please see the menu links for details.

THE ADULT CHOIR - which sings at most Sunday services and rehearses on Fridays, in the church, from 7.30pm - 9.00pm. Apart from leading the congregational singing, this choir also performs anthems and canticles at appropriate times. For special occasions, the Adult Choir is supplemented by other singers so that larger works can be sung.

THE MOTET CHOIR - No long-term commitment. You decide when or if you sing. Internet downloads and rehearsal tracks available

Downloads for the next performance are now available via this LINK.

St John’s Motet Choir is envisaged as an occasional complement to St John’s Church Choir, with both choirs singing together for a motet on the first Sunday of each month at the 10.30am service. Members of the motet choir will asked to decide by the Monday before such Sundays if they want to sing on the next Sunday, and then attend a Friday rehearsal in St John’s from 8.00 to 8.30pm, and a rehearsal before the service from 10.00 to 10.20am. Singing on any one Sunday does not commit you to participating on other First Sundays or at other times.

Unless members of the Motet Choir individually choose otherwise, they will sit in the congregation for most of the service, and then walk up to join the Church Choir for the motet (usually standing in the Lady Chapel for this). It will not be necessary to robe.

The repertoire to be sung will be decided a few days before each service, and will depend upon the voices available. It will consist of Gregorian Plainchant, Latin motets, and anthems in English, ranging from Medieval times to the 21st century.

For those members of the Motet Choir who have internet access, copies of the music will be available as downloads from the St John’s Music website (www.pnms.co.uk/sj-music) and, when it is possible to produce them, rehearsal tracks. These will be available from the middle of the week.

Here is the timetable for 2008 - choose as many as you like

Commitment Date	Rehearsal Date	Performance Date
Mondays	Fridays: 8.00 - 8.30pm	10.00am for 10.30
25 Feb	29 Feb	2 Mar
31 Mar	4 April	6 April
28 Apr	2 May	4 May
26 May	30 May	1 June
30 June	4 July	6 July
No Motet in Aug	No Motet in Aug	No Motet in Aug
1 Sept	5 Sept	7 Sept
29 Sept	3 Oct	5 Oct
27 Oct	31 Oct	2 Nov
1 Dec	5 Dec	7 Dec

If you would like to register to sing with St John's Motet Choir (either on a one-off basis or regularly), please fill in this form.

Name:


Telephone:


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Voice: Soprano Alto Tenor Bass

Any Questions or Comments:

THE FESTIVAL CHOIR - sings for the annual Festival Choral Evensong in June, celebrating St. John's Day, and the Christmas Carol Service in December. It consists of members of any of the choirs associated with St. John's, and any other interested singers from other church and secular choirs. Complete information about the next Festival Choral Evensong (22 June) with downloadable music and rehearsal tracks, is available via this LINK.

THE JUNIOR CHOIR - is present at most Family Services and practices in the church from 9.40am before those services at which it is singing. The Junior Choir is run by Stephen Moyle.

THE WEDDING CHOIR - apart from having the Adult Choir as its nucleus, the Wedding Choir has no fixed membership, and no rehearsal times. Singers registered with the Wedding Choir are asked, on an occasional basis, to sing a choral weddings on the church. All that is required is to turn up 15 minutes before the wedding and help with the hymn singing. A £20 fee towards expenses is paid. find out more about the Wedding Choir via this LINK.

THE CHILDREN’S PERCUSSION BAND - enables even the youngest members of the congregation to contribute to the music of the church. Meeting shortly before Family Services, the band is rehearsed by Mary Lloyd-Evans and then plays during one of the hymns. If your child is interested in playing with this band, please speak to Mary after a service.

SMALL CHOIRS FESTIVALS - are co-operative ventures with the choirs of St. Francis’, Barkingside (organist: Chris Stevenson) and St. Paul’s Goodmayes (organist: Glynne Williams). Small Choirs Festivals are organised with smaller church choirs in mind, using a repertoire that these churches could use in their own churches. The first was held in January 2004 with just over 60 singers from various choirs in the area, and the second in January 2005 with 90 registered singers.

Since then, there have been several other Small Choirs Festivals. The next will be on Sunday 25 January 2009 in St. Anne Line Catholic Church, South Woodford.

Here is a LINK to the Small Choirs website and details of future events.

This Small Choirs website also includes over 190 pieces of music suitable for small choirs, which may be downloaded and copied as required without further permission.

Mary Lloyd-Evans - Children’s Percussion Band.
Mary is a graduate in Performing Arts and a specialist primary school music co-ordinator. Her background is thoroughly musical: she was a clarinettist with the Welsh National Youth Orchestra and both her husband and brother are professional singers.

Stephen Moyle - Organist and Children's Choir. Before his appointment to St. John’s, Stephen had been Director of Music at St. John’s Having-atte-Bower and St. Paul’s Woodford Bridge. He is still in demand to play at other churches, and regularly accompanies services at Theydon Mount and Stapleford Tawney parish churches, and Wanstead United Reformed Church. Although he is described as the “organist” his portfolio of skills includes choir-direction and he is capable of carrying forward the work of the choir when necessary.

Philip Norman - Director of Music. Philip is a full time musician and, apart from directing the music at St. John’s, he conducts Chorale Cantando, The Orwell Singers, St. John’s Festival Choir, Woodford Symphony Orchestra and The Questors Choir. He also often guest-conducts the Shernhall Concert Choir and is organist of the German Lutheran Church in WC1. Philip is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO), a performance Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) and a Licentiate and Graduate of Trinity College of Music, London (LTCL & GTCL). When working in Norway (19866 - 1991) he was awarded the status of Organist - Klasse 1. For further information, try this link to Philip Norman Music Services.

St. John's is in the centre of Leytonstone at the junction of Church Lane and Leytonstone High Road, just a few minutes walk from Leytonstone Underground Station. Here is a LINK to a map of the area. St. John's has its own website with details of services, clergy, and other important information. There is a link to that site HERE.