Music opportunities in York churches
If you’d like to join a church choir or music group during your time in York, there are lots of opportunities. All levels of ability and enthusiasm are catered for, from the beginner to the professional- so whatever your background, there will be a group for you somewhere.
Churches with choirs:
York Minster (Anglican)
Services are sung every day except Monday, with a practice every afternoon- so it’s a big commitment. Requires a high level of sight-reading and the ability to learn new music quickly. Open to male and female altos, tenors and basses.
Auditions take place in the spring for the following year, but places may also be available for deputies on an occasional basis.
Director of music: Robert Sharpe
Contact: music@yorkminster.org
St Olave’s (Anglican)
St Olave's church choir sings at the weekly 10.30 am Sunday Eucharist, plus occasional extra events such as Requiems and performances of Bach's Passions. The repertoire is broad and comprehensive, from Tudor and Renaissance to twentieth- and twenty-first-century music. Each week an Introit, Motet, Psalm and Mass setting (Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei) are sung by the choir, with additional items sung congregationally. Auditions are simple - scales and ear-tests, plus straightforward guided sight-reading - but there is an expectation that singers will have some reading ability, and take copies away to learn in advance. Rehearsals are on Sunday mornings at 9.30 am. Term-time-only commitment is fine: please contact Keith Wright at keith.wright@stolave.org.uk for further details.
Organist: Keith Wright
Contact: keith.wright@stolave.org.uk
St Wilfrid’s (Roman Catholic)
St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church offers four choral scholarships lasting 12 months to both undergraduate and postgraduate female and male students: sopranos, altos, tenors and basses to form a quartet.
They are available to any music or non-music university students. Duties include two services on Sundays (Latin Mass and Latin Vespers & Benediction) during the university terms, with additional Masses during the week on Holy Days and Holy Week and Easter.
Director of music: John Ridgeway-Wood
Contact: Professor Peter Seymour (peter.seymour@york.ac.uk).
St Lawrence's (Anglican)
Services are sung by the Caelestis Consort, a student-led SATB choir who sing Sunday evening services in term time. Repertoire ranges from Tomkins to Howells. Audition is required to test range, sight-reading and ability to learn large amounts of repertoire in a short space of time.
Rehearsals take place at 7.30pm on Tuesdays in church. Evensong is 6pm on Sunday.
Contact: Joel Starkie (joelstarkie@gmail.com)
Holy Trinity Micklegate (Anglican)
Holy Trinity currently offers eight choral scholarships to serious singers (undergraduate or postgraduate) to sing at the Sunday morning services (11am) on three out of four Sundays. The choir also sings for occasional evening services, concerts and festivals. Audition is usually required.
Contact: Revd. Eric Robinson (revecrobinson@aol.com )
All Saints Pavement (Anglican)
The worship at All Saints centres on the Book of Common Prayer. The SATB choir sings at two services each Sunday, at 10.30am and 6.30pm; the majority of the music is congregational, with anthems and motets sung by the choir. Choir practice takes place on Thursday evenings at 6.30pm. All voices are welcome.
It is hoped to introduce choral scholarships shortly, to augment the existing choir and introduce more challenging repertoire.
Director of Music: Timothy Hone
Contact: timh@yorkminster.org
Churches with music groups include:
Heslington
A small informal group of singers and musicians lead the worship at the 10am service. There is usually a mixture of traditional hymns with organ, and more modern songs with keyboard and other instruments. All are welcome.
Contact: Anne Mott via heslington.church@hotmail.co.uk
St Mike’s
On Sundays we use a range of styles of music, from traditional choir and chamber orchestra at our 9am congregation to more contemporary bands at our XI (11am) and 6pm gatherings. Contact: Tom Holmes, Head of Worship www.belfrey.org/worship-and-music
St Oswald’s Fulford
The 9am service has a traditional robed choir and organ. An all-age group of singers leads the more informal worship at the 10.30am service. New instrumentalists and singers are always most welcome!
Contact: Tony Myers worship@stoswalds.church
This is not an exhaustive list, but it does give an idea of the range of what is available- so come and get involved! In addition, the chaplaincy services on Wednesday and Campus Mass for the Catholic community on Sunday often involve music, so please speak to one of the chaplains if you would like to help with this.
If you’d like to join a church choir or music group during your time in York, there are lots of opportunities. All levels of ability and enthusiasm are catered for, from the beginner to the professional- so whatever your background, there will be a group for you somewhere.
Churches with choirs:
York Minster (Anglican)
Services are sung every day except Monday, with a practice every afternoon- so it’s a big commitment. Requires a high level of sight-reading and the ability to learn new music quickly. Open to male and female altos, tenors and basses.
Auditions take place in the spring for the following year, but places may also be available for deputies on an occasional basis.
Director of music: Robert Sharpe
Contact: music@yorkminster.org
St Olave’s (Anglican)
St Olave's church choir sings at the weekly 10.30 am Sunday Eucharist, plus occasional extra events such as Requiems and performances of Bach's Passions. The repertoire is broad and comprehensive, from Tudor and Renaissance to twentieth- and twenty-first-century music. Each week an Introit, Motet, Psalm and Mass setting (Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei) are sung by the choir, with additional items sung congregationally. Auditions are simple - scales and ear-tests, plus straightforward guided sight-reading - but there is an expectation that singers will have some reading ability, and take copies away to learn in advance. Rehearsals are on Sunday mornings at 9.30 am. Term-time-only commitment is fine: please contact Keith Wright at keith.wright@stolave.org.uk for further details.
Organist: Keith Wright
Contact: keith.wright@stolave.org.uk
St Wilfrid’s (Roman Catholic)
St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church offers four choral scholarships lasting 12 months to both undergraduate and postgraduate female and male students: sopranos, altos, tenors and basses to form a quartet.
They are available to any music or non-music university students. Duties include two services on Sundays (Latin Mass and Latin Vespers & Benediction) during the university terms, with additional Masses during the week on Holy Days and Holy Week and Easter.
Director of music: John Ridgeway-Wood
Contact: Professor Peter Seymour (peter.seymour@york.ac.uk).
St Lawrence's (Anglican)
Services are sung by the Caelestis Consort, a student-led SATB choir who sing Sunday evening services in term time. Repertoire ranges from Tomkins to Howells. Audition is required to test range, sight-reading and ability to learn large amounts of repertoire in a short space of time.
Rehearsals take place at 7.30pm on Tuesdays in church. Evensong is 6pm on Sunday.
Contact: Joel Starkie (joelstarkie@gmail.com)
Holy Trinity Micklegate (Anglican)
Holy Trinity currently offers eight choral scholarships to serious singers (undergraduate or postgraduate) to sing at the Sunday morning services (11am) on three out of four Sundays. The choir also sings for occasional evening services, concerts and festivals. Audition is usually required.
Contact: Revd. Eric Robinson (revecrobinson@aol.com )
All Saints Pavement (Anglican)
The worship at All Saints centres on the Book of Common Prayer. The SATB choir sings at two services each Sunday, at 10.30am and 6.30pm; the majority of the music is congregational, with anthems and motets sung by the choir. Choir practice takes place on Thursday evenings at 6.30pm. All voices are welcome.
It is hoped to introduce choral scholarships shortly, to augment the existing choir and introduce more challenging repertoire.
Director of Music: Timothy Hone
Contact: timh@yorkminster.org
Churches with music groups include:
Heslington
A small informal group of singers and musicians lead the worship at the 10am service. There is usually a mixture of traditional hymns with organ, and more modern songs with keyboard and other instruments. All are welcome.
Contact: Anne Mott via heslington.church@hotmail.co.uk
St Mike’s
On Sundays we use a range of styles of music, from traditional choir and chamber orchestra at our 9am congregation to more contemporary bands at our XI (11am) and 6pm gatherings. Contact: Tom Holmes, Head of Worship www.belfrey.org/worship-and-music
St Oswald’s Fulford
The 9am service has a traditional robed choir and organ. An all-age group of singers leads the more informal worship at the 10.30am service. New instrumentalists and singers are always most welcome!
Contact: Tony Myers worship@stoswalds.church
This is not an exhaustive list, but it does give an idea of the range of what is available- so come and get involved! In addition, the chaplaincy services on Wednesday and Campus Mass for the Catholic community on Sunday often involve music, so please speak to one of the chaplains if you would like to help with this.
