Music at St Joseph's
Let everything that has breath : Praise the Lord
Psalm 150: 6
Music is an integral part of the liturgy, and St Joseph's has a wonderful musical tradition. There are four groups in the Parish - three of them meet every week during the academic year, from September until July, and the Parish Choir gathers for some of the feasts during the year. There are no auditions to join any of them, just enthusiasm.
Click on the groups below to find out more about them and when they meet, they just come and say hello - new singers and musicians are always welcome!
The 9.30am Music Group, led by Cee Hazell, currently comprises keyboard, guitars, violin, clarinet, recorders and singers. As this is the family Mass, we aim to lead the congregation in the singing of contemporary liturgical music and we invite the younger members of the congregation to play instruments during the final hymn.
We support the First Communion programme, including leading the music at each of the special communion masses. Members regularly attend a number of other services including the Healing Masses and the Corpus Christi School masses and services.
We meet regularly to discuss, plan and practice the music for our weekly Sunday Mass. Our practice sessions run from 7.45pm until approximately 9.15pm in Church on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
The 11.30am Choir is the traditional four-part Choir for the Parish, leading the music at the Solemn Latin Mass led by the Organ. Conducted by Antony Matthews (our Director of Music), they lead the congregation in three traditional hymns and a plainsong setting of the Mass (we try not to do de Angelis too often!), and sing a short motet during Communion. Most members of the Choir also sing in our Parish Choir, leading the music for the Christmas and Easter services.
We meet for a rehearsal every Wednesday evening in the Organ Gallery, from 8pm until about 9pm, and again for a quick warm up on Sunday mornings, from 10.45am until just after 11am.
The 5.30pm Music Group are an intrinsic part of the worship at the 5.30pm Mass. The group is made up of predominantly young people in years 9 upwards that play the flute, violin, keyboard, oboe and guitar. They endeavor to lead the congregation in singing beautiful contemporary music that complements the prayerful atmosphere of each Mass, remembering the words of St Augustine: He who sings prays twice
.
The group assist in special Masses such as Confirmation, First Communion and Healing Masses, and have recently provided music for a wedding here at St Joseph's.
Rehearsals take place before Mass on Sunday afternoons, from about 4.30pm.
The Parish Choir is the group that leads the music for the highdays and holidays in the Church - Christmas, Easter and occasional other dates. It is made up of musicians from all three of our music groups, and a few others who are unable to make a weekly commitment to one. We lead the congregation in singing well-known hymns, and a few pieces of our own.
Parish Choir rehearsals normally take place on a Wednesday evening at 8pm - a note is put in the Parish Bulletin beforehand to say when they start.
The Organ at St Joseph's was installed by Viscount Classical Organs UK in April 2008. It replaced a somewhat smaller pipe organ which could no-longer support a growing congregation and was beyond economic repair.
The new instrument, a Prestige 80, is ideal for accompanying both the choir and the congregation, and has a small Sanctuary Organ which can be used to accompany the clergy during services. It also makes a fantastic recital instrument. You can read the full specification here.
Concerts at St Joseph's
Occasionally St Joseph's will host a concert in the Church - either of religious choral music or a recital. Past performers have included:
- A small group of choristers who study at the London Oratory School - perforing a concert they organised themselves, to raise money for their World Youth Day 2011 trip
- The international organ recitalist Robert Munns, with his wife Sally Johnson
- The world famous Aurin Girls Choir, from the Kodaly Music School in Kedskemét, Hungary
- The Chapel Choir from The John Fisher School in Purley - one of the top UK Youth Choirs
- Local organist Daniel Battle
- and of course ... our very own Parish Choir!
If you would like to perform a concert in the Church, then please email the music@stjoseph-newmalden.org.uk. Alternatively, watch the Events Page, where details will appear as soon as they become available.
