Music Newsletter Article 12/3/06 for Saint Philip's

The choir returned in early September, adding its voices to our sung worship, including choral anthems. Recently, the choir offered Schutte's `Here I Am, Lord.' You may have noticed some new voices among our fine returning voices. On October 15th, we had our very first Choir & Croissants - breakfast with the choir. Numerous guests joined us at 8:30 AM in the Parish Hall. Afterward at the 9:05 AM rehearsal, we had three guests join us in singing, all of whom continued on with the choir for the service that morning. Two of them have stayed with us as regular members. Welcome to David Escher and Gail Reddin. The third visitor was my sister, Alexandra Taylor, who came from Middlefield, Connecticut. On October 29th, we tried a `Double-the-Choir' day, with the intention that each choir member would bring a guest singer for the day. As I understand it, quite a few people almost came. Happily, we did have two guests, Dawn Leeming and Alexandra Taylor. At our second Choir & Croissants, in November, we were glad to have Alaska Pinard join the choir for the morning. These Choir & Croissants breakfasts occur on the first Sunday of each month, in the Parish Hall at 8:30 AM. You are welcome to join us for breakfast, rehearsal, or choir, in any combination. On December 7th, the choir started rehearsing the Christmas anthems.

We heard a variety of organ works during the Fall, including two large pieces by Bach, and Lübeck's G minor double-pedal Prelude and Fugue. On December 10th, we heard Buxtehude's D minor Prelude and Fugue, and on December 17th, the postlude will be Widor's G minor Allegro. Christmas Eve will bring two seasonal chorale preludes. The Bishop will be here on January 7th, and we'll want to have something special for the occasion.

Paul Utgoff
Music Director

The name `Choirs & Croissants' and the idea of breakfast with the choir are due to Meg Irwin-Brandon: friend, colleague, and teacher.