Are you a keen singer and good sight-reader, looking for a friendly choir with a wide repertoire and a tradition of musical excellence?
Then the Boxgrove Priory church choir would be delighted to welcome you!
The choir meets for rehearsal every Thursday throughout the year between 7.30pm and 9.15pm, and provides music for the church’s principal act of worship (sung mass) each Sunday morning. There is a different mass setting each week, and very rarely is a mass setting repeated over the course of the year.
The choir also sings at special services and performances at other times during the year including a Christmas carol service, and provides music for the various services in the run-up to Easter.
This year there is to be a choir concert on 22 November in Boxgrove Priory.
The Priory, a magnificent building dating from the 12th century, is a much sought-after venue for choral concerts because of the superb acoustics.
Whilst in the past the choir has tended to specialise in early music, the choir’s repertoire is now much wider, ranging from Plainsong settings through to more contemporary works including music by Mozart, Haydn, Stanford, Brahms, Duruflé, Elgar, Poulenc, Wood, Bairstow and Rutter. Most of the music is sung a cappella, that is, without instrumental accompaniment. In the last year the choir has performed works by Bob Chilcott, Grayston Ives, Robert Walker and Will Todd as well as a stunning 8-part setting of the Mass by Josef Rheinberger. Since 2015 the choir has been conducted by the immensely talented organist Alex Dichmont.
David Bathurst, a spokesperson for the choir, says “Boxgrove Priory choir is a very special church choir priding itself on high standards of performance, tackling a challenging but hugely rewarding repertoire, with minimal ’note-bashing!’. Our number on a normal Sunday is between 12 and 15 voices and we are looking to increase our membership in all voice parts particularly tenors and basses. The choir is completely free to join – there is no subscription. It is not an expectation that members attend at every rehearsal and service; all we ask is that you let us know in good time if you cannot be there. We are a friendly and welcoming choir performing great music in one of the most glorious places of worship in Sussex. Why not come and join us one Thursday evening. Or contact Alex on alexdichmont@gmail.com.”
