300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106
Choir School Evensong – Trebles from Five Churches
Note that this is an offsite event. Join us at Trinity College Chapel!
This event will be in-person only. It will not be available by livestream.
The ancient and beautiful service of Choral Evensong is presented on the fourth Sunday of selected months at St. John’s. Join us on Sunday, March 27 at 5:00pm for Evensong sung by the treble choirs of St. John’s Choir School, West Hartford, First Church of Christ, Congregational, Newington, Trinity Episcopal Church, Hartford, St. Paul’s, Fairfield, and St. Paul’s, Norwalk. John Abdenour, Will Doreza, Michelle Horsley, Scott Lamlein, and Peter Niedmann, choirmasters; Zachary Schurman, organist.
Trinity College requires all visitors to the campus to present an up-to-date vaccination card, and all attending the Evensong must wear a mask.
This event is free admission, donations welcome in any amount. Checks payable to Music at the Red Door or click here to donate online.
Service Music:
Introit: A grateful heart (Plumstead)
Responses: Sarah MacDonald Set 1
Canticles: Howells for voices in unison
Anthem: I will sing of thy great mercies (from St. Paul, Mendelssohn)
Organ: Fantasy and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542 (Bach)
Click here for full service leaflet.
The St. John’s Choir School is a group of singers that has fun while learning all about music reading, theory, vocal training, and the great sacred choral repertoire, old and new. With worship at the core of their work together, the Choir School prepares anthems and other music twice monthly for the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at St. John’s Church. St. John’s Choir School is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music, an international organization of choirs that sing in the English cathedral tradition. Alongside professional and amateur adult singers, they learn adult-level choral music and look beyond the words and music to communicate a message. Learn more about the St. John’s Choirs at this page.
What is Choral Evensong? “Evensong … is a very tiny fragment of something else: it is a fragment of the worship which is offered to God by Christian people every hour in every part of the world. When you come to Evensong here it is as if you were dropping in on a conversation already in progress — a conversation between God and people which began long before you were born and will go on long after you are dead.”
Why celebrate Evensong? Evensong offers to us the opportunity to gather and spend time in prayer while listening and participating in music that is especially selected to bring us into deeper understanding of the mysteries of our faith.
How long does Choral Evensong last? Approximately 35-45 minutes
What should I expect at Evensong? Hymns, readings, Anglican chant and anthems sung by the choir
Will there be a sermon? No.
Why does the choir sing so much at Choral Evensong? In Choral Evensong the choir sings on “behalf of” the congregation. The settings of the Canticles of Mary (Magnificat) and Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) are always sung by the choir alone. The Suffrages (prayers) and the Responses between the Officiant and People are also sung between the Officiant and Choir on behalf of the people. This allows the congregation time to meditate and enter into deeper prayer through words and music.
What does the congregation do in Evensong? The congregation joins in the singing of the hymns, the Apostle’s Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. The congregation joins in silent meditation through the prayers and canticles.
How will I know what I should do during the service? A bulletin outlining the service will be available.
What is a canticle? A canticle (from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, song) is a hymn (strictly excluding the Psalms) taken from the Bible.