Sing with the Choir of St John's

The Choir of St John's, Princes Street, Edinburgh, is recruiting for all voices.

We are one of Edinburgh's leading church choirs and one of the busiest, comprising around thirty volunteer singers and two volunteer organists directed by Stephen Doughty.

The choir in concert

We rehearse on Thursdays from 7.30-9.15pm and sing three choral services each Sunday, 9.30am Matins, 10.30am Eucharist, and 6pm Evensong. This means we sing 8-10 pieces each week as well as psalms and hymns. We have a huge repertoire stretching from the Renaissance to new commissions so a high level of commitment and good sight-reading ability is essential. We also have a strong social life, with evening events usually ending with a drink or two. Being an amateur choir there is no official 'dep' system, but members are expected to attend most services, and arrange with other members of their part to ensure cover if they are away.

In addition to these regular commitments, all kinds of musical and social events take place throughout the year:

• January: Choir party and cabaret - a chance to try out some alternative genres of performance!
• February: Shrove Tuesday Party - the choir provide less-than-sacred musical entertainment and pancakes for the congregation
• March/ April: Palm Sunday short choral performance of the passion story
  Good Friday - 7pm Choral Meditation, often a Requiem Mass or Passiontide work.
  Sunday after Easter - weekend away at the Cathedral of the Isles on Cumbrae
• May: concert with orchestra, to showcase the choir outside the liturgical setting.
• July: 'half-holiday' with no rehearsals or evensong. Groups from the choir often go on holiday together whether camping in the Highlands or European city breaks.
• August: During the Edinburgh Festival we sing full choral masses at the 10.30am Eucharist and often showcase new repertoire. This often includes a Haydn or Mozart mass with orchestra, or works with early music or brass ensemble.
• October: Weekend away singing at a Cathedral or Abbey: in the past this has included Ripon, York, Durham and Hexham.
• November: Choral Meditation for All Souls.
• December: Advent Carols.
  Carol singing engagements around the city, including the City Chambers and Roxburghe Hotel.
  Service of Nine Lessons and Carols: the highlight of our choral year.
  Christmas services: 11.45pm Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, 9.45am Christmas Day Eucharist, and 11.15am Lessons and Carols for Christmas.
  
• January: Epiphany Carol Service

Christmas, with Rector Markus

As well as these (fairly) regular events there are often one-off events such as participating in festive Choral Evensong for the reopening of Melrose Episcopal Church in February 2015, performing Ronald Center's 'Dona Nobis Pacem' in November 2013, or singing with the Choir of St Mary's Cathedral at the consecration of the Bishop of Edinburgh in May 2012.

A blustery Sunday morning

Our Director of Music Stephen Doughty is also Chorus Master of the Belfast Philharmonic Chorus and Director of the Garleton Singers in East Lothian. He is highly sought after for 'Come and Sing' events in Edinburgh and Belfast and as an orchestrator and arranger, and is an examiner for the Associated Board. His full biography is available on his website, stephendoughty.co.uk

St John's is a beautiful church built in 1818 with a fine acoustic and recently refurbished Willis organ. It is a progressive and welcoming Scottish Episcopal Church whose congregation and clergy highly value the contribution of the choir. You can find out more on the church's website, stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk

Cultural exchange at the Edinburgh Festival

A worrying incident on the isle of Cumbrae

If you are interested in singing with the Choir of St John's, please contact the Director of Music Stephen Doughty to arrange an audition at sjtdoughty@gmail.com, or come along to a service and catch somebody in red afterwards.