Building a Community Full of Music in 2023-24

On the heels of an exciting VBS/Choir Camp musical this past weekend, we quickly turn our attention to the 2023-2024 program year. The music program in St. John’s continues to thrive within our building, supporting weekly worship while fostering a sense of community and education within our parish.

This program year offers a number of exciting opportunities to become involved with the music program of the church (or to reach out and tell a friend about our program). If you ever considered testing the waters, September is the perfect time to jump on in!

Junior Choir: The St. John’s Junior Choir - open to mainly young singers in grades 3-6 sings a wide range of music in worship 5-6 times per year. The junior choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 5-6 pm. Royal School of Church Music’s Voices for Life curriculum helps lay a framework for the growth of our young musicians as we help foster a love for sacred choral music. Highlights for the year include joining the Chancel Choir during Lessons and Carols as well as the annual Lenten Musical, which this year is entitled “Called.” Rehearsals begin on 9/6

Chancel Choir: The St. John’s Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7:30-9pm, in preparation to help lead the congregation in Sunday worship. This volunteer choir, supported by High School Choral Scholars and professional Choral Associates, sings a wide range of repertoire. This program year, the Chancel Choir will help lead our Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols, our annual Baroque Music (Bach Cantata) Sunday on Mother’s Day, a pair of Choral Evensongs, and will take part in our first community Handel’s Messiah sing in December. Rehearsals begin on 9/7

Handbell Choir: Our newly refurbished 4-octave set of Whitechapel and Malmark handbells are back from their journey to and from South Carolina. In what I call my “favorite hour of the week,” the St. John’s handbell choir will be back in action with rehearsals beginning on 9/7. The choir, which rehearses on Thursdays at 5, provides music for Sunday worship 4-5 times a year, including for Lessons and Carols.

New for 2023-2024: I am currently gauging interest in a youth (grades 4-12) handbell choir. The choir would present music 2-3 times a year, including Youth Sunday in the spring. See Bryce for more info.

Music Events Galore: This year we will fling our church doors open and welcome guests from near and far as we continue to share our tremendous gifts with our community. This year will include the 10th anniversary celebration of Concerts by the Pond, a Community Messiah Sing, and Christmas Caroling in the Village. We will host several other music events featuring our community music partners such as the American Guild of Organists and Oyster Bay Music Festival. There will be much more information about all of these events in coming weeks.

I hope you are as excited about what the year has in store for music at St. John’s. Come grow with us, as we continue to build a community full of music.

Bryce