Music

Adult Choir

The Choir of St. Matthew's Parish leads the congregational hymns, psalms, and service music during the parish’s liturgical worship most Sundays of the year. The Choir is made up of volunteers from our parish as well as a core of professional staff singers who assist the choir in learning and performing its music, and who also sing solos and ensemble pieces.

The Choir (pictured below) recently returned from Winchester Cathedral in England where, with the Choir of St. John's Parish, Lynchburg, VA, we served as Choir-in-Residence, singing daily evensong and Sunday morning liturgies.

 

 

 

Previously, the choir made two tours: to Central Europe in 2003 (at the top of the page is the choir and entourage in front of the famous doors of Wittenberg Cathedral) and to Ireland, Wales and Southern England in 2006 (below is the choir at St. Thomas Church, Salisbury and at the Lady Chapel, Wells Cathedral).

The choir sings two concerts per year, in December and June, and is joined by The Saint Matthew's Chamber Orchestra. In June, 2005, the Choir and Chamber Orchestra celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Saint Matthew's Music Guild by performing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the World Premiere of a new anthem commissioned for the occasion, Apostrophe of the Celestial Sphere: The Spacious Firmament on High, by Gerald Near. The Choir and Orchestra were joined by the Chancel Choir of First United Methodist Church, Pasadena, and the Bel Canto Chorale of Whittier, under the direction of Stephen Gothold. Performances took place at Corpus Christi Church in Pacific Palisades and First United Methodist Church, Pasadena. To hear an excerpt of the performance, follow the link to the Beethoven Ninth excerpt. If you would like to hear a few samples of our Adult Choir singing in Central Europe, visit our Choir Tour Recordings page.

In August, 2010, the Choir will team up with the Choir of St. John's Church, Lynchburg, VA as resident choir for Evensong and Sunday services at Winchester Cathedral, England.