Our Choirs
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Music plays a very important part in our life and worship. Currently we have three well-established choirs.
OUR CHOIRS The Antiphon Choir : The Antiphon Choir sings to a very high standard of Church Music across a wide repertoire of Cathedral and Parish music. The Antiphon Choir sings a Sunday Choral Eucharist (English setting) once a term; Choral Evensong 3 or more times a term; Sung Parish Eucharist and Sung Evensong at least once each month ; one (sometimes two) Latin Choral Masses each Term on Festivals falling midweek; and makes major musical major contributions at Christmas (Advent Service, Nine Lessons and Carols, Midnight Mass) and at Easter (Good Friday Music at the Cross, Easter Choral Evensong). From time to time sing in other churches in the Diocese and in Cathedrals. In recent years our Choirs have sung in York Minster, Durham Cathedral, Newcastle Cathedral, Carlisle Cathedral, St. Oswald’s Heavenfield and Hexham Abbey. Younger members have always been able to take a full part in this. For further details contact Mike and Penny Green who direct our Choirs penngreen@hotmail.comor mikeitup@live.co.uk
The Baptistery Choir contributes to the ministry of music within Gosforth St. Nicholas, and provides an additional opportunity for active participation in the leading of singing . The Baptistery Choir leads worship at least once a month at both Parish Eucharist and Evensong. From time to time both the Baptistery and Antiphon Choirs combine forces to sing together. The Baptistery Choir aims specifically to recruit more mature voices as well as those who have never sung in a choir before. Potential singers are expected to be able to sing in tune and in time but need not have a “great” voice or to read music. For further details contact Mike and Penny Green who direct our Choirs pennygreen@hotmail.comor mikeitup@live.co.uk
The Junior Choir There are several things choristers (of all ages) can gain from being in the choir: · Its fun and its friendly · Free musical training · Free Christian Training · The opportunity to make new friends and contacts, · Feeling of satisfaction and achievement · Musical skills can be retained as a life-long hobby and interest . Several former choristers of Gosforth St. Nicholas have gone on to read music at university and to become professional musicians · Under 16s reading ability, speech fluency in languages, team working, social skills, memorising capacity, time management skills, learning ability, problem-solving ability, ability to handle performance pressures (Stress), artistic ability, and neatness have all been shown by research to improve from being in a choir like ours · Youngsters get a small financial reward every month - a welcome supplement to pocket money In recent years our Choirs have sung in York Minster, Durham Cathedral, Newcastle Cathedral, Carlisle Cathedral, St. Oswald’s Heavenfield and Hexham Abbey. Younger members have always been able to take a full part in this. As part of a lively church there are opportunities to join in all sorts of events: barbecues, bonfire-night, parties, trips away, pantomimes. Every year one of our Church’s young people is chosen to be “Child Bishop” for the Feast of St. Nicholas, our patron saint. The Child Bishop sings Evensong and prepares and preaches her/his own sermon. Although commitment is much less than for a cathedral chorister, we follow the same Royal School of Church Music voice training scheme. Choristers are awarded their medals on different coloured ribbons as they progress. The first four ribbons are awarded within the church but there are further awards, which are examined at the cathedral, if choristers want to go further. Some quotes from current and recent members … “I like the choir because we learn new songs and I like the choir because I see my friends there” “I like choir because you go to Cathedrals to sing” “I like choir because you meet new people” “I like choir because it trains our voices so that we can sing better” For further details contact Mike and Penny Green who direct our Choirs penngreen@hotmail.comor mikeitup@live.co.uk
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