MUSIC MINISTRIES
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
- Psalm 96:1-2
ST. ALBAN'S CHILDREN'S CHOIR
Does your child enjoy making music? Would you be interested in seeing them gradually grow into confident worship leaders? Would they enjoy being part of a close group of like-minded kids who play and work together to achieve a common goal?
All children from Preschool to 5th grade are heartily welcome to come and participate in our Children's Choir. There is no audition requirement. Choristers meet with Mr. Matt on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. We will meet in the Preschool gathering area for rehearsals, unless specified elsewhere. The group will sing in church about once a month.
If your child is interested, please register. Interested in volunteering to help, please email Mr. Matt.
PARISH CHOIR
The music program at St. Alban's is a central part of our liturgical life. Our adult choir performs every Sunday during the 10:30 service and puts in lots of extra time during the Christmas season, Holy Week and Easter.
Music complements and enriches our common worship experience through its scope and diversity. The Parish Choir exists to help lead the people’s worship of God at St. Alban’s and to make musical offerings during the liturgy. All music is offered to God, for his glory and for the edification and inspiration of his people. The choir is open to adults and high school-age youth. No audition is required; the only requirements are a willingness to attend rehearsals consistently and the possession of a teachable spirit. Generally, the choir is present to lead worship September- May.
Kevin Turner, our Minister of Music, humbly invites you to join the St. Alban’s Parish Choir. Previous experience in a choir is not required. The choir welcomes everyone within the St. Alban's community and beyond. Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights from 7:00-8:30 p.m., not only to practice the music, but it also allows to connect with and support one another. If you would like more information, please reach out to Kevin Turner. He’d love to have coffee or lunch to discuss this further.
ST. ALBAN'S YOUTH CHOIR
The St. Alban’s Youth Choir meets Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in the Choir Room and is open to 6th-12th graders of St. Alban’s and the larger community. No experience is necessary. For anyone interested in joining our Youth Choir, please reach out to Kevin Turner.
ST. ALBAN'S BELL CHOIR
The St. Alban’s Bell Choir rings about once a month in worship. For anyone interested in joining our Youth Choir, please reach out to Kevin Turner.
THE GEORGE STEVENS ORGAN
The history and craftsmanship of this magnificent 19th century organ is highly noteworthy. Upon initial completion, the organ had 686 pipes of various shapes and sizes. Since then, many additional “ranks” or sounds have been added and today the organ has more than 900 pipes. Each pipe ranges in size; some are as small as a pencil stub while the largest is a nine-foot cylinder big enough for a child to crawl through. Its case, which is six feet deep and 15 feet high, is finished with tiger-striped white oak, the console is black walnut and the keys are hand-carved from elephant ivory. The stops also are ivory, with ornate calligraphy carved into them in order to identify each sound or action.
The organ was originally designed and crafted in Boston, which in the 1800s, was the hub of organ building. In 1835, George Stevens, a highly regarded craftsman and a member of the prominent Boston School. The Boston School, a group of shops that worked together to create premium organs, were known for their high quality workmanship. St. Alban’s acquired the organ from the owner; a Methodist church in Hope, Rhode Island, in 2000.
To prepare the organ for its new home, it was taken apart piece by piece and carefully wrapped and shipped to John Farmer, of Winston-Salem, NC, one of the nation’s top organ restorers. Farmer was responsible for restoring the organ to its full 19th century sound and appearance. The restoration process included replacing and repairing individual parts, adding pipes, refinishing the case and adding the gold leaf trim to the molding.
The organ was installed in the sanctuary in March, 2003.
“There simply is no way to replicate these materials and this type of handwork today,” said John Farmer.