Choral opportunities at St Mary’s, Swansea
St Mary’s in the heart of Swansea’s City Centre offers an
exciting
opportunity to be part of its choirs and musical life
St Mary’s Boys’
Choir
(ages 7-13)
Meets term time
Tuesdays 4.30pm-6.00pm and Fridays 4.30pm-5.30pm, and Sunday mornings and
Festivals.
St Mary’s Girl
Choristers
(age 7 upwards)
Junior girls practice
Fridays from 4.30pm. Gradually the girls are introduced to a fuller
schedule to sing on Sunday mornings, and once proficient feed into the SATB
Choir.
St Mary’s Choir
(SATB)
meets to rehearse Fridays 7.30pm-9.00pm and for services on
Sundays 10.00am-12.15pm & 3.00pm-4.45pm. Teenagers are particularly
welcomed, as are adults with good reading skills. Choral Scholarships may be
available to full-time students of Swansea University.
We
offer
-
Free
membership with Free professional choral training.
-
Opportunity to be part of an outstandingly successful choir
and have fun at the same time.
-
Development of musical skills under the tutorship of a highly
qualified professional choir director, experiencing church music at its best
in a magnificent church with a superb acoustic.
-
Development of important life skills such as reading,
teamwork, organisation, concentration, and self-confidence.
-
Regular exam successes have been achieved in Royal School of
Church Music Voice for Life exams and ABRSM singing, theory and organ
exams.
-
Regular cathedral singing tours to some of Britain’s finest
buildings, e.g. St Davids, Llandaff, Bangor, Brecon, Southwark, Gloucester
and Exeter cathedrals.
-
Social events and trips each term, e.g. Christmas Party,
summer beach party and BBQ.
-
A choir in regular demand for radio broadcasts, including
live BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship and BBC Radio Wales Celebration.
-
Choir CD recording in its planning stages.
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Ideal preparation for University Choral Scholarships
(including Oxbridge). Former choir members have gone on to become Cathedral
Choristers, Choral Scholars or members of the National Youth Choir of Wales.
-
Regular opportunity to sing with orchestra. Concerts have
included performances with the Chamber Orchestra of Wales and Swansea
Community Orchestra.
-
While the Boys’ Choir maintains its own schedule and
identity, it regularly combines on special occasions with the University
Choral Scholars and members of the full SATB St Mary’s Choir.
-
Younger members are gradually introduced to the full routine
as their confidence and proficiency grows.
-
Opportunity to learn the organ may also be available.
-
Parents with musical ability may themselves be interested in
joining the adult section of the mixed-voice SATB choir.
-
Choral Services take place at St Mary’s on Sundays at 11.00am
and 4.00pm (SATB) and Tuesdays at 5.30pm (Boys). See our website for the
current list of Services and Music.
Dr William Reynolds
was appointed Director of Music at St Mary’s in 2002. He studied at University
of Wales, Bangor where he graduated BMus, MA and PhD, and was organ scholar at
Bangor Cathedral. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and in 2012
was presented with the Archbishop of Wales’ Award in Church Music in recognition
of his work at St Mary’s. He is Organist at Llandovery College, where he
teaches piano, organ and brass instruments, is an examiner for the Royal School
of Church Music, and a regional consultant for the Royal College of Organists.
For further details, please contact
The Director of Music:
Dr William Reynolds
01792 467606
twreynolds123@gmail.com
St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s Square, Swansea.
SA1 3LP
(01792) 655489
www.swanseastmary.co.uk