St Mary’s has a strong musical tradition. A four part choir sings each Sunday at both morning and evening services as well as on feast days and for other special events. The church is especially
notable for its fine, three manual, tracker organ.
— Join Us For Sunday Services
Adult Choir
Sign up here to sign Chilcott’s St John Passion with us on Sunday March 22nd
We are advertising for Choral Scholars: applications by 13th October; auditions 18th October
Young singers at St Mary's
Junior Choir has relaunched for children aged 7-14. If you are interested please fill in the registration form for all our work with children and young people. Any questions please email the office
Safeguarding at St Mary’s
We are committed to a strong culture of safeguarding in which we all work together to protect children and adults at risk. Our Diocese has adopted the Church of England’s policies and best practice on safeguarding which can be found on the Church of England’s website
We have our own specific safeguarding policy, which you can see here
Our Parish Safeguarding Officer is Linda who can be contacted at the church or by email.[/column]
Taizé
Several times each year we have an evening service in the style of the Christian Community at Taizé in France. Short songs, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character.
Our service are generally held on the third Sunday every month at 5.30pm, but please check for summer and Christmas arrangements.
We welcome instrumentalists to play at these services – strings and wind! Please get in touch with the church office about a week before, if you would like to contribute.
Director of Music
We are delighted that Douglas Knight is our Director of MusicDouglas was at All Saints Friern Barnet, as Director of Music and Organist between 2019 and 2024. He was also Assistant Director of Music for the previous academic year (2023-2024) supporting the choral foundation at Christ Church Southgate as a maternity cover, and Assistant Organist at St. Stephen’s Rochester Row between 2015 and 2018. By day, he works as an academic librarian at University College London (UCL) and holds degrees in musicology from the University of Oxford and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) where in 2021 he completed a PhD in music supported by a Crossland research scholarship.’
The church organ
The Organ was built after the fire in 1969, by Grant, Degens and Bradbeer Ltd. of Northampton, who have also built instruments for New College, Oxford and the University of York. It is a tracker-action organ with a light, clear sound, comprising three manuals and thirty-two speaking stops.
View full size image
Music at St Mary's
St Mary’s is home to regular concerts and music making. We have hosted the East London Music Festival and welcomed choirs, orchestras and organ players from the UK and abroad. Information about our next concerts will be published here and on our Facebook page.