Choral Evensong

Saint Philip’s is delighted that the Choir of Saint Nicholas and the Schola Cantorum have been invited to be the Visiting Choir at Wells Cathedral in England July 11-17.

This is an exciting honor for the choristers; the invitation was based on the last two successful choral residencies at Ely Cathedral (2019) and at Worcester Cathedral (2016).

Saint Philip’s will hold a special Choral Evensong as the choristers prepare for their departure. You are invited to participate at 5:30pm* on Wednesday, July 6. The invitation extends to the parish dinner that will follow. (If you would like to help with the dinner, please contact Mtr Taylor at taylor.devine@stphilipstucson.org.)

In addition to the Wednesday service, the choristers will also sing at the 10:00am Eucharist this Sunday, July 3.

The choir is currently in the middle of intense preparations for the trip. They are in what is affectionately dubbed, “choir boot camp,” where the choristers sing approximately six hours a day for more than a week. The adult choir members join the youth for a shared supper and then both choirs practice together.

Choral residency is a musical pilgrimage of sorts that offers remarkable formational value for the parish youths. In the course of a residency, the choristers will sing eight full choral liturgies in one of the very places where the Episcopal choral tradition developed and still thrives.

The choristers can experience how their work in Tucson, Arizona is connected to that of Christians on the other side of the world. Singing music the choristers love in situ can have a powerful integrative effect on these budding worshippers, cementing their relationship to the Church for years to come.

*The time advertised in last Friday’s Bell & Tower was 4:30pm. This special Choral Evensong will begin at 5:30pm.