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The mission of Music at St. John’s is: • To offer sacred music of the highest quality at worship services, in praise of God; • To sustain the future of church music through active education of children and adults in liturgy and sacred music repertoire (especially but not exclusively that of the Anglican tradition), as well as development of the skills and understanding required to perform them; • To nurture and develop creative musical expression as a part of everyday life for students of St. John’s Day School; • To utilize all the spaces, instruments, resources and musicians at St. John’s for music programs and events in ways which contribute to the mission of St. John’s Church and benefit the wider community; • To create space for community fellowship, musicmaking, and service through music outreach from the Parish. Friends of St. John’s Music/Music Guild The Music Guild provides support for the Director of Music to accomplish this mission as delegated to them by the Rector. Members of the Guild provide counsel as requested, administrative and organizational assistance, and help to secure the sustainability of Music at St. John’s through promotion and fund-raising. Initiatives A) Continuing to grow and broaden our reach into the community through musical performances, experiences, and education; understanding local community development needs and putting a shoulder to some of those wheels how, when, and where we can; B) Identifying multi-church and interdenominational musicmaking collaborations and opportunities; C) Creating a welcoming, affirming, and nurturing space for musicians of all levels of skill, while maintaining a culture of high-level music in service and glory to God; D) Parish and community opportunities for music education, engagement, and outreach; E) The Friday Night Concert Series is conceived as a mission project of Music at St. John’s. Its twin goals are to bring discerning audiences into the beautiful space of St. John’s to enjoy diverse musical performances, and to distribute concert proceeds to beneficiary organizations that serve the hungry and homeless in our community. The series will host a wide variety of instrumental and vocal ensembles, with performances lasting 60-90 minutes, followed by a reception to greet the artists and learn more about the organizations that receive our support. Proceeds of the series are forwarded each year to Who Can We and Get Money For. The Friday Night Concert Series would not be possible without financial support from our generous sponsors, whose contributions offset the cost of putting on the concerts. We are eager to welcome new sponsors for upcoming seasons! To learn more, please contact Hannah Draper Burnett, Director of Music. Musical Offerings at St. John’s • Adult Choir: St. John’s Adult Choir is comprised of volunteers who come from a variety of musical backgrounds. Membership is open to adults and high school youth. The full choir sings at the 10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist during the program year, with scheduled Compline, Vigil, and Evensong services. Two-hour rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings from September through May. Requirements to join the choir are a strong commitment to the choir schedule, a willingness to learn new things, and the desire to serve. You do not have to be a member of St. John’s or the Episcopal Church to join. Adult Choir: Wednesdays from 6:00-8:00 Sundays: Choral Eucharist 10:15am (9:30am call) Select and special services as scheduled (Evensong, Lessons & Carols, Christmas Eve, Holy Week) Rehearsals and service appearances are occasionally rescheduled at short notice. • Choral Scholars: The Choral Scholar program at St. John’s Episcopal Church is intended to introduce young and talented vocalists to quality choral music in a church setting. Through their involvement with St. John’s Adult Choir, Choral Scholars will have the opportunity to work with accomplished musicians on a weekly basis, perform a large volume of quality music at a very high level, and gain further proficiency in sight-reading and vocal confidence. Young singers will also gain insight into the requirements of being a professional musician. High school seniors and college students are strongly encouraged to apply. You do not have to be a member of St. John’s or the Episcopal Church to join. Conflicts with school calendars are negotiable. Choral Scholars for 2022-2023 are currently being recruited. Auditions for all voice parts will be held by appointment during August and September. To apply, contact Hannah Draper Burnett, Director of Music. • Treble Choir: The Treble Choir at St. John’s continues to be an integral part of our worship experience. Members enjoy working together in a chamber setting to explore and perform high-caliber sacred music for treble voices. One-hour rehearsals take place on Monday evenings from September through May. Membership is open to all “treble” singers; soprano, mezzo/2nd soprano, alto and countertenor. Some music literacy or previous experience is preferred, but not required to join. You do not have to be a member of St. John’s or the Episcopal Church to join. Treble Choir: Mondays from 5:00-6:00 • Schola: A chamber group of advanced singers with a particular interest in exploring sacred music of both antiquity and the current day, with a strong focus on engaging deeply with choral music as musicians and as humans. An intermediate-to-advanced level of musical knowledge is preferred, but not required. Auditions for all voice parts will be held by appointment during August and September. You do not have to be a member of St. John’s or the Episcopal Church to join. To set up an audition time, contact Hannah Draper Burnett, Director of Music. Schola: Mondays from 6:00-7:00 • Community Chorale: a nonreligious, non-ecumenical community chorus open to ages 18+. The Otero County Community Chorale is the community choir of Alamogordo the surrounding region. Comprised of singers from throughout southern New Mexico, the Chorale emphasizes the ideal of the "singing city" -- friends and neighbors gathered together to rehearse and perform music from different time periods, genres, and musical styles, with a heavy emphasis on fostering arts and music within Alamogordo and the broader region. Rehearsals are weekly with performances throughout the year. NO AUDITION IS REQUIRED – ALL ARE WELCOME. Interested singers age 18+ are encouraged to join us! For more information, please reach out to Hannah Draper Burnett, Director of Music. Otero County Community Chorale: Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30 “I will sing with the spirit and also with the understanding.” Motto of the Royal School of Church Music The Chorister Program at St. John’s is a multi-faceted musical opportunity for children ages 8 and up. During rehearsals, choristers learn healthy vocal technique, how to read music, and how to be leaders within the community. Novice choristers who have demonstrated good attendance and behavior, and passed specific benchmarks for musical knowledge, are commissioned at a special service and awarded a cotta to wear over their cassock. The choristers sing at services both on their own, and with the Adult Choir. New members are welcome! No prior musical experience is required to join the Chorister Program and families do not have to be a member of St. John’s or the Episcopal Church to participate. All that is required is an enthusiastic attitude and commitment by families to the schedule of rehearsals and services. To inquire further, contact Hannah Draper Burnett, Director of Music. • Chorister Program: The Chorister Program at St. John’s is comprised of several groups organized by age: Third through Sixth Grade: Cantate (Wednesdays from 4-5) Eighth Grade through High School (ages 13-18): Cantabile (Wednesdays from 5-6) Choristers typically sing on one Sunday morning or evening per month. The Parish Imps Training Choir is comprised of young children ages 4-7 (Pre-K through Second Grade). The group meets on most Sundays from 2:00-3:00pm. The children gather in the Parish Hall, opening every rehearsal with the ringing of a chime and a simple prayer. Since the cherubs are in training to “graduate” to the older group at age eight, they warm up to vocal exercises and practice solfege syllables and rhythmic patterns. The children occasionally use instruments, including handbells, drums, tambourines, and triangles. The cherubs sing at occasional 10:15am services, providing a song of praise, an offertory anthem and communion music. The Parish Imps Training Choir: Pre-K through Second Grade, ages 4-7 (Sundays from 2:00-3:00) The Training Choir sings on occasional Sunday mornings during the academic year. |