The Music Program

The Music Program

Choir of St Ann and the Holy Trinity

The St. Ann’s Choir sings the Choral Eucharist each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and is open to all who are interested in singing old and contemporary music appropriate to the liturgy.

Rehearsal takes place at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday before the service, and on occasional extra days as we prepare for special offerings at Christmas, during Holy Week, and Easter Sunday. Membership is open to any who read music, and who are interested in singing the great music of the Anglican tradition.

Those who wish to learn more about participating in the choir should contact Gregory Eaton, Director of Music, at the church office.

Children’s Choir

The youngest members of the parish have their own chance to embellish services of worship. Open to all parish children, the choir rehearses several times a month after the service while the adults are enjoying coffee hour, and it performs on specially selected Sundays. The music is chosen for ease of mastery by children of any age and for its appeal to the singers. Direct inquiries to Gregory Eaton, Director of Music, at the church office. (see Children’s Programs)

The Peabody Memorial Organ

Thanks to our superb 1925 E.M. Skinner organ, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church is able to offer a full spectrum of music, both religious and secular, to a variety of audiences. The high quality of the instrument itself has proved to be a valuable fundraiser in the long-term campaign for its restoration. At the beginning of the current restoration efforts in the mid-1990s, fully a third of the organ was silent, and much of the remaining pipes were in need of both tonal and physical restoration. The organ was plagued with silent notes, and the console was unreliable. As of 2010, most pipe ranks are now playing, though the chimes and celesta remain silent. Tonal restoration has returned the organ to its intended sound, and the console has been rebuilt. There are still problems with dead notes, and the winding system and note action need re-leathering and reconditioning. These are all being addressed as funds are available.

Wednesday Organ Recitals

Gregory Eaton began the free Wednesday lunchtime organ recitals in 1999. They have only gained popularity over time; a group of regulars, plus drop-in office workers and tourists, show up promptly at 1:10 p.m. each week. The program is chosen by the organist, usually Mr. Eaton, but sometimes by visiting organists eager to play the famous organ. Music can vary from Bach fugues to ragtime, from the French Romantics to composers living today, and covers all periods. Admission is free, but voluntary offerings are invited, which are applied to the cost of restoring the Landmark organ to its original 1925 condition.

Community Music

The parish desires its historic property to serve the community and to be a useful resource for many purposes. In particular, we recognize the extremely fine acoustics of the church space for musical performance. Therefore, one of the parish’s most important and successful outreach efforts has been subsidizing some of the costs for use of the space by nonprofit organizations who offer affordable music to the community. St. Ann & the Holy Trinity has encouraged, welcomed, and is now home for a number of such organizations who rehearse and perform here regularly, some of whom are noted here among Links. The parish pursues this music mission in spite of a severely stressed budget. Donations to St. Ann & the Holy Trinity that are earmarked for any of our restoration projects permit us to direct scarce budget funds to other purposes, such as Community Music.

Concerts and Recordings

Date	Past Concerts and Recitals	Listen
4/18/10	The Organ as Orchestra” a concert by organist Gregory Eaton

See list of upcoming concerts and recitals