Music at St Mary’s

Led by Director of Music Adam Wills Begley and Organist Andrew Lenon, musical life at St Mary’s is particularly vibrant and diverse, rooted in the work of our talented Choir and our rapidly growing Choir School programme.

St Mary’s Choir

The Choir sings the 9:30am Choral Eucharist each Sunday and has at its heart our 6:30pm service of Choral Evensong, sung throughout the year with brief holidays in August and following Christmas and Easter. Additionally, the Choir sings Cathedral services several times a year; recent guest Evensongs have included Westminster Abbey, St Paul and Durham Cathedrals in 2022–23, and Southwark and Guildford Cathedrals in 2024. St Mary’s Choir regularly tours abroad, most recently to Spain and the south of France.

Drawn from Wimbledon and across London, the Choir includes professional musicians and enthusiastic amateur singers of all ages and walks of life who share a vision for performing to an high standard and for serving the congregation in worship. We are committed to offering the best music of all eras, from Renaissance masters like Victoria, Byrd and Josquin to living composers like James MacMillan, Joanna Marsh and Arvo Pärt. Commitment to new music inspired our recent Seven Last Words project (2022), which commissioned new works by seven British composers including Esther Bersweden, Owain Park and Ken Burton.

Joining the Choir

If you enjoy singing and would like to explore joining the St Mary’s Choir, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the Director of Music on adam.begley@stmaryswimbledon.org for more information.

You do not need to be a professional or highly trained singer to join. Reading music is necessary as we often need to rehearse complex music at a brisk pace, but if you can hold a tune well, have a heart for music in worship, and enjoy being part of a friendly, highly sociable team then it could be for you. Rehearsals are on Friday evenings from 7:30–9:00pm, followed reliably by a trip to one of the local pubs.

St Mary’s Choir School

St Mary’s Choristers are an enthusiastic and friendly group of young singers aged 7–17. Anyone with a passion for singing from Year 3 upwards is welcome; no audition is necessary! Choristers rehearse from 6:30–7:30pm on Fridays in term (Senior Choristers continue until 8:00pm) and sing three services a month. Choristers enjoy a vibrant social and musical life supplemented by training in musicianship, sight-singing, and performance skills. In the coming academic year there will be opportunities for choristers to join St Mary’s Choir in Cathedral visits and concerts, beginning with a joint Evensong at Guildford Cathedral in September ‘24. St Mary’s Choir School affords a world-class musical education that equips young people to become lifelong musicians. Numerous St Mary’s choristers have gone on to prestigious choral and organ scholarships at Oxford, Cambridge, and other universities. For families working towards university places, chorister training can give an invaluable edge to your child’s application!

If you are keen to hear more about enrolling your child in this unique after-school programme, please get in touch with the Director of Music and drop in for a Friday rehearsal! adam.begley@stmaryswimbledon.org

Choral Scholarships

Our Choral and Organ Scholarship scheme, now entering its second decade, represents a key facet of St Mary’s commitment to supporting young musicians. Hailing from South London schools, conservatoires, and universities, our Scholars hone skills in musicianship and performance that will serve them throughout their careers. Previous St Mary’s Scholars have graduated to prestigious scholarships at Oxbridge and other universities. We are currently accepting applications for the ‘24–‘25 academic year. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please contact adam.begley@stmaryswimbledon.org for full details.

Closing date: 31 July 2024  |  Auditions: August 2–5 or by arrangement

Choral Evensong

The ancient service of Choral Evensong remains as relevant as ever to contemporary culture. Amid our frenetic, high-stress lives, perhaps this ‘oasis of peace’ is more important today than ever before—glorious music sung skilfully by the choir mingles with readings and prayers, giving us the space to linger in the presence of God before the start of each new week. If you have never experienced Choral Evensong, do drop in on a Sunday evening at 6:30pm and experience true refreshment!