news
July 2025
St Mary's Choir returns to Westminster Abbey
Earlier this month, the choir sang Evensong at the historic venue of Westminster Abbey, performing Brewer's Canticles in D, Ayleward Responses, and Mendelssohn's 'O for the wings of a dove', with the solo sung expertly by Chloe, one of our Head Choristers. This is the second time the choir has performed there in recent years, though was the first for many of our youngest choristers.
July 2025
Senior Organ Scholar, Edward Stancombe, leaves St Mary's for university
At our final evensong of term, we said goodbye to our Senior Organ Scholar of the past three years, who has provided dedicated and keen service to St Mary's, growing from a newness to the instrument, to developing a strong competence at the console, and being a regular service accompanist for the choir. With music selected by Edward, the choir sang Stanford in G canticles, as well as the Irishman's 'For Lo, I raise up' as the anthem. Edward's forays into conducting were served through his conducting of Esther Bersweden's responses - a composer who can call St Mary's a second home.
July 2025
St Mary's says goodbye to Vicar, John Hayward, after 17 years
At the farewell party to mark Revd. John Hayward's retirement as Vicar of St Mary's, our Choir wrote and performed 'Psalm 160: In Laude Johannus'. The words and the psalm chants set can be viewed here.
June 2025
Grant from the Cathedral Music Trust
St Mary's is delighted to be the successful recipient of a grant from the Cathedral Music Trust, to expand its music tuition, allowing for an extra evening of musical training not only for its choristers, but others in the local area seeking to develop their musicianship and theory training. The sessions will be led by our singing teacher, Kate Ashby, from September 2025. Training will range from early theory training, to ensemble skills at a high level for more experienced young musicians.
December 2024
Choristers' Concert: A Ceremony of Carols
Our choristers performed Benjamin Britten's 'Ceremony of Carols' alongside professional musicians Anwen Mai Thomas (harp) and the Gaia Singers, as part of their choristers' concert offering for 2024. They also performed repertoire by Eleanor Daley and Bob Chilcott, whilst the Gaia Singers performed their own set. Our choristers performed the solos in the Britten, with some exquisite singing from our Head Chorister, and a marvellous duet between two sibling choristers.
August 2023
Westminster Abbey Evensong
During the summer holidays, St Mary's took a trip to Westminster Abbey to sing evensong in the historic venue. They sang Stanford's B flat canticles, Mendelssohn 'Verleih uns Frieden'. They look forward to returning in the coming years.
June 2023
St Mary's choristers' concert
The youngsters from St Mary's performed a concert featuring a wide variety of repertoire, from solo singing instrumentals, to cello solos, as well as a small group ensemble made up of our teenage Tenors and Basses. Performed to a packed out St Mary's church, it was a testament to the musicality and array of talents that our choristers have.
October 2018
St Mary's choristers at FCM workshop
During October half term, a group of St Mary's choristers were fortunate to be involved in a workshop run by the Friends of Cathedral Music. Led by Dominic Ellis-Peckham and Suzzie Vango, this was a fantastic opportunity for them to meet cathedral and collegiate choristers from across the UK and learn some new skills.
September 2018
Farewell to Tristan McElderry, our first Organ Scholar
St Mary's was sad to bid farewell to Tristan, the first holder of the organ scholarship, and more recently Gap Year Assistant Organist at St Mary's. Tristan has been heavily involved in the development of the choir and music at St Mary's since he started as a chorister aged 12.
We wish him well in his new life as Organ Scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, where he is reading for a degree in Music.
September 2017
Expansion of the St Mary's Organ Scholarship scheme
The PCC of St Mary's is delighted to announce that, thanks to the success of the organ scholarship programme at St Mary's, the scheme will now be expanded to cover two scholarships - a junior and senior position. This expansion means that St Mary's will be able to offer training and performance opportunities at a high level for more young people.
As well as the organ scholarships, several of our choristers and local young musicians now receive organ lessons through the church with members of the music team. If you are interested in joining a growing number of young people taking up the challenge of playing the organ, please contact the Director of Music, Helen Smee: dom@stmarysmertonchoir.com
Lessons for choristers (in organ, piano, singing and theory) are heavily subsidised - please enquire for details.
2nd June 2014
Grant from The Ouseley Trust
St Mary's has been given a substantial grant from the Ouseley Trust to assist with re-forming its Boys' Choir (see below). We are delighted that the project can now go ahead from September 2014 - those interested in auditioning for the Choir should contact the Director of Music here.
For more information about the work of The Ouseley Trust, visit www.ouseleytrust.org.uk
St Mary's is now on SoundCloud, where you can listen to live recordings of the Choir. Listen here.