First Church Choir

The First Church Choir is an all-volunteer group who sing for every Sunday service throughout the year. We rehearse on Thursday nights from September through May as well as holding a warmup rehearsal on Sunday mornings.

Participation is encouraged for those who can read music, hold a part and be reasonably faithful in attendance. The repertoire of the Choir is incredibly diverse, including Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphonic motets, Baroque cantatas, Romantic era choral works and music written in the 20^th and 21^st centuries, much of which is composed especially for the choir by Staff Composer Patricia Van Ness, Music Director Peter Sykes and others, including members of the Choir itself.

We sing for the most part in the original language of the work: Latin, French, German, English, and occasionally Swedish and Zulu! Not limited to Western classical music, our repertoire also includes shape-note music, spirituals, West Gallery music, and African choral music.

Occasionally, the Choir is joined by instrumentalists for presentations of special choral works for Advent, Easter or Epiphany. Additionally, the Choir has formed a partnership with the choir of United Parish of Brookline (Susan De Selms, Music Director) in which we join together for festival hymn services or the presentation of major choral works during our worship services. To date we have sung the “Requiem” of Maurice Duruflé and “Lux Aeterna” of Morton Lauridsen.

To hear samples of our choir and special choral works, please visit our Listen (Music Clips) page.

Contact Peter Sykes to get involved.

Latest First Church Choir News

"Pickup Choir"

Posted: Jun 7 2013 - 8:59pm

For the summer, the First Church Choir continues to sing for Sunday services, but does not rehearse on Thursday night. The music we sing during the summer is less complicated and perhaps more familiar to the average choral singer, and participation is open to anyone who would like to give it a try. The ability to read music and hold a part is desirable, and music for the following Sunday's service will be made available for those who would perhaps like to take it home and prepare over the week.

This is a great opportunity to worship God in song, to sing some great music, and to meet a really fun and nice group of people! Rehearsal will be at 10 am on June 9, 16, and 23, and then move to 9 am for the months of July and August.

Ask Peter Sykes for more details.