Music
“Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.” Psalm 96 :2
Sacred Music and the Choir
The Boston area has many concert choruses that do wonderful music, and they fill an important niche. The niche of the Choir of Christ the Redeemer is not concerts, but worship: great music in liturgical context. A full-time organist-choirmaster directs the choir and brings the 1500-year-old sacred music heritage into our worship. The choir’s repertoire reflects the diversity of the great tradition from Gregorian Chant to spirituals, and includes music sung in a variety of languages (always with printed translations) — all of which reminds us that God’s people have a rich history and that he has called people of every tongue and nation. The choir sings Choral Evensong four times a year, a Requiem for All Souls’ in November, Christmas Lessons & Carols, Ash Wednesday, and the Holy Week Triduum (Three Days) liturgy of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter.
Regular rehearsal schedule, September to Trinity: Thursdays, 6:30–8:30pm; Sundays, 9:00–9:45am. Adults, teens, and children are welcome.
One of the joys of CTR is the enthusiastic participation of the people in singing. Our reputation as a “singing” church is due in no small part to the choir and its leading of music in worship.
The choir prays and cares for each of its members. It serves God and his Church by aiming for musical excellence, commitment to Jesus Christ, and life in the Holy Spirit.
Choirs for Youth
Children and teens at Christ the Redeemer have two active options, depending on age:
The Trebles (age 9 & up) of the Choir of Christ the Redeemer rehearse Tuesdays, 4:00–5:30pm, and otherwise follow the adults’ schedule (see above). Three rehearsals a week makes a world of difference: Participants learn to read music, to sing with beauty and power, and to participate with insight in worship. They read and discuss hymn and anthem words, liturgical actions, and God’s work in our lives. They learn fluently music’s “foreign” language, a skill they’ll retain the rest of their life. A centuries-old tradition is that children (only boys, until recently) sing the soprano lines of the church’s choral music, and that can happen because experienced choristers mentor the less experienced. The less experienced need to begin sometime; why not now?
The Cherubim Choir (ages 6, 7, 8) meets Tuesdays, 4:00–5:00pm, in the Parish Hall. The group sings occasionally for services.
With the approval of the directors, children in school grade 3 could participate with either the Trebles or with the Cherubim Choir, whichever seems most appropriate.
A testimony from Dan McKinley, Minister of Music/Organist & Choirmaster:
“Leading up to Easter Sunday, two parents were reviewing the music for “Worthy is the Lamb” from Handel’s Messiah with their eldest son, a treble. Their second son, a Cherubim Choir member, liked it so much that he wanted to hear it every day. On Easter Sunday, he belted it out with gusto in the congregation. (“Train up a child in the way he should go . . .”)