St. Mary's Choir of Men and Women
St. Mary's Choir of Men and Women is composed of volunteer singers with a wide range of levels of experience supported by a small core of professional singers. The choir leads in worship each Sunday and rehearses Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Choir sings at 9:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month and at 11:15 a.m. for the remaining Sundays. Sunday services are preceded by warm-up and rehearsal in the choir room. The first Sunday of the month at 5:00 p.m. Choral Evensong is sung by the Choir of Men and Women or the Boys & Girls Choir. Throughout the Summer the choir rehearses only on Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist.
The Choir sings a rich and varied repertoire of choral music drawn from our unique Anglican heritage of choral singing--from plainchant and Renaissance motets to anthems by contemporary composers. In addition to Choral Evensong, the Choir sings Lessons & Carols, Choral Masses, Requiems, Taizé services and weddings. St. Mary's Choir has performed large-scale compositions with orchestra such as the Requiem in F Minor by Heinrich Biber, Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, and other works such as Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem and several Bach cantatas. St. Mary's Choir has sung as a guest choir at St. Paul's, K Street, Washington, DC; and St. John the Divine Cathedral, New York City, and anticipates an English Cathedral residency in the near future.
In addition to the musical and spiritual rewards of leading St. Mary’s parish in worship, the Choir also forms a close-knit community itself, enjoying regular social functions. Although faithful attendance is encouraged, it is understood that no one will be able to be present one-hundred percent of the time. We rehearse music well in advance of when we sing it, and additional one-on-one assistance is available anytime. St. Mary's Choir warmly invites anyone who enjoys singing to consider taking part. Singers at all levels of experience are encouraged to inquire by contacting our Minister of Music Gregory Hooker at 703-527-6800 or Gregory.hooker@stmarysarlington.org
Compline Schola
Compline is sung each Sunday evening September through May at 9:00 p.m. A Men’s Schola alternates with a Women’s Schola. Each group rehearses at 8:15 p.m. to sing for this 20-minute service of meditation at the day's end. The Men's Schola and the Women's Schola were featured at the Region 3 Conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians at St. Paul's, K Street, Washington, DC, on October 12, 2008, and as a pre-convention offering of the American Guild of Organists National Convention on July 3, 2010.The music is plainchant and polyphonic settings of the service in both English and Latin. If you are interested in singing, please contact our Minister of Music Gregory Hooker at 703-527-6800 or Gregory.hooker@stmarysarlington.org
Handbell Choir
The handbell choir rings two octaves of bells and rings for Sunday Eucharists once a month. If you are interested in ringing, please contact our new director, Gregory Stuart at gss23om@gmail.com or Minister of Music Gregory Hooker at 703-527-6800 or Gregory.hooker@stmarysarlington.org
