| The Choir of Men and Boys |
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The Girls Choir and Schola |
Boy choirs are heir to a glorious tradition
dating back over 900 years. Choral singing by men and boys has been a tradition in the cathedrals and collegiate chapels of England
for centuries. Composers from William Byrd to Benjamin Britten have
been inspired by this unique sound. Some of the finest treasures of
sacred music are intended for choirs of men and boys.
This tradition continues to the present day in the Episcopal Church
in America. The St. Luke's Choir of Men and Boys in Evanston is renowned
nationwide as one of the few such choirs that function in worship
on a weekly basis. They sing with the Girls Choir and Schola at the 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist every
Sunday, September - May. This choir has served the parish throughout
most of its history, and continuously since 1946. Numbering approximately
20 boys, 15 teen-aged former trebles, and 10 adult men, the choir
has toured extensively, including four concert tours of Great Britain.
They returned in 2003 to serve as choir in residence at Rochester
Cathedral; Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford; and St. Paul's Cathedral,
London, finishing the tour at the American Cathedral in Paris. The
choir released their first compact disc: Therefore let us keep
the Feast in 1989. They were featured in the 1978 Robert Altman
film A Wedding. |
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was refounded in 1986 to provide a parallel
experience for girls. With an average age higher than that of the
Boys Choir, the Girls Choir engages in a similar rigorous weekly routine.
The Schola is a group of adult altos, tenors, and basses, who combine
with the girls to perform four- to eight-part literature. Together
this choir sings with the Choir of Men and Boys at the 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist September - May. In Fall 2004, they toured Germany with Interim O/CM Kathleen Bird. They
have also toured North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Wisconsin,
have made two concert tours of Great Britain. The Girls Choir and Schola are featured on the
compact disc, Lessons and Carols for Christmastide.
The Saint Luke's Singers is a choir of women's and
men's voices (SATB) that functions at various liturgical and musical
events throughout the year. The Singers are responsible for the music
at the principal Eucharist in the summer. Along with the other parish
choirs, they are featured in the 1993 compact disc, A Fair and
Delectable Place and in the 1994 release, Blow Ye the Trumpet
in Zion. These recordings have sold out.
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