Music Ministry

St. James' Adult Choir

From September to June the St. James’ adult choir provides music for the 10:15 am Eucharist, as well as special events such as Advent Lessons and Carols and Holy Week services. The choir is open to all who have a sincere desire to assist in leading sung worship; previous vocal experience is helpful but not necessary. The choir rehearses upstairs in St. James’ choir room from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Wednesdays, and from 9:00 to 9:45 am on Sundays before the 10:15 am Eucharist.

During the summer months (June through August), all are welcome to sing with the choir on a drop-in basis. If you have ever thought about singing in a choir, this is a relaxed, low commitment opportunity to try! The choir meets in the sanctuary at 9:30 am each Sunday.

Sample Repertoire

• Ash Wednesday: Miserere Mei, Gregorio Allegri
• Palm Sunday: Ave Verum Corpus, William Byrd
• Maundy Thursday: Drop Slow Tears, Kenneth Leighton; And Can it Be, Dan Forrest
• Good Friday: LA Baroque collaboration with eight professional soloists for St. John Passion, Heinrich Schutz; Reproaches, Tomas Luis de Victoria
• Great Vigil: God so Loved the World, John Stainer; The Dawning, Richard Webster
• Easter Sunday: Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven, W.K. Stanton; Sing Allelu, Ruth Elaine Schram (sung by the St. James’ Choristers)
• All Saints: And I Saw a New Heaven, Edgar L. Bainton; Precious Lord, Thomas Dorsey, arr. Arnold Sevier
• Christ the King: Unclouded Day, Shawn Kirchner
• Advent Lessons and Carols: Ave Maria, Sergei Rachmaninoff; Hymn to the Virgin, Benjamin Britten
• Christmas Eve: Hallelujah from Messiah, G.F. Handel; In the Bleak Midwinter, Harold Darke

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Choristers Program

The choristers program at St. James’ is open to girls and boys (with unchanged voices) ages 7 to 14. Previous singing experience is helpful but not required. The choristers perform in services throughout the year, plus Christmas Eve, Easter Sunday and Pentecost.

They rehearse Sundays from 12:00 to 12:45 pm after the 10:15 am Eucharist. In addition to preparing music for worship, choristers receive instruction in vocal production, musicianship, sight reading and ensemble singing.

Los Angeles Baroque

Los Angeles Baroque (LAB) is LA’s only community baroque orchestra, directed by violinist Lindsey Strand-Polyak and cellist Alexa Haynes-Pilon.

Founded in 2016, LAB gives dedicated community musicians from across greater Los Angeles regular opportunities to explore repertoire, learn Baroque playing style (suitable for music composed c. 1650-1750) and perform.

LAB gives three main season concerts a year at its home of St. James’, hosts workshops, and undertakes community outreach projects and performance collaborations. Additionally, LAB provides music for select services throughout the liturgical year. LAB's goal is to encourage, support and expand the early music community in Los Angeles, and to be inclusive in reach to give all highly motivated players the opportunity to participate.

Visit LAB Website