Music Ministry
We hold music, with its power to move and inspire human hearts, to be an
integral and essential element of our liturgical worship. In the words of
our Interim Rector, Mother Teri, we try to make our music a "window through
which we glimpse the Holy."
Liturgical music at Saint Giles is congregation-oriented. Hymns and other music
are carefully coordinated with the lectionary readings for each Sunday.
The
Ordinary of the Mass is usually sung by the entire congregation, along with
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. The primary resources for our liturgical
music are published by the Episcopal Church. These include The Hymnal 1982,
Wonder, Love, and Praise, Lift Every Voice and Sing II, and
Voices Found, along with other liturgical materials from Church Publishing
and leading church music publishers.
The Saint Giles Singers minister as our volunteer parish choir. They are the
backbone of the music program. The choir sings weekly from September through
May and for the major feast days of the church year, and rehearses on Monday
evenings. Cantors provide additional musical leadership. Our choral repertoire
draws upon the rich and varied treasures of the Anglican tradition, ranging from
the Renaissance to the 21st Century. While most anthems are sung in
English, works are occasionally presented in Latin and other foreign languages
(translations are always provided). Handbells are occasionally rung, adding a
special aural dimension to our liturgical music.
David H. Douma, our Organist and Choirmaster, has been at Saint Giles since June
2002. He has over 40 years of professional church music experience in a variety
of church settings, and brings to his ministry a wide-ranging expertise in organ
music and choral literature.
Saint Giles Parish is fortunate to worship in the extraordinary setting of Saint
Mary’s College Chapel, with its wonderful music-enhancing acoustics. The Chapel
boasts a magnificent 65-rank pipe organ, created in 1998 by Austin Organs of
Hartford, Connecticut. One of the largest instruments in the East Bay region,
it incorporates historic mid-19th and early-20th century
pipework by Henry Erben of New York City (1859) and Murray M. Harris of Los
Angeles (1902). A fine grand piano is also located in the Chapel and is used
when musically appropriate for hymns and anthems.
If you
are interested in becoming part of the music ministry at Saint Giles Parish,
please leave a message for our Organist/Choirmaster at the parish office
(telephone (925) 376-5770, e-mail
stgiles@stmarys-ca.edu) or introduce yourself in person at the Sunday
morning service.
