Music at St. John’s

The Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist, Sidcup aims to offer a modern catholic style of worship, intended to meet the needs of the worshiping community of Sidcup and beyond.  In response to this, we also encourage music to suit the style of worship each service provides. 

Our Choir provides support for the congregation and clergy by leading the sung and spoken parts of our 10.00 a.m. Sunday services, including a Communion Anthem each Sunday.  They also provide more elaborate music for our occasional Choral Evensongs and special services such as a devotional service for the commencement of Holy week on Palm Sunday as well as an Advent Carol Service on Advent Sunday evening and our very special and hugely popular Carol Service on the Sunday before Christmas.  For full details about our choir and how to join, as well as a full list of choral services, please use the links to
The Choir, The Junior Choir and Music list.

Our Music Group provide leadership of worship songs at some less formal services such as our All-Age Eucharist services on the first Sunday of each month.  We take the best hymns and songs by contemporary writers and encourage all who are interested in using their musical talents as players and singers to express them in modern forms of worship.  If you are interested in joining our music group, please contact Helen Charman via our Parish Office at stjohnsparishoffice@tiscali.co.uk

If you are interested in the church organ at St. John’s please follow the link to The Organ.

The Choir

St. John’s Sidcup has supported a robed choir for many years. The Choir is affiliated to The Royal School of Church Music  and our new Junior Choir uses the RSCM’s “Voice for Life” scheme as its principal training programme.  Our Choir is an enthusiastic and cheerful mixed group of children and adults who rehearse in the church on Friday evenings, Juniors between 7.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. (from 6th June onwards), Adults 8.00 p.m. to 9.15 p.m. led by our Organist and Choirmaster, Ian Brentnall.   The Choir is entirely voluntary and members are encouraged to offer commitment to as many services as possible, but only as far as personal, work and family commitments comfortably allow.  All robes, books and music are provided free of any charge for the use of members.  

The Church Choir at St. John’s enjoys the financial support of the church P.C.C.  The church possesses an extensive library of Anthems and other music for liturgical use which is continually enhanced with new purchases as funds permit.

We are always keen to welcome new members to our Choir, both adult and junior members.  There is no formal audition, you are simply invited to come along to our rehearsals and try us out.  If you like what you see, you are welcome to join as a full member.  Please contact the Parish Office at stjohnsparishoffice@tiscali.co.uk or our Director of Music, Ian Brentnall, at ian.brentnall@lineone.net

The Junior Choir

If you have a child at Key Stage Two or above with good reading ability and who enjoys singing, we have a great opportunity for them at St. John’s Church as a member of our Junior Choir. 

Members of the Junior Choir attend weekly practices on Fridays between 7.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. and our Sunday morning Communion at 10.00 am.  There are also occasional special services, like our Choral Evensongs and services at Christmas and Easter.  All practices are properly supervised by CRB checked volunteers and teachers at all times, in accordance with Diocesan policy.

The many benefits of membership include:

• A unique theoretical and practical musical education, complementing and enhancing your child's compulsory National Curriculum studies;

• Valuable experience at an early age of working as part of a "team", focusing upon specific goals, a standard of excellence and developing performance skills;

• Junior Choir Membership encourages respectful behaviour and self-discipline.  As a church-based organisation, promotion and growth of a child's spiritual awareness is also a priority;

• The choir's affiliation to the Royal School of Church Music grants access to a nation-wide network of training courses, elite choral groups and awards by external examination. A variety of Diocesan training and singing days are also available to members, some held in Rochester Cathedral;

• At the end of each term, Junior Choir members receive a financial gift from the church, based upon attendance and seniority.

For further information about joining as a Junior or Adult member, please contact the Parish Office at stjohnsparishoffice@tiscali.co.uk or our Director of Music, Ian Brentnall, at ian.brentnall@lineone.net

Music List

The Organ:

The histories of the organs at St. John’s Sidcup (there have been at least two, a Lewis and the existing 1926 Willis) have not been fully researched. 

The entry in the National Pipe Organ Register shows the specification of the existing instrument as follows:

Console
Stop type drawstop   Label type Ivory   Label font Block  
Angled jambs

Couplers
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Great
Swell to Choir
Swell octave to Great
Swell suboctave to Great
Swell octave
Swell suboctave
Swell unison off
Choir to Great
Choir to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Swell Octave to Pedal
Swell Octave to Choir
Swell Sub Octave to Choir

Department and Stop list

Accessories
Generals on Toe Pistons
Great and Pedal combinations coupled
6 thumb pistons to each manual
6 general thumb pistons
6 toe pistons to Pedal
6 toe pistons duplicating Swell pistons
Reversible thumb pistons for Gt-Pd, Sw-Pd, Ch-Pd, Sw-Gt, Sw-Ch & Ch-Gt
Reversible toe pistons for Gt-Pd & Sw-Gt
8 Channel Capture system

There is also a 2’ on the Swell which is not listed above and the Choir Organ is unenclosed.

If you are interested in playing the organ or if you have any information about the instrument or previous organists at St. John’s, please contact our Director of Music at ian.brentnall@lineone.net