Music
For centuries, music has played a significant part in Christian worship. The earliest Christians were Jewish people who sang psalms in the Temple, and Jesus and the Apostles sang hymns and psalms together at the Last Supper.
St. Paul, our patron, commands Christians in the New Testament to “sing hymns, psalms and spiritual songs unto God.” Music helps us to bring words alive and make them memorable. Music adds beauty and splendor to the liturgy and lifts the hearts of those who sing and those who listen. Much church music, composed over the centuries, was specifically written in our Anglican tradition of worship, and we are honored to be the bearers of this rich musical heritage.
Our Parish Choirs exist to support the worship of the people, and as such, have various duties. They lead choral worship at the Eucharist on Sundays and also at the high holy days of Easter and Christmas. The repertoire the choirs sing is exceptionally varied and encompasses over a thousand years worth of music. Read on to explore and please make contact if you wish to become a part of making music at St. Paul's Parish.
Parish Choir
St. Paul's Choir is the principle parish choir that sings for the 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist on Sunday mornings as well as monthly Evensong, Lessons & Carols, and other special services during the liturgical year. The choir has made two international tours with residencies at Gloucester and Canterbury Cathedrals and have produced the recording Love Bade Me Welcome on the Zarex-P…
Read More »The Fisk Organ
The Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ, C.B. Fisk, Opus 126, was dedicated in 2005. The organ has 3 manuals and 58 ranks. Its principal function is supporting congregational song and choral accompaniments each Sunday morning. It is also the main teaching and performing instrument for East Carolina University's School of Music programs in organ and sacred music.
For more informatio…
Read More »Dulcimer Group
St. Paul's dulcimer group is composed of folks of all levels of ability and experience playing the mountain dulcimer.
The Dulcimer group meets first and third Thursdays from 1:30 - 3 p.m. in St. Paul's parish hall. Join us!
Recorder Group
The Mary Vars Recorder Consort of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is one of the many educational arms of the East Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation's Fisk Academy. The group meets at St. Paul's every Tuesday morning and performs regularly for church and community events. Please contact Jon Shaw if you have interest in this marvelous wealth of consort music from the Middle Ag…
Read More »Exultate Choir
This treble choir, composed of women, girls, and boys with unchanged voices, participates monthly at the 10:30 a.m. service. The choir offers anthems and leads the congregational hymns and service music.
Young people in the choir each have an adult mentor to help them learn the music, teach them about vesting and processing, and answer any questions they might have. Young people a…
Read More »St. Nicholas Choir
This choir is for children from kindergarten to third grade. They sing at the 10:30 a.m. service once a month.
This choir provides a unique and fun way for young parishioners to participate in a church service. We also hope to engage children in a wider musical understanding of worship.
Organist and Choirmaster
