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St. Mary of the Hills Choir Returns from Studying Abroad for Evensong on June 24

Ely Cathedral, where the St. Mary’s Choir held an informal concert in the 15th Century ‘Lady Chapel’.

The St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church choir has returned from its latest study trip to England and will sing Evensong at the church in Blowing Rock on Sunday afternoon, June 24th at 3:30 p.m.

The choir studies each triennium with a leading English choral director, and this year worked with Tim Brown, Director Emeritus of the Clare College choir in Cambridge, U.K.  Brown, one of the leading proponents of using female voices in place of pre-adolescent male trebles, is well-known from his choirs’ many recordings of traditional Anglican music.

The introit for this month’s Evensong is Edward Bairstow’s gentle I sat down under his shadow, and the anthem, in honor of St. John the Baptist, is Orlando Gibbons’ This is the record of John.  Service music is Shephard’s Preces and Responses, and a plainsong Magnificat and Nunc dimittis. There will be a small reception in the parish hall following the service, so you can talk to the choir members about their studies in England.

Evensong is sung daily at Anglican cathedrals and churches around the world and offers an opportunity for rest and reflection in the midst of our stressful lives.  A large part of the St. Mary of the Hills choir’s study while abroad is attending Evensong each evening in the ancient chapels of the various colleges that make up Cambridge University and experiencing this lovely service with some of the finest choirs in the world.

The choir of St. Mary’s sings Evensong one Sunday each month through October, and everyone is welcome.  The church is located on Main Street in Blowing Rock.  For more information on this service, please contact St. Mary of the Hills at 828.295.7323, or follow us on Facebook @ MusicfromStMaryoftheHills.