Our music is central to our life of faith.
Our music is a profound expression of our identity and tradition.
Our music shapes our prayers and prepares us for mission in the world.
The St. Paul’s Parish Choir, which sings at the Sunday 10:30am mass, is known for the tonal beauty, pure intonation, and the subtle musicianship of unaccompanied singing. The choir’s repertoire ranges from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first, emphasizing renaissance motets, composers of our own time (such as Arvo Pärt and John Tavener), and the music of the quintessential Anglo-Catholic composer Healey Willan. The Parish Choir sings every Sunday from September through June and rehearses weekly.
The largest choir in St. Paul’s parish, and the most important, is the congregation itself. We are home to an assembly that skillfully sings hymns, psalms, and liturgical responses. One of the joys of St. Paul’s is to be singing a hymn and hear the organ drop away, leaving the entire congregation singing in serene four-part harmony. These occasions reveal the beauty, intimacy, and often lump-in-the-throat poignancy of singing together to the Creator with our very human voices. We are a singing community, and music is one of our most bountiful gifts to all who join us.
Music at St. Paul’s
Enjoy a selection of music that feature our organ and musical settings sung by our choir & individual choir members.
Our Organ
Read about our mechanical action organ.
Gary James has served as organist/choirmaster at St. Paul’s since 1997. After graduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley, he was Composer-in-Residence at Linfield College in Oregon. He is a recipient of the Nicola de Lorenzo Prize and the ASCAP Raymond Hubble Award, and his compositions are published by ten publishers. His music has been performed throughout North America and in Europe, Asia, and Australia; including regional, national, and international gatherings of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, and the American Society of University Composers. His music was sung at both the opening and closing Eucharists of the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City in 2015, and at the installation of the Most Reverend Michael B. Curry as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church at the Washington National Cathedral on All Saints Day 2015.