Pulling out all the stops on the magnificent and powerful Casavant Frères organ, Trinity Anglican Church music director Owen Spicer begins playing the intro to “God so loved the world,” part of Sir John Stainer’s oratorio The Crucifixion.
“This is one of my favourites. It has a buttery feeling,” remarks the choir master whose specialty is the English choral tradition.
As the stirring notes soar to the rafters of the 150-year-old Gothic landmark, Spicer smiles. “This is such a beautiful choral setting,” points out the award-winning graduate of McGill University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in organ performance.
“This is such a special environment,” he observes.
And yet, despite its grandeur, the atmosphere in the church is welcoming. “Choral music is accessible. Anyone can sing in a choir,” says Spicer, ehoing a message the church hopes will resonate beyond the Second Street place of worship.
Music is a universal language that cuts through barriers, and opens up “opportunities to build connections with the community,” asserts Francis Lougheed, a warden at the church.
Since Spicer was named music director in January, and the Casavant was upgraded, the congregation has been amplifying its efforts to complement its Centre 105 ministry, which helps the area’s most vulnerable citizens.
As part of its vocal music outreach, the church is issuing a public invitation to anyone who wants to join its choir. Whether you are an experienced chorister or a complete beginner, Trinity Choir offers musical opportunities for all. Prospective choir members do not need to be a member of the church or a practising Christian.
Easter Day Camp
As an overture to forming a children’s choir in the fall, an Easter Day Camp will be held for those aged 7 to 17 April 12 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants will play games and learn music for the Easter Sunday service. No experience is necessary.
To learn more about the choirs and the church’s music outreach, e-mail trinityanglicanmusis@gmail.com
Spicer hopes to arrange for student volunteers to help out as mentors, enabling them to accumulate community service hours.
The ten-member adult choir, which has a wide repertoire, is “a really fun group,” says Spicer.
Choral music does not carry financial demands of an orchestra. “You don’t have to buy and learn to play an instrument. You don’t need to read music. Anyone can learn to sing in a choir,” Spicer reiterates.
Father Adam Brown comments that the world could benefit from the spiritual benefits of music, and its ability to “be a beacon of light in a dark and fragmented society.”
Singing also has physical bonuses, adds Lougheed. Classical music has been shown to engage both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. And singing is a rush, since it releases endorphins.
Father Brown notes that Trinity Anglican is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music, a worldwide organization giving help and encouragement to all concerned with the ministry of music: directors, choirs, clergy, congregations.
Lougheed, a member of the Seaway Winds, mentions there is also a possibility of the Trinity choir collaborating with other community groups.
