Our parish has a long and rich musical tradition. We have been blessed with many gifted musicians and vocalists who add to the richness and diversity of our worship.
The first rector of St. Andrew’s was an accomplished organist and musician, and from those early years the bar for musical excellence was set high. Our longtime Rector (from the '60s to the '80s) Harry Janke was known for his love of the saxophone, bringing it out at the most surprising of moments, which added a very different layer of musical ministry!
Our current Musical Director is Matthew Gartshore, who is young, talented, and a valued part of our worship team and parish community.
The Choir sings at the main 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist on Sundays, and on other major feasts of the Church year. At St. Andrew's you'll find a 'traditional' though not stuffy approach to music. Our main instruments are the organ and piano, but at special times we are enriched by additional singers and musicians. Our primary hymnal is the Anglican Church of Canada's Common Praise, but we liberally dip into other helpful resources such as Evangelical Lutheran Worship, The Church of England's Hymns Ancient and Modern and The Revised English Hymnal, and collections by various hymn-writers, such as Timothy Dudley-Smith. Service music tends to change seasonally to reflect the different moods of the liturgical calendar.
We are working on developing deeper relationships with the local music community, especially after the sudden dissolution of the local Symphony. It has been remarked that St. Andrew's has some of the best acoustics in the city.
New members are always welcome in the choir. All that is required is a love of singing.
Currently choir practice is at 10:30 am on Tuesdays.