Music is vitally important to worship, refreshing it in ways that words alone cannot do and helping to enable worship that renews and inspires.
Those who sing, pray twice (St Augustine)
At Holy Trinity, we use music in varied ways to enable all present to take part: fully, consciously and actively.
Some of the music is unaccompanied, allowing the natural beauty of the human voice to be heard.
The majority of the music is led by the organ or by other instruments, especially when the Music Group leads the singing.
Our main hymn resources are drawn from Common Praise, Sing Praise, Hymns for Prayer & Praise, Common Ground and Church Hymnary 4. These and other contemporary publications provide a rich and varied diet to our services.
Holy Trinity Church is a member of the RSCM (Royal School of Church Music).
Resources
At Holy Trinity, we have:
a congregation who love to sing and are responsive to new texts and tunes, often unaccompanied
a music group (4 – 6 in number, aged 10 to 50s) leading the music for all-age worship and other special occasions, featuring strings, flute, guitar, piano and occasional light percussion
a dedicated, small choir (8 – 15 in number, aged 19 to 60s+) singing musically, mainly in unison, although with some harmony parts, using RSCM’s Voice for Life choir-training programme
a group of cantors who help lead the singing
an Organ Student
an experienced Director of Music (pastoral musician, organist and choir director), in post since April 2012
Our building
versatile and adaptable for different types and styles of worship
used for concerts and recitals
Over the last few years, the church has become a training centre for RSCM Scotland, with events for young people, music-reading skills and singing award exams.
Music team
Alistair Warwick Director of Music Sarah and Alistair Shaw Music Group co-leaders Ulrike Wutscher cantor and soloist Laura Buxel Organ Student Christoph Wutscher occasional organist
Malcolm Allan† played for our Friday morning Eucharist and other occasions over a period of 20 years. We are most grateful to Malcolm for his loving dedication and service. May he rest in peace.
Instruments
We currently use the following keyboard instruments in the church:
a large pipe organ with pipework by William Hill and Peter Conacher (3 manual & pedal), rebuilt in 1981, with a good range of sounds suitable for leading, accompanying and performance pieces (it's in need of work – and more funds!)
a grand piano in the south transept, on loan from the Director of Music
a grand piano in the choir vestry, gifted by Piers Jones, our previous Organist
a Roland C-30 digital harpsichord, fortepiano and chamber organ
