Sing
Music at St. James’s
From earliest times, the people of God have expressed in music those feelings that cannot be fully expressed in words. St. James’s Music Program encourages all to lift their voice in song. With six ensembles, there is a place for everyone.
You may find holiness in the sublime music of Palestrina, J.S. Bach, and Benjamin Britten, or you may be moved by the Beatles’ message of love and the prophetic voice of Leonard Cohen or Ziggy Marley. At St. James’s, we explore the breadth of musical creation as we seek to be drawn into God’s Presence.
A Choir for Everyone
Children play a large role in music at St. James’s. There are choirs for every age, pre-K through high school. In a choir, children are able to find their voices so that they can enjoy a lifetime of singing. They learn how to be active participants in worship. They learn teamwork, build friendships, and become a member of a community.
Our Adult Choirs are filled with singers of varying degrees of musicianship—from a PhD in music to the little sister in a musical family who was told she couldn’t sing, and everything in between. Some read music, others learn by ear, some have amazing voices, and others are starting on ground level and learning how to produce beautiful sounds. Everyone’s contribution is essential. Everyone is welcome. Give us a call (804-355-1779, ext. 323 or 324) for more information.
In addition to traditional worship services, the music program presents innovative services in diverse musical styles, including Jazz, Bluegrass, and the songs of Bob Dylan and U2. We celebrate with an MLK Gospel Evensong each year with the Norfolk State University Concert Choir and present Corey’s Gospel Hour—an evening of poetry, old gospel hymns, and original songs written by members of the Guitar Ensemble and singer/songwriters in the Richmond music community.
The St. James’s Organ
A reflection by Olivier Latry, organist titulare of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, France, dedicated Opus 112 on 18 April 1999.
St. James’s has been blessed with an organ that is among the premiere instruments in the world. The C. B. Fisk Opus 112 was crafted for the many roles a modern American church organ must play—leading congregational song, accompanying choral music, and playing more than four hundred years of organ repertoire.
In the wake of a devastating fire following a lightning strike in 1994, St. James’s embarked upon a careful reconstruction of their 1839 building. The extra height of the new barrel-vaulted ceiling and the creation of additional space in the tower made room for the largest pipes, while leaving ample space for choir in the balcony.
The three-manual, sixty-one stop, twenty-ton instrument is housed in an elegant painted Greek Revival case designed by Charles Nazarian. Situated in the rear gallery of the church, it stands twenty-eight feet high, twenty-five feet wide, and contains 3,677 pipes. The mahogany console is based on the best examples of 19th-century French builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll and places the complete resources of the instrument easily within arm’s reach. The electric stop action includes solid-state combination action with 128 levels of memory.
The tonal design evolved in consultation with Dr. Robert Anderson, and the resulting eclectic stoplist is a unique, historically informed blending of stops representing many of the great eras and schools of organ building in Germany, France, England, and America. Both the Swell and Positive divisions are under expression, and their pipes are arranged from back to front in the 19th century French style.