MISSION STATEMENTS OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM The MUSIC PROGRAM at Christ Church Cambridge is about community, outreach, education and pastoral care; but most of all, it is about worship of the Almighty. Liturgical music embraces the arts to lift the senses and to illuminate the themes of the Lectionary through Scripture and poetry rendered to enhance meaning and to help embed them in our memory. It encourages, and nurtures, a community that listens responsively, increasing active participation through emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual engagement. In addition to continual congregational participation, the Music Program at Christ Church consists of the Youth Choir, the Adult Choir, the Evensong Choir, the Handbell Choir, the Music Committee, and the Evensong Choir Tour Committee. In all, more than 100 volunteers serve in this regular capacity. The Concert Series is intended both as a community bond and as a channel for reaching people who may not have visited Christ Church previously. Music in worship is an integral part of prayer, a way of expressing thanks or lamentation, asking forgiveness; it is a source of familiarity and enjoyment, a participatory, accessible means of reaching people at a basic spiritual level transcending language. It is an ideal tool for all people to praise God. “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest.” — Psalm 92:1 MUSIC COMMITTEE The Music Committee advises the Director of Music on policies regarding music at Christ Church. In addition to acting as extra eyes and ears for what works, and does not work so well, on a regular basis, the committee members also help with periodic tasks such as distributing publicity and recruitment materials, organizing the Concert Series, and gathering collective opinions from the congregation. Rachael Cobb, Chair Drawing of Christ Church Cambridge by Gordon Tully Photograph of Stuart Forster by Heather Wiley Photographs of Christ Church Cambridge by Amey Callahan Photograph of the Schoenstein organ by Len Levasseur CHRIST CHURCH CAMBRIDGE Christ Church Cambridge is the Episcopal Church’s presence in Harvard Square — a community of God’s people; baptized in Christ, varied in gifts, united in mission, seeking to become more inclusive as we minister to children, youth and adults from all parts of the city and beyond. Our church home is a place of affirming sanctuary, where many find hospitality and hope, even redemption and peace. Worship here is always about thanksgiving and overflows with themes of God’s grace, God’s call to justice, and our responsibility to one another as God’s children. We experience joy, laughter, and delight in moments of shared liturgical celebration, as we experience the awe of God’s presence among us in moments of ministry that include healing prayers, outreach, and pastoral care with the people around us. We continue to discern our ministry, as our hearts are continually tuned to sing God’s praise. HANDBELL CHOIR The Handbell Choir is made up of volunteer “ringers” who rehearse on Monday evenings and play at the 10:15 a.m. Eucharist approximately once per month. They also play for regional handbell events. Instruments include four octaves of Whitechapel handbells and a set of handchimes. Melissa Hirshson, Handbell Choir Director ADULT CHOIR The Adult Choir is Christ Church’s primary parish choir, and is open to singers of all ages. The Adult Choir leads the singing and other liturgical aspects of the 10:15 a.m. Eucharist each Sunday, plus occasional services such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, the Christmas Eve Midnight Eucharist, and the Carol Service. Music at Sunday services typically includes two anthems, plus leadership in a psalm, hymns and service music. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings at 7:15–9:15 p.m. The finest repertoire is drawn from the last five hundred years of choral composition around the world. Singers are required to have some reading ability to audition. The choir currently has 40 members and meets from September through June. EVENSONG CHOIR The Evensong Choir was founded by Stuart Forster in 2000, and is open to teens and up. The choir consists of 40 singers with strong sight-reading ability. Choral Evensong is sung at 4:00 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month, October through May. There are two rehearsals per month on Tuesday evenings at 7:15–9:15 p.m. In each service, music articulates the stages of the Rite 1 Office of Evening Prayer, a time-honored service not offered regularly by any other church in the Greater Boston area. Repertoire is drawn from the last five centuries of choral composition, focusing largely on six- to eight-part music of the cathedral tradition. This professional-standard volunteer choir has taken residence at Washington National Cathedral; St. Thomas on Fifth Avenue, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, both in New York City; and at Christ Church, New Haven, Connecticut. A second New York tour took place in August 2009, and a tour to sing in six English cathedrals was enjoyed in 2011. YOUTH CHOIR The Youth Choir is for children in grades 3 through 8. Choristers learn to read music and practice proper technique to lead to healthy vocal development. The Youth Choir helps to lead the 10:15 a.m. Eucharist, singing hymns, service music and an anthem each Sunday. These anthems include trebles-only repertoire and selections from the vast collection of SATB music with the Adult Choir. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday afternoons at 5:00– 6:45 p.m., and include instruction in liturgy, Scripture, music theory, and choral repertoire. Parties, outings and fun make constant appearances in our September-through-June calendar! Community outreach is also an important part of the program: in recent years, thousands of dollars have been raised for the St. Agnes Children’s Home in Gokwe, Zimbabwe; Stand Up for Kids; and Heifer International. DIRECTOR OF MUSIC & ORGANIST A dedicated church musician, STUART FORSTER has been Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts, since 1999. He has performed throughout both hemispheres as an organ soloist, accompanist, and conductor. As a composer, he has written congregational music and choral anthems; Paraclete Press currently publishes some of these pieces. Mr. Forster has also composed more than 90 hymn arrangements and numerous organ transcriptions; his landmark organ transcription of Dvo řak’s Ninth Symphony, “From the New World,” was published by Éditions Chantraine, Belgium. He has been broadcast around the world and has recorded numerous CDs, including solo performances on the JAV and Pro Organo labels. After considerable study and several appointments in his native Sydney, Australia, Mr. Forster traveled to the United States in 1996 to study with Professor Thomas Murray, earning two degrees from Yale University, as well as the Faculty Prize and the Robert S. Baker Scholarship from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and from the Yale School of Music the Julia R. Sherman Prize for excellence in organ playing. In addition to earning qualifications from the University of Sydney, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and Trinity College of Music, London, Mr. Forster has won the Sydney International Organ Competition and been awarded numerous other accolades, including the Scarf Foundation Award, the University of Sydney Organ Scholarship (awarded twice), the Alice Bryant Organ Scholarship (for two terms of three years each), and the Ruth and Paul Manz Organ Scholarship. While studying at Yale, Mr. Forster served as Fellow in Church Music at Christ Church, New Haven, Connecticut; his work at the university included appointments as Marquand Chapel Organist, accompanist to various choruses and graduate courses, and teacher to numerous undergraduate and second-instrument organ students. He is currently working toward a Doctorate in Sacred Music (DSM) at the Graduate Theological Foundation, with a focus on the congregation’s experience of music and flow within liturgy; his dissertation documents and analyzes current experts’ techniques of hymn leadership and accompaniment with the organ. Details of Mr. Forster’s compositions, performances, and recordings may be found on his web site: www.StuartAForster.com MUSIC LIST : 2011–2012 SEASON September 11, 2011 Proper 19A, Beginning of the 250th year at CCC Carnival Overture, Op. 92 Antonín Dvo řák (1841–1904) Psalm 103:8–13 Anglican chant by John Goss (1800–1880) I was glad Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–1918) Locus iste Anton Bruckner (1824–1896) “Final” from Symphonie I Louis Vierne (1870–1937) September 11, 2011 4:00 p.m. From Horror to Hope: Reflections and Remembrances from 9/11 Elegy George Thalben-Ball (1896–1987) Chant de paix (Song of peace) Jean Langlais (1907–1991) Strengthen ye the weak hands William Harris (1883–1973) “St. Anne” Fuga in E-flat, BWV 552b Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) September 18, 2011 Proper 20A “Folk Tune” from Five Short Pieces Percy Whitlock (1903–1946) Fuga in g minor, BWV 578 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Psalm 145:1–8 Anglican chant by Reginald Moore (1850–1929) Most Glorious Lord of Life [world première] Eleanor Daley (b. 1955) Teach me, O Lord William Byrd (1543–1623) Imperial March Edward Elgar (1857–1934) September 25, 2011 Proper 21A Scherzo in g minor Marco Enrico Bossi (1861–1925) Psalm 25:1–8 Anglican chant by James Turle (1802–1882) Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones arr. Wallace Hornibrook (1983) Christus factus est Felice Anerio (1560–1614) Grand Chœur Dialogué Eugène Gigout (1844–1925) October 2, 2011 Proper 22A, Blessing of the Animals Sheep may safely graze Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) “Le Cygne” from Carnaval des animaux Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) Psalm 80:7–14 Anglican chant by Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814–1856) For the beauty of the earth John Rutter (b.