The Choir at St Mary Magdalene
The St Mary Magdalene Choral Scholar Scheme
We are offering choral scholarships to singers aged 15-18 - on each SATB part (more than one may be considered). Each scholarship is worth £600 a year, to be paid £200 three times a year at the end of the choir term. We hope to prepare our choral scholars to go on to sing in Cathedral Churches or Universities where there are Choral Foundations and student Choral Scholarships available.
At the present time we have 2 Sopranos, 2 altos and 2 basses so we are looking for tenors, but we will still consider any voices where the applicant shows ability and enthusiasm.
As part of the Scholarship we are offering voice coaching at reduced rates with three very experienced professionals who have sung at the highest levels of the singing profession. Please enquire about this once appointed.
The commitment will be as follows:
- Thursday rehearsal 7.30pm - 8.45pm.
- Sunday Morning: 9.30am Rehearsal and 10.00am Sung Eucharist.
- Choral Evensong, (once a month on the second Sunday) on these Sundays
Scholars will only be required in the evening: 5pm rehearsal, 6.30pm Service.
- Scholars will be needed for Maundy Thursday (a rehearsal night).
- Easter Day (April 20th 2025)
- Patronal Festival, including the previous Thursday rehearsal (the next Patronal Festival is July 20th 2025).
- Advent Sunday Evening (Dec 7th 2025).
- Christmas Carol Service (Sunday evening before Christmas Day).
- Apart from these dates the commitment will generally follow school terms.
- A diary of dates and music will be issued.
- 2025 Easter break: April 21st - 14th. Start: May 8th.
- 2025 Summer half term: to be confirmed.
- 2025 Summer term ends on July 20th, after the Patronal Festival.
- Illness is understood and other problems with attendance can be discussed with the Choir Director, but unexplained absence will affect the termly Scholarship bursary.
Auditions for the Scholarship will be held in St Mary Magdalene's church by appointment.
On application for the Scholarship you will be informed of the audition requirements, this will include a short song of your choice.
The initial Scholarship will be up to July 2025, but with the option of extending it to
Christmas 2025 or July 2026, if you and the choir director are happy with the achievements in the past term.
The Scholarship will start as soon as possible after a successful audition.
Appropriate safeguarding is in place.
Please contact The Rev'd Dr James Lawson:
Contact The Rev'd Dr James Lawson
A Choral Scholar writes of their experience...
One thing I love about being a choral scholar is the repertoire and music that we are introduced to. Sumsion’s Nunc Dimittis in A has been a particular favourite, although it makes me wish I was a bass instead of a soprano! During my time as a choral scholar, choral music has become a favourite genre of mine, and I’ve enjoyed singing in a more classical way than I would usually. I feel it has diversified my singing abilities and developed my technique greatly. Being in a choir has also helped me to develop my knowledge of music theory, and massively improved my sight reading ability, which I used to think was impossible, but now is definitely something I feel fairly confident doing.
I also love the environment of the church and the people around me, and my secret favourite part is wearing the robes because I feel like a Jedi. One thing I found pretty interesting as well, is how much being in church has helped me with my religious studies at school. I found that in my RE exam, quotes and scripture from music and the services would flood into my head, which was extremely useful. I have loved every bit of being a scholar and will continue to do so. I will always be grateful for feeling welcomed into the choir and will try to carry on being a choir member for as long as I’m able to.
Do you like singing and have some grasp of music reading?
If so and you are a Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass you are needed by St Mary Magdalene's Choir.
Come and join us for Christmas and sing in our Carol Service while finding out about our future plans and the music in our services.
- Weekly rehearsal on Thursday, 7.30pm - 8.45pm.
- Sunday service at 10am.
- The occasional Sunday Choral Evensong at 6.30pm.
- The occasional Cathedral visit, recently we sang Choral Evensong in Rochester Cathedral.
St Mary Magdalene Church, Windmill Hill, Enfield
The Choir of St Mary Magdalene's Church is looking to recruit new members (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) to support a long musical tradition in this splendid Victorian decorated Church. The main service each Sunday at 10am is a Choral Eucharist with a harmony setting and an anthem. There are occasional Choral Evensongs with settings of the Canticles and Responses, the next Choral Evensong is on March 20th.
We occasionally make a visit to a Cathedral to sing Choral Evensong and we have choral concerts from time to time. We are rebuilding our concerts and service music after the restrictions of the past two years.
Over the years, for our Patronal Festival, we have sung Masses by Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and others with an orchestra and we have held a number of "Come and Sing" events.
If you would like to enjoy the friendly atmosphere of our choir and join in some of the social activities of our church (meals, outings, Bingo with Fish and Chips! etc.) as well as the concert series, please contact the Director of Music, Jonathan, Director of Music
There is a weekly evening choir rehearsal on Thursdays and a 15 minute rehearsal before each service.
I joined St Mary Magdalene Church Choir in 2014 as I enjoy singing hymns. My ability to read music was low as it had been forty five years since I opted for art rather than music at school and ceased to study music. With the support and patience of our musical director(s) and other choristers I have gradually regained my sight reading ability. A special thanks to Eleanor Pritchard for encouraging me to join her recorder group which has helped me to read music.
