Music at Christ Church
Welcome! Christ Church is a community that deeply loves and values music as an encounter with the Holy. The music we engage together as part of our multifaceted music program nourishes our souls, stimulates our intellect, and guides us to a more profound experience of the divine.
Music at Christ Church lives at the vibrant intersection of tradition and innovation, much like the rest of our community life. Our musical offerings are rooted in the wonderfully diverse Anglican tradition of music for choir, congregation, and organ. Yet we also trust that the Spirit is also moving in the music of other faith communities and in the secular world, and often share music from diverse wisdom traditions that nourishes our common life.
Please contact Director of Music and Organist Eric Tuan (eric@ccla.us) should you be interested in engaging with music here. That could be anything from joining the Parish Choir, to letting us know you play a musical instrument, or sharing ideas for upcoming programs. We look forward to meeting you on your musical and spiritual journey!
Music at Christ Church
Community Singing
Our community loves to sing together, whether it’s hymns on Sunday morning or campfire songs at a community dinner. We believe singing together enlivens our spirits and deepens relationships. Everyone can sing!
Should you be attending on Sunday morning, the hymns are sent out in the bulletin during the preceding week. The organ and choir will help introduce the melody and invite you to join in singing. Singing is also a vital part of Ventana School’s Wondering Time and events like the parish retreat.
Our songs are drawn primarily from The Hymnal 1982. Should you wish to get familiar with a particular song, there are wonderful resources like 1982 Hymnal, The Complete Hymnal 1982, or Project Hymnal 1982 where you can listen to the melodies.
Parish Choir
Our outstanding Parish Choir of 12-16 voices leads us in congregational singing and offers a diverse array of anthems from the Renaissance to the present at the Sunday Choral Eucharist and other special events. Highlights of the year include our annual fall Requiem service, our Lessons & Carols service in December, and of course special music for Christmas and Holy Week liturgies.
We are a warm and welcoming group of singers committed to high musical standards and having fun in our weekly rehearsals and services. The choir sings everything from classic Anglican anthems, to joyfully extroverted gospel music, to challenging works by modern composers.
Please do join us! Choir practices take place on Wednesdays from 7:15 - 9:00 PM in the sanctuary, and at 9:20 AM on Sunday mornings prior to the 10:15 AM Choral Eucharist. All are welcome. If you’re new, one of our dedicated volunteers or professional Choral Scholars will take you under their wing and help you get acquainted.
Artists-in-Residence
Our artists-in-residence, the dynamic chamber choir Convivium, explores the ways in which choral music can be a force for transcendence, creativity, and social justice in the twenty-first century. Under the leadership of founding director Eric Tuan, our singers bring passionate performances of adventurous, thought-provoking repertoire to Bay Area audiences. Our concert programs present music from every corner of the choral world while exploring contemporary social issues from identity to immigration.
About the Organ
Christ Church’s 31-rank Wicks organ (#5497) places a prominent role in our worship. Originally built in 1975, it was enlarged in 1981, 1987, and 2005 and now features 26 stops with 1837 pipes. To view the organ specifications please click here.