Music & Choir
As a church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, All Saints has always valued the power of music to enhance the religious experience. Generations of children and adults have passed through the choir. All have benefited in many ways from expanding their musical knowledge to making lifelong friends. The choir has a special atmosphere of mutual support and cooperation and there is an active social programme.
Music at All Saints
Director of Music
Our present Director of Music is James Cryer who prior to his appointment was organist for many years. James is full of enthusiasm and inspiration and is delighted to take on this role.
James, who was educated at St Paul’s School, Barnes, first played for choral services in church at the age of fourteen. At eighteen he won the Dixon Prize at The Royal College of Organists and went on to become organ scholar at Westminster Abbey and then at St John’s College, Cambridge. Subsequently he was assistant organist at The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy and All Saints, East Sheen. He has written a mass for All Saints, and a set of responses which have been sung at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey and have been broadcast on Radio 3. November 2023 saw the premiere of his Requiem at All Saints.
James is also an accomplished pianist. Locally he has played regularly for the Barnes Music Society and the All Saints Concert Series.
He lives in Richmond and teaches organ and piano privately.
Assistant Director of Music
Ed began his organ studies at Hampton School. He went on to be organ scholar at Jesus College, Oxford, where he read German and Linguistics, graduating in 2020 with First Class Honours. By day he is training to be a solicitor at a firm in Lincoln’s Inn, London and when not at All Saints, plays with St Mary with St Alban Church in Teddington
The Organ
The organ in All Saints is a rebuild of the instrument originally in St Andrew’s Croydon. It is a powerful three-manual Hill instrument dating from 1891 which was modernised by T C Lewis in 1906. It was rebuilt for All Saints by FH Browne & Sons of Canterbury in 2012, and serves as a wonderful recital organ as well as a sensitive instrument for accompanying our choir. The console, mounted on an oak platform, can be moved for concerts. The opening recital was given by Peter Wright of Southwark Cathedral and a subsequent series in Autumn 2013 proved very successful. The action is electro-pneumatic and it has a detached console with draw stops listed below.
Choir
Choir
At present, our amateur choir is made up of members aged from 17 to 87 who love singing and know what joy it gives to mind, body and spirit. We need more people in all parts of the choir and we are always open to meeting potential new members. In the last few years we have become a largely adult choir but we would love to welcome children back again for what is a wonderful, free music education. Joining the choir will give your child the priceless gift of a voice for life. The choir sings for the 10 am communion service every Sunday and for occasional evensongs. We practise every Friday evening from 7.30 to 8.30pm and on Sunday mornings from 9 to 9.40 am. If you or your child is interested in joining, please contact James Cryer or come to listen to a choir practice on any Friday evening and introduce yourself to him.
Probationer
Junior Chorister
Chorister
Senior Chorister
Head Chorister
Concert Series
Concert Series
Every spring we arrange a series of classical music concerts, taking advantage of the church’s beautiful acoustics.
A prayer for Ukraine
To show their support of the Ukrainian people, members of All Saints Choir have recorded A Prayer for Ukraine. As you listen, please pray for them in their hour of need, and that peace may soon return to their country.
Choir Information
Music List
We publish the list of music to be played in our services every 12 weeks. Click below to see the current list.
History of the Choir
The choir at All Saints has a long and distinguished history. To read its story just click the button below.
Recent Events
Click the button below to see our choir’s news page. It’s full of items covering the activities of the choir and recent events.
Members Page
All members of the choir have access to a page which provides timetables as well as an attendance diary and minutes of recent meetings. Click below to access this password protected page.