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. He also runs our Junior Choir.
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.
Concert Series
Every spring we arrange a series of classical music concerts, taking advantage of the church’s beautiful acoustics.
Choir
Choir roles
Children from 11 years can join the main choir. We welcome all who wish to join, not just those from the Junior Choir. The images show the progression the children can make through the choir. The musical education derived from communal singing is of enormous value and has been shown to enhance many other aspects of learning. We welcome any child who wishes to come.
Probationer
Junior Chorister
Chorister
Senior Chorister
Head Chorister
Junior Choir
On a Wednesday during term time, we offer free group singing lessons to primary ages 6 to 11 year-olds in our Junior Choir Sessions from 3.35 pm to 4.30 pm. Fun, songs and hymns. The choir gets to sing at the 10 am All Age service on the 3rd Sunday of each month if they would like to.
There is a celebration party or outing for the children at the end of each term.
All our supervisors are DBS checked and have experience with children. Parents are welcome to drop their children off or stay and listen as they wish. Tea and coffee for adults and refreshments for the children are served.
Please just turn up or contact James Cryer, our Director of Music, by clicking below.
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.