The Choir

Our choir is a mixed choir of adults and children, with around 20 trebles (boys and girls) and 20 adults and teenagers. Most of the trebles are drawn from Applecroft School and Templewood School in Welwyn Garden City, St John's School in Lemsford and children from the congregation families. The adults of the choir mostly live locally and are all volunteers who give their time freely to the church. Children join the choir as trebles between school years 4 to 6, and leave the front row when their voices change or at the end of school year 10. After this, they invariably join the back row of the choir to sing the lower parts with the adults.

A great deal of commitment and dedication is expected of the trebles who, in return, gain a free musical education, develop a strong sense of responsibility, and experience a marvellous introduction to the treasury of church music. Many former members of the choir go on to study music at university and now sing with prominent ensembles such as cathedral choirs, in addition to several former members who have held choral scholarships at the University of Cambridge.

The choir sings at many other churches and cathedrals over and above the commitment it has to St Francis Church. Each summer we visit a cathedral to sing there for a whole week. In recent years visits have been made to the cathedrals in Salisbury, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's, St Edmundsbury and Ely. This year the choir has dates in the calendar to sing at Rochester Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral.

The Director of Music is always keen to hear from potential choristers - please contact Joel at choir@stfranciswgc.org.uk to arrange to join us at one of our Friday evening rehearsals. We are also keen to hear from older children who may like to join our group of teenagers who sing the lower parts with the adults.

Since 1935, there have been a number of organists and choir trainers. Here is the list, but there are gaps. Please let us know if you have the answers!

Directors of Music
1935–1964  Susan Frankton, Frances Frankton, a Mr Hughes, Roger Ellison, a Mr Bryant, and Sydney Weart
1964–1982  Malcolm Warwick
1982–1988  Andrew Bruce
1988–1999  Richard Harrison
1999–2006  Andrew Crookall
2006–2010  Elizabeth Green
2010–2021  Richard Harrison
2021-2024  Eric Pavyer
2024-Present  Joel Colyer

Organists
1935–1970  A number of organists including Maurice Champ
1970–1976  John Marsden (his wife Jill ran a ladies choir called the St. Clare Singers)
1976–2021  Robin Coxon

2022-Present  Michelle Boylan

Organ Scholar

2025-Present  Matthew Porter

Current Music List:

Here is the music list for May 2024
Here is the music list for April 2024
Here is the music list for April 2023
Here is the music list for January 2023
Here is the music list for December 2022
Here is the music list for November 2022
Here is the music list for October 2022
Here is the music list for July 2022
Here is the music list for June 2022
Here is the music list for May 2022
Here is the music list for February 2022
Here is the music list for January 2022
Here is the music list for December 2021
Here is the music list for November 2021
Here is the music list for October 2021
Here is the music list for September 2021
Here is the music list for July & August 2021
Here is the music list for June 2021
Here is the music list for May 2021
Here is the music list for December 2020
Here is the music list for March 2020
Here is the music list for February 2020
Here is the music list for January 2020
Here is the music list for December 2019
Here is the music list for November 2019
Here is the music list for October 2019
Here is the music list for September 2019
Here is the music list for July & August 2019
Here is the music list for June 2019
Here is the music list for May 2019
Here is the music list for April 2019
Here is the music list for March 2019
Here is the music list for February 2019

Click below to listen to Ubi Caritas by Ola Gjeilo, recorded in St. Paul's Cathedral during Choir Week 2023.

Click below to listen to Magnificat in B minor by T.T.Noble, recorded in Westminster Abbey during Choir Week 2023.

Click below to listen to Hymn to St. Cecilia by Herbert Howells, recorded in St Albans Cathedral during Choir Week 2021.

Click below to listen to the Nunc Dimittis from William Byrd's Tones and Fauxbourdons, recorded in St Albans Cathedral during Choir Week 2021.

Click below to listen to Requests by Anthony Caesar, recorded in Portsmouth Cathedral during Choir Week 2019.

Click below to listen to Magnificat in G by Herbert Sumsion, recorded in Portsmouth Cathedral during Choir Week 2018.

Click below to listen to King of Glory by Bach arr. Harris, recorded in Chichester Cathedral during Choir Week 2017.

Director of Music - Mr Joel Colyer BSc (Hons) ARCO ACertCM

Assistant Director of Music and Organist - Mrs Michelle Boylan BA (Hons) MEd NPQH