{grid8}The fierce and unrelenting nature of the storms this winter has dealt a brutal blow to all of us, and the choir is no exception. The unprecedented amount of snow and sub-zero temperatures have required the schools to declare numerous snow days, and the choir typically follows the decisions of the schools in terms of closure. Our first priority is safety, which has meant that we have canceled too many rehearsals to count. This will certainly be a winter to remember!


As the construction workers have been putting the final touches on the building restoration project, the organ builders (who have been working behind the scenes, restoring Skinner Organ Company's Opus 708) have begun their work in the church. The organ chamber (which is located directly above the sacristy) was beautifully renovated as part of the construction project. After careful work on making the floor level, as well as applying two thicknesses each of sheetrock, plywood, and plaster, the organ builders have now painted the chamber and have been preparing the chamber in other ways for the arrival of the rest of the components of the instrument. The restoration of the console is nearing completion in the shop in Waltham; much of the necessary work on the other parts of the organ (wind lines, reservoirs, wind chests, and the like) is also largely finished; and the pipes themselves are in the process of being carefully cleaned and prepared for installation. What a gift this versatile and colorful instrument will be to the parish. Watch this space for updates as the installation continues.

The lack of an organ in the chancel has posed several musical challenges for the choir. As the liturgy here at Ashmont demands a great deal from the choir each Sunday, the lack of an instrument to accompany the choir for the mass settings has been problematic. As you will have noticed, we have been using the Fisk organ in the gallery to accompany the choir for the past few months, but this is far from ideal for several reasons. Primarily, the distance between choir and organ is far too vast: keeping the tempo together with the organ at the other end of the church is (with most accompanied music) almost impossible. In addition, the Fisk organ was built to accompany robust congregational singing (and to play organ repertoire), and is not ideally suited to accompany a choir. This has meant that, throughout the nearly two years of this building project, I have been much more likely to program unaccompanied mass settings (many of which happen to be in Latin). I eagerly await the return of an accompanimental instrument in the chancel. This will allow us to regain the full expression of the Anglican choral tradition, replete with accompanied mass settings in English.

Please continue to spread the word to your friends and neighbors, both about our warm and welcoming parish, but also about the choir as an opportunity for local boys to receive a free, rigorous musical education, and to make friends for a lifetime. Grades 3-6 are the best time to join. If you know of a boy who would benefit from membership in the choir, please let me know and we can work together. Let's find new ways to bring this unique opportunity to more local families.

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{grid4_last}Upcoming

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