ORGANIST

Bernard Martin is currenty organist of the Gainfield Benefice. He began his musical career in 1962 when he won a choral scholarship to Magdalen College Choir, Oxford under Dr Bernard Rose, where he also took up playing the organ and oboe. For 17 years he was Organist and latterly Choirmaster at St Denys' Church, Stanford in the Vale responsible for approximately 20 adults and children. In 1999 he moved to Gainfield where after several years of fund-raising within the community, he project-managed rebuilding their large 3-manual Holdich/Martin organ. He occasionally directs deanery choirs for special services throughout the Vale of the White Horse and in Christ Church Cathedral, and as a competent sight-reader enjoys singing bass or alto with the St Hugh Singers in cathedral venues all over the country. In recent years he has become a Fellow of the Metropolitan College of Music in recognition for his service to music. Bernard is responsible for running OxRecs DIGITAL, an independent record label which specialises in location recording of cathedral choirs, organs and chamber groups throughout the UK.

WEDDINGS and FUNERALS

Please remember that if any order of service contains printed hymn text, you should include our certificate no: 61976 (Christian Copyright Licencing International) in the booklet.

If you are arranging a wedding or planning a funeral, then after the church has been booked with the rector you should contact the organist who will be pleased to help you and discuss any music requirements. Below is a selection of pieces couples may wish to consider:

Please note that should you wish to provide your own choir or organist then an additional fee may have to be paid to St Mary's. You will have to contact the organist to discuss access to the church and organ for available practice times, organ key location, and any prior tuning requests. The church has a modest PA system with two static microphones, a radiomic, and a CD player for any pre-recorded music for services. The churchwardens will also need to know if these extra facilities will be needed.

THE CHOIR

St Mary's Choir comprises approximately 12 enthusiastic adult singers. We sing at most communion services, enhancing worship for our congregation and have supplemented the massed choirs for Deanery Evensongs in St Mary's Uffington, Dorchester Abbey, and All Saints Church, Faringdon. We perform the occasion anthem and choral evensongs, and have the resouces to sing a full nine lessons and carols service each Christmas. We can also provide an SATB choir or soloists if required and if given sufficient notice for weddings and funerals. The extra singers are normally sourced from out of the Benefice, and are subject to availability. Weekly rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at 19:30 for approximately one hour, with normally one Sunday service. Enthusiasm and commitment are desirable qualities to join the choir. Please contact the organist for further information. Sample anthem and canticle settings are given below:

Canticles: Purcell in G minor, Stanford in C, Noble in B minor, Stanford in Bflat

Anthems: O Saviour of the World (Goss), Rejoice in the Lord alway, Ave Verum Corpus (Elgar), Lord for thy tender mercy's sake (Farrant/Hilton), Ave Maria (Lindley), The Lord bless you and keep you (Rutter), O taste and see (Vaughan Williams). Let thy merciful ears (Mudd), How beautiful upon the mountains (Stainer), O nata lux (Tallis), Locus iste (Bruckner).