Christ Church St. Laurence

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Christ Church St Laurence (CCSL) is an Anglican church in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia. The church is located at Railway Square on George Street, Sydney, near Central Station.

Contrary to the conservative Evangelical character of most of the diocese, Christ Church is an Anglo-Catholic parish with an emphasis on social justice issues, liturgical worship and a high view of the sacraments. The parish also supports a fine choir.

Choir of Christ Church St Laurence

Director: Neil McEwan Organist: Peter Jewkes

Regarded as one of the finest liturgical choirs in Australia, the Choir of Christ Church St Laurence is also one of the oldest continuing choral groups and was founded shortly after the consecration of the church in 1845. The choir performs an extensive repertoire incorporating music from Gregorian chant through to the works of 21st century composers, with special emphasis on performing music from the polyphonic school of the 16th century. The choir sings every Sunday at the 10.30am High Mass and again at the 6.30pm Evensong, in which the much loved liturgy of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer is used. Special music is also provided for all major festivals and feasts throughout the church calendar. Apart from the commitment to liturgical worship the choir regularly gives concerts, is frequently heard on national radio and has recorded a number of CDs.

The concert repertoire has included: the Christmas Oratorio, the St John Passion, the Mass in B minor and many cantatas of J.S. Bach. These performances include a focus on instrumental performing practices of the period. This year the CCSL Choir performed the Requiem by Mozart with members of the Sydney Symphony and Opera Australia orchestras. Again these players joined us in the Dedication of the church of St Laurence, singing the Harmoniemesse of Joseph Haydn. Performances at CCSL have included Messiah by Handel, Stabat Mater by Domenico Scarlatti, The Creation by Haydn, Bruckner’s F minor and E minor masses, the Mass in C by Beethoven, Dvorak Mass in D and The Passion according to St John by Arvo Pärt, the most recent performance being in the presence of the composer.

The CCSL choir tours frequently and recent tours have included being the resident choir in Westminster Abbey, London in 2002 and singing in churches and cathedrals in Germany, France and Italy. An invitation resulted in returning this year to Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral as well as churches and cathedrals in the USA. The choir has recorded for a number of CDs, one of them having been nominated in the Australian Record Industries (ARIA) awards for the year as the best classical recording in Australia.