The Beacon February 2011 - Beacon Parish of Ditchling, Streat ...

St Margaret’s Church Choir
In a recent television programme, Great British Railway Journeys, Michael
Portillo visited Durham Cathedral, where he asked James Lancelot, Director of
Music, how long a choir had existed there. The answer was since the Cathedral
was built.
St Margaret’s choir has probably not existed as long, but there has been a choir
for a considerable length of time. In recent years the choir has become very
much smaller. Currently there are five sopranos, three altos, one tenor and two
basses. Most members attend nearly all choir practices and Sunday services plus
weddings, funerals and other special services.
The choir is fortunate to have two excellent organists, Nick Hancock and John
Sandford, who spend a lot of time training and rehearsing the choir, as well as
choosing and preparing the music for us to sing.
If it is to survive, the choir desperately needs new singers in all voice parts. We
were fortunate that the Jubilee Choir sand with us for the Carol Service, but this
is not possible at other times.
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