Music is an important part of our worship

With the recommissioning of our splendid organ, and under the leadership of our Director of Music, Eleanor Graff-Baker, and our Organist, Peter Chamberlin, music at St Margaret's continues to develop as an exciting new aspect of our worship. Eleanor's predecessor, Tim Lees, retired as Director of Music at Easter but continues to supervise the maintenance of our organ (below).

If you would like to become a member of our growing Choir, or have other musical gifts you would like to offer, please contact Eleanor or Peter. We are particularly proud of our splendid new Children's Choir.

Our organ

(seen here with Tim Lees at the console) was recently refurbished, with all stops now working and maintained by Charles James of Liverpool.

It's a 'Father Smith' organ, moved here in 1773 by Crang and Hancock of London, and rebuilt or refurbished in 1794 by Longman and Broderipp, in 1813/5 by Holland, c. 1824 by Buckingham, in 1850 by Groves and Mitchell, in 1893 by Taylor and again by Taylor in 1923, and finally in 1954 by Nicholson and Co. In 1977 it was said to be in a bad state of repair. (Information from the National Pipe Organ Register - http://hpor.emma.cam.ac.uk - which has fuller details, plus photographs).

The musical life of our church

St Margaret’s is in the central Anglican tradition – it has an inclusive ethos and all people are welcome to participate fully in our worship and life. It is a city centre church and is seeking to develop its witness and ministry as part of the regeneration which is taking place in the centre of Leicester.

Worship

Our main act of worship is the 11:00 Eucharist on Sunday morning – with about 50 to 65 communicants and about 25 people are who are not yet communicant members. This is a Sung Eucharist attended by the choir, who have greatly enhanced the quality of our worship over the last two years

The congregation is eclectic and has become increasingly ethnically mixed, with a number of asylum seekers finding a spiritual home with us.

There are no Sunday evening services but there is a weekly Said Eucharist at lunchtime on Wednesday.

Choir

The choir currently consists of about twenty young people from the top forms of two local primary schools and four or five adults.

The children meet for choir practice on a Friday at 6:30p.m. and this is followed by the adult practice at 7:30p.m.

The whole choir meets from 10:00a.m. for a practice prior to the Sunday Eucharist.

Our long established Organist, Peter Chamberlin, plays at most services and also assists with occasional weekday Offices – weddings and funerals. He and the Director of Music liaise to promote high standards of presentation and musical performance.

St Margaret’s values the work of the Royal School of Church Music and follows the Choristers Training Scheme.