Music at St. Mark's is an integral part of worship, enhancing the second service each Sunday and on all church holy days throughout the year. The St. Mark's choirs - the Adult Choir and the Choir of Young Voices - sing regularly from mid-September until mid-June.

Music for worship falls into several categories: preludes, voluntaries, and postludes played by the Organist for inspiration; hymns and service music for the choirs and congregation; offertory anthems sung by the either or both of the choirs, and occasional communion voluntaries by the choirs to enhance the congregation's worship during the service. Hymns and service music are drawn mostly from the 1982 Hymnal with selections of sung pieces made in connection with scriptural readings appointed for the service. The vocal music program is supported by a Stuart tracker organ and by piano. Occasionally, school aged musicians from the parish provide preludes or instrumental voluntaries and visiting soloists or small ensembles augment services.

Beyond the principal Sunday service, there are many other occasions for music in our parish. The choirs provide music for public services of Lessons and Carols on All Saint's Day, Epiphany, and/or Easter, as well as Evensongs at various times during the year, at which we welcome the greater community. Organ and solo vocalists provide music for funerals and weddings in the parish.

St. Mark's belongs to the Royal School of Church Music and subscribes to its methods of chorister training adapted for Americans.

St. Mark's employs two musicians. Mary Rector serves as Music Director and Director of Choirs. Alan Wingard is Organist.

The Adult Choir practices weekly and sings every Sunday during the winter schedule of
services. Membership is open to any adult with some ability and interest in being part of the ensemble. Willingness to listen and to learn music in ensemble are more important than
soloist-quality sound. The Adult Choir averages eighteen members each week and sings accompanied and a cappella music in four or more parts. In recent years, a women's choir has sung at the Easter Vigil service and a men's choir sings Thomas Sunday.

The Choir of Young Voices (CYV) is open to boys and girls third grade and older who can read some difficult words, provide a vocal audition, and meet attendance requirements. Attention span is also important. During the winter schedule, CYV practices weekly and sings monthly separately and with the Adult Choir. Occassionally, there is not a large enough group of young singers to hold separate practices, and the youth are encouraged to sing with the adults during those periods.

The youngest members of our parish also participate in singing songs as part of the Christian Education program.

Special Events.

Over the years the choirs of St. Mark's have particpated in a number of special services in Maine and beyond. This fall On Sunday, November 15th, The St. Mark's Choir will join with the choir of St. Bartholomew's, Yarmouth, Maine, for a 4:30 Service of Evensong. The choirs will combine to present music of Charles Villiers Stanford and others. This is our first road trip since 2004 when we traveled to New Brunswick to sing at the Cathedral in Fredricton. Yarmouth is a much shorter trip, and, as always, we welcome and encourage St. Mark's parishioners and friends to join us for this service.

Our choirs provided music for the regional farewell service for the retiring Right Reverend Chilton Knudsen in the fall of 2008. We have participated in sung service at the Cathedral of St. Luke in Portland over the years, joining other choirs in the diocese.

Highlights in the last decade include a trip in 2002 to sing at the National Cathedral representing Maine at the celebration of State of Maine Day, the hosting of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and, the following year, a trip to Fredericton to visit the Cathedral where we sang both a service of Evensong and joined the Cathedral Choirs in the Sunday Service.

The Organ Renewal Project

The St. Mark's Parish is planning for the restoration of the organ in the sanctuary. To learn more about this effort, please visit the Organ Renewal Project. We welcome donations to support the renewal of the pipe organ and its contributions to music in Central Maine.

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