MUSIC

MUSIC

 

Our Music Program

Music is a vital part of our congregation and our outreach to the community. The professional quality of our dedicated musicians greatly enhances our worship experience. For many years, we have offered weekly Concerts on the Square, showcasing a diverse array of musical performances.

 

Our Choir

Our choir, composed of both professional and volunteer singers, enriches the 11:00 AM service most Sundays. We perform a broad repertoire that spans over 600 years of choral music, with a strong emphasis on the Anglican choral tradition and American composers of the past century. In addition to our regular Sunday services, the choir also performs at special services throughout the year, including Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter.

 

Our Carillon (Bells)

In 1883 a 25-bell carillon, cast in Belgium, was given to the church by Joseph E. Temple as a memorial to his wife Martha Anna Kirtley Temple, one of the church's first members. Mr. Temple was a dry goods merchant in the city, but never attended a service or was a member of the church. It was restored in 2000 by a generous gift from Emilie DeHellebranth, parishioner. It is the oldest manually operated carillon in North America.

Our Organ Project

In October 2017, our church received a generous grant from the Wyncote Foundation of Philadelphia to replace the gallery organ located at the rear of the church. The new instrument, the Möller Opus 8128, was previously housed at  First Baptist Church at 17th & Sansom. Renowned in the Philadelphia organ community, the Möller Opus 8128 is celebrated for its exceptional musical quality and its place in the city’s musical history. The chancel divisions of our organ were also renovated and restored, incorporating pipes from our previous gallery instrument. The new organ is currently installed and undergoing fine-tuning. The dedication and blessing of the organ are scheduled for September 2024.