Music at Holy Ghost and St Michael

Liturgical Music at the Holy Ghost Church Yeovil & St Michael’s Church South Petherton

If you sing or play an instrument, please come and join us!

The History of music at the Holy Ghost Church Yeovil

Music has featured as an integral part of our church’s history. We have an unusually beautiful and versatile organ and have been lucky enough to have many talented organists playing it over the years.

A traditional choir has sung in the church for decades. In the past, they would sing the mass and motets in four parts. More recently, the music for the mass parts has been composed by modern composers who encourage the participation of the congregation.

We used to have a number of organists who were either parishioners or volunteers from the local community but sadly these resources have dwindled. However, we are immensely fortunate to have our resident organist, Robert Langston, who is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.  He plays on the first Sunday of the month and we still can call on the services of ken Sherring who has played for the church since the 1970s.

10.30am Mass at Holy Ghost Church Yeovil

The traditional choir has been singing in the choir loft for decades. At present we have a full house with people both young and old led by Mary Ashby. We sing on the first Sunday of the month. Various settings of the Mass are sung monthly for example the Schutte and Celtic mass. On special feasts the psalm is sung. As practices occur half an hour before Mass in order to achieve maximum attendance, learning new pieces and solos have to be limited. Here is a recent picture of the choir. As you can see, the church is blessed with parishioners from different parts of the world.

Over the past few years, we have been able to have a shared Advent service which included music from the traditional choir, the Keralan group, the Filipino community and the Polish music group. This year it was possible to celebrate Pentecost with these groups again plus the newly arrived African community. Each group sang in their own languages just as the Holy Spirit spoke to the Apostles in different tongues.

After the Mass at Pentecost, the African choir agreed to lead the liturgical music at the 10.30am mass on the second Sunday of the month.  This newly formed African choir, led by Mark Odigwe, enhances our worship with their rich voices and special harmonies.

On the third Sunday, the children’s choir has been singing for several years previously under the leadership of the jazz pianist, Ray Dinverno. The mass setting that is sung was written especially for St Gildas’ school by Ray. The children and some staff from St Gildas’ school lead the singing and recently two young boys, Antonio and Jose De Los Santos, have begun to accompany the singing on electric and acoustic guitars.

On the last Sunday of the month, the Couples for Christ, a Filipino devotional and music group led by Nick Salabsad, enriches the service with a mixture of charismatic songs and well-known hymns. Some of the group travel a long distance to help us from as far as Torquay, Wellington and Taunton.

Music at the 2pm Sunday Mass Yeovil in the Malayalam Rite

Over the years Yeovil has attracted many people from Kerala in South India. There has been a monthly celebration of a Malayalam mass for almost twenty years. As the numbers of families within the parish have increased, there is currently a mass twice a month on the second and fourth Sunday. The beauty of the ritual and the devotion of the people is infectious.

There is now a large group of singers led by Ebin Mathew.  They are accompanied sometimes by backing tracks and regularly on the keyboard by Subin George.

Saturday 5pm Mass at Holy Ghost Church Yeovil

Laveena Saldanha and her beautiful daughters, Laurel and Princel Monis, lead the hymns, psalm and some parts of the Mass from Our Lady’s chapel. Their strong lead encourages others to join in.

Please sit near them if you would like to sing with them.

9am Sunday Mass at St Michael’s Church South Petherton TA135BD

A parishioner usually plays the keyboard to lead the hymns for the congregation. In her absence, backing CDs are used to accompany the hymns.