Music
Music is an integral part of the life of St Augustine’s. From concerts by some of the finest choral singers, to sung liturgies, to community outreach and community singing, we are proud to have a strong musical tradition.
It was on these shores that Gregorian chant – the root of much of Western music – was first heard in England. It was brought here by St Augustine in AD 597, who we are told sang as he landed and made his was to Canterbury. When monks returned here in 1856, they too sang music, and the tradition continues now.
Recent Developments
In 2018 thanks to support from the Friends of St Augustine’s the organ in the church was completely restored and renewed by Henry Willis & Sons. A new console was created in the Gothic Revival style and fitted in bespoke fashion in its new position in the Lady Chapel. In June 2018, Ben Scott was appointed as the Shrine’s first Director of Music.
The Friends’ fund raising campaign (The Song Started Here) continues. We need to maintain the organ and the living tradition of music for Masses, devotions, monthly Sunday vespers, Gregorian chant workshops, links with schools and for concerts/recitals.
We need your help to maintain and expand this tradition. Please feel free to contact Ben through his website for more information:
Website: www.benjaminscottmusic.uk
See our Gregorian Chant CD
