Current Events

Heritage Open Days is England's largest community led festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE. No need to pre-book.

Find out more about the Heritage Open Days HERE.

German hymnody is one of the richest traditions in sacred music, and a jewel in European literary and musical culture. We meet again to sing a selection of classics from the last 500 years, in German, in this almost perfect setting. Full music and texts will be provided. As in previous years, we will enjoy a short recital on the chapel’s historic organ. Our guest organist is James Carpenter FRCO.
Our speaker this year will be Henrike Lähnemann, Professor of Mediaeval German at the University of Oxford, and Fellow of St Edmund Hall.

Come and take this rare opportunity to sing these wonderful hymns in German, in London, and to enrich your knowledge of this beautiful tradition.

A choir assembled for the occasion will perform a short choral piece. If you would like to sing with the choir please let us know in advance, and be ready to arrive early for rehearsal.

This event will be in-person at St George's and online. Download the music booklet from here if you wish to take part remotely.

Register here to pre-purchase your ticket. You can also pay at the door (cash or card).

On the first Saturday of each month at 6pm, please join us for an evening of music, played on our historic Organ.

STEVEN GRAHL is a sought-after conductor and keyboard player. He is Director of Music at Trinity College, Cambridge, Conductor of Schola Cantorum of Oxford (University of Oxford Chamber Choir), and Artistic Director of Oxford Bach Soloists. Steven is active as a guest conductor, as an organ recitalist and accompanist, and as a teacher.

No need to book. Please contribute to the retiring collection. 

Philip Norman was introduced to Messiah in December 1960. "It's a great choral work," he was told, "you should go and hear it." He knew all about choirs: he'd been in one for three months.

Well, "a great choral work??" It started off with a long piece for orchestra and then someone stood up and sang about geography. At last, the choir was let loose, but they seemed to be singing different things and words at the same time, so it was all very confusing. Eventually they finished - so good. The time elapsed was about the same as that of an episode of Robin Hood on ITV Children's Television, so he was fully prepared to leave, be given a lemonade and iced bun in Liverpool Street station restaurant - and home. Well, it went on and on, and by time it had finished there was no time for the bun.

Sixty six years later, Philip (former organist of St Marien mit St Georg in London and Kantor of Orkdal Kommune in Norway) has deeper insights to reveal. He'll look at the sixteenth century Italian roots from which Messiah grew, compare it to other blooms in the Handel garden, and then see where the winds of time blew the seeds.

The talk includes audio examples. Be prepared!! If Philip forgets to keep an eye on the clock, he could go on for 70-75 minutes.

This event will be in-person at St George's and online via Zoom. If you wish to watch online, please register here to get the Zoom link. The same link can be used to pre-purchase your ticket if you plan to attend the talk at St George's in person. You can also pay at the door (cash or card).