Music at St Barnabas
St Barnabas has a thriving music programme which provides engaging and exciting music for our weekly worship.
We draw on the rich musical heritage of the Anglo-Catholic movement and the Anglican choral tradition. Through our music we strive to be inclusive, to foster musical talent of all ages and abilities, and to support the church’s values of encouragement, timeless beauty, and compassion.
Our new Henry Willis Organ installation in 2025 will provide further exciting opportunities for musical education and outreach.
The Schola
The Schola Cantorum is a mixed-ability group. It consists of adult volunteers and younger choral scholars drawn from the parish and further afield. This choir sings from September until the middle of July, and their repertoire consists of a broad range of music from plainsong to works by contemporary composers. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to come along at any stage in the year and try it out. There is no formal audition process. The Schola Cantorum rehearses on Sunday mornings before Mass, from 9.15am.
Choristers
The Choristers welcomes both girls aged 7 – 16 years and boys aged 7 until their voices break (after which they can join the alto tenor or bass section)
This choir is ideal for children who would like to develop their musical skills by learning from the church choir tradition, and be introduced to the beauty of sacred music. It is also a good place to make new friends, socialise, and experience singing in a beautiful and inspiring place. Our rehearsals aim to be fun, challenging, and full of learning. It is ideal for busy parents and busy children!
The choristers sing at a Sunday morning service once a month, and at major festivals and services throughout the year. Choristers rehearse with the Schola Cantorum on Sunday mornings from 9.45am when they are singing, and weekly on Friday evenings during school term time during which they receive vocal training and theory tuition. We follow the RSCM Voice for Life programme. Choristers receive pocket money.
Please contact our Director of Music if you’re son or daughter would like to try the choristers.
Our musical vision
The mission of our youth singing work is to enrich and strengthen the musical life of the neighbourhood of Jericho and the City of Oxford by:
Providing a variety of choral experiences and opportunities to children aged 7–16;
Offering the chance to encounter the transformative power of choral singing;
Bringing together people of different ages, background, and abilities to develop team skills;
Creating a space for encouragement and the development of musical skill and knowledge.
Our vision is a dynamic musical community in the heart of Jericho, rooted in the musical heritage of the Anglican church, that enriches the neighbourhood and promotes music as a powerful and transforming experience.
Our core values
Our core values are
To strive for excellence through hard work, fun, and, team work
Accessibility to choral repertoire, our church’s space, friendships
To explore how choral music can help develop spiritual sensibility
Positivity through learning and achieving good things together
Diversity not just in repertoire but also in the people with whom we interact through music.
Musical education
Organ Scholarships
We currently offer the Montague Noel Organ Scholarship, generously supported by:
The Ouseley Church Music Trust and
The Williams Church Music Trust
and an anonymous donor.
The current holder of the Organ Scholarship is Saralynn Culpepper who is in sixth form at Magdalen College School, Oxford.
Saralynn began learning the organ with us as a first instrument in 2018, and makes a significant contribution to our Sunday worship.
We are delighted to educate organ and choral scholars from the city of Oxford. Our educational work exists to instil a love and appreciation for church music in young people so that we can foster and encourage the next generation of church musician
Choral Scholarships
We have choral scholarships available in all parts to men and women from the ages of about 16 upwards. Choral Scholarships are worth £800 per year in return for a weekly commitment to our Sunday Mass.
To find out more about the terms of the choral scholarships, please contact Esther Bersweden, our Director of Music