Music occupies a very special place in the life of our community. We sing because there are some things which cannot be conveyed by words alone: those who have experienced the joy of God’s saving help cannot help but break into song! As important as music is to us at St. Andrew’s, you will find that it is intimately bound up with the liturgy; even the most elaborate and festive pieces are not reserved for concert performances but are presented within the context of a worship service.

The most important group of music-makers at St. Andrew’s is the entire congregation, which sings a number of hymns and pieces of service music in every liturgy. In this choir of the whole assembly, every voice is indispensable, whether sweet, shrill, strong, shy, shaky, or sure. Just as we all have a place at God’s table, we all have a song to sing.

The vested choirs, organist, and other musical forces serve first of all to lead and assist the congregation, and then to offer gifts of beauty which their talents, training, and time allow them to give. The whole congregation shares in these gifts by actively listening to and praying along with the choral and instrumental musicians.

When we sing together in worship, we unite our congregation not only with itself, but with other communities of faith, with angels and archangels, with matriarchs and patriarchs, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, with saints past, present, and future-indeed, with all creation-in the unending song of praise and thanksgiving to our God.*

*Used with permission by Dr. Russell Schulz Professor of music at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX.

Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024

It's been called the Rolls Royce of organs, and the baby sister of the Mormon Tabernacle and St. John the Divine organs.

The Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024 was born in Boston, Massachusetts, during the summer of 1941, under the guiding hand of G. Donald Harrison. In 1942 it became the showpiece organ at the University of Texas and the landmark instrument for the Aeolian-Skinner company. But after nearly forty years of service, the University virtually mothballed the organ and left it silent until Dr. Robert Rapp learned that St. Andrew’s had lost its organ in the terrible fire of February 11, 1996, and he went to work to find a new home for the magnificent, but neglected, organ languishing in Austin. After prayerful consideration the Clergy, the Vestry and the parishioners of St. Andrew’s decided to buy and restore the Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1024.

It has 6,246 pipes, 103 ranks and 83 voices. The console alone weighs approximately 1,500 pounds, the largest pipe is a 32-foot contra bourdon that weighs another 500 pounds, and there are 11 windchests that each weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. It makes music with a 15-horsepower blower.

It took over two years for Schoenstein and Company to restore it, but in September of 2004, the organ and 6,246 pipes came home to St. Andrew’s. Installation took a crew of six is working from 6 in the morning until 6 in the night, five days a week, and from 6 to noon on Saturday for two months. Tonal finishing took another several months. Parishioners heard about 25 percent of the organ for the first time on St. Andrew’s Day in 2004. On March 31, 2005 the Choir from Christ’s Church, Oxford, England, performed the inaugural concert with the organ.

Ever since St. Andrew's installed its 6,700-plus pipe organ, organists worldwide have petitioned to play it.

"This organ has its own pedigree," said Margaret Lacy, director of music ministries at St. Andrew's. "It's famous in its own right."

"All the musicians we've had want to come back," Lacy said. "They think this organ is fabulous and they love the Amarillo audience."

"This organ and space have attracted performers that have never come to Amarillo before," Lacy said. "It brings an entirely different kind of top-quality music here."

"This organ has an excellent quality, one of the top five in the U.S.," said Volodymyr Koshuba, chief organist of the National House of Organ and Chamber Music in Kiev. "Many musicians try to play here, and I'm honored."

Timeline

Feb. 11, 1996 - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church burns down

June 15, 1998 - Workers begin dismantling the organ at the University of Texas in Austin.

June 30, 1998 - Organ arrives; stored at BSA St. Anthony's campus while parts were restored.

Aug. 11, 2002 - First service held in rebuilt church.

Oct. 16, 2002 - The new church building, which was built with the organ in mind, is dedicated and consecrated.

Sept. 13, 2004 - Restoration is finished and installation begins at St. Andrew's.

June 3, 2005 - Dedicatory Concert on the finished organ.click here for text of program

Evensong
Originating with the synagogue evening prayer, Evensong is one of the oldest traditions of the church. By the fourth century Evensong was celebrated in the cathedrals and larger parish churches of the Christian world. Prayer and praise were the essence of this office, which by their nature were musical. The distinctive feature of Evening Prayer was the Lucernarium, or lampighting, with its hymn of praise, Phos hilaron or hymn of Light. The reading of Scripture was followed by the singing of the Gospel canticles Magnificat (song of Mary) and the Nunc Dimitis (song of Simeon) from the Gospel of St. Luke. Evensong is a brief service that is very beautiful. If you have never experienced evensong please treat yourself to this holy and peaceful close of the day and beginning of your week.

Opportunities to share your talent.

St. Andrew’s Chancel Choir is open to all ages from 8th grade – adult. It rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00p.m.-9:00p.m in St. Cecelia (downstairs in Lowndes Hall) and leads the 10:30 a.m. worship every Sunday from September through June. If you enjoy singing we would love to have you in this ministry.

St. Andrew’s Ringers is a 5 octave handbell choir that rehearses in the Nave on Thursdays from 6:00p.m.-7:00p.m. from September to June. If you read music and have a desire to be a part of this ministry as a regular ringer or substitute please contact Margaret Lacy or anyone in the Bell Choir.

Instrumentalists:

We love using everyone’s gifts so if you play an instrument and would like to offer it for a special piece or service please let us know.

Here are just a few of our musical parishioners:

For the not so musically inclined:

The Music department always needs volunteers for administrative assistance and hospitality. If you would be willing to help with either of these please contact Margaret Lacy.

A new ministry is evolving around the recording equipment just authorized by the vestry. If you can record, work with a computer, print labels for a CD, or print CD’s and would be willing to attend a training session in the please contact Margaret Lacy.

Special Events/Artists:

Our Evensong/Concert series starts with an art exhibit that opens at 4:00 p.m. in the Nave. Evensong begins at 5:00 p.m. with a 30 minute concert following at 5:30 p.m. Afterwards, a light supper reception in the parish hall brings a fitting close to the evening. If you would like to exhibit your art during one of these Evensongs please contact Sara Adamchak

Easter at St. Andrew’s
coming soon

Christmas at St. Andrew’s
coming soon

Concerts

Along with the world renowned organists and instrumentalists, we have had the distinct honor and pleasure of hosting some local and international vocalists including: