Prep school choristers to sing at Farm Street Church

Two dozen boy choristers from a Jesuit preparatory school will be singing at Sunday Mass this weekend at one of central London's most famous churches.

The boys - aged between eight and 13 - from St John's Beaumont in Berkshire have been invited to provide the choral music at the Family Mass (9.30am) on Sunday, 27 April, at Farm Street Church in Mayfair.  They will be singing the Kyrie from the Messe Basse by Gabriel Fauré, together with the Sanctus and Agnus Dei from Malcolm Archer's Christchurch Mass.  Additionally, the choristers will be singing two anthems: The Lord's My Shepherd by Stuart Townend at the Offertory and Risen Lord by Barry Rose during Communion.

In 2006, the St John's Beaumont Choir performed in Rome as part of the celebrations to mark the 450th anniversary of the death of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  Their tour included a Papal Mass in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and a concert in the Church of St Ignatius.

'We are delighted to welcome the St John's Beaumont choristers, who have such an international reputation for their music,' says parish priest, Father William Pearsall SJ. 'Farm Street Church has a strong liturgical and choral tradition, and we are in the process of establishing a young person's choir.  We hope very much that the Beaumont boys will provide further inspiration for our young parishioners and their parents.'

The St John's Beaumont choristers will be singing under the direction of their choirmaster, Ian Keatley, a graduate of the Royal College of Music where he won the Haigh Performance Prize and was made an Associate of the Royal College of Organists.  He was Organ Scholar at Westminster Abbey from 2004 - 2006, where he played for a number of Royal and State occasions.

'Music forms a very important part of the lives and routines of the boys at St John's Beaumont,' says Ian. 'And we are delighted to be able to take it outside of the school chapel and share it with a wider audience - the congregation at Farm Street Church.  The choristers are particularly looking forward to the opportunity to sing at such a beautiful and renowned venue.'


 Farm Street Church

 St John's Beaumont