Wedding Music at St Peter's

Information for Prospective Brides and Grooms

Music clearly forms an important part of your wedding. As part of the preparation for your wedding day, you will need to give some thought to the music that you would like during the wedding sevice. This page is designed to help you with that process.

What do we you to decide?

The fee for an organist is included in the wedding fee charged by the church. The church's organist, Rhys Arvidson, will normally be available to play for weddings. Rhys's contact details are set out at the bottom of this information page. You should contact him to discuss your choices and, if you want, to arrange an appointment to discuss your wedding music. If Rhys is not available, a competent alternative organist can be arranged.

You will need to choose:

• Music for the entry of the bride;
• Hymns (if desired) to be sung during the wedding service;
• Music for the signing of the register
• Music for the exit of the married couple.

The choice of music is a matter for you. Some suggestions are set out below, but if you have alternative choices you should feel free to discuss these with the organist. If you are unfamiliar with the suggested choices, you may find that CDs of popular wedding music (which are readily available) inform your choice. Youtube is also a handy point of reference. You can also arrange an appointment with the organist who will be happy to play you a selection of music to assist you with your choice. This service is included in the fee.

Suggested music for the entry of the bride

Prince of Denmark's March Trumpet Tune Prelude (from Te Deum) La Marche Bridal March (from Lohengrin) Canon in D

Jeremiah Clarke Henry Purcell Marc-Antoine Charpentier George Friderick Handel Richard Wagner Johann Pachelbel

Suggested music for the signing of the register

Air (from Suite No. 3) Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Ave Maria Ave Maria Air (from Water Music) Arioso

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach J S Bach/C Gounod Franz Schubert George Friderick Handel Johann Sebastian Bach

Suggested music for the exit of the married couple

Salut d'Amour Arrival of the Queen of Sheba Wedding March   (from A Midsummer Night's Dream) March Prelude in E flat (BWV 552a) First Mvt from Concerto in A minor

Edward Elgar George Friderick Handel Felix Mendelssohn Henry Purcell Johann Sebastian Bach A Vivaldi/J S Bach

Hymns

The list of hymns is fairly endless! If considering hymns in the wedding service we would suggest choosing hymns that your friends and family are likely to know and join in singing. It is also possible to arrange for the choir or soloist to help lead the singing (see below). If you do not have any favourites you may wish to discuss some appropriate hymns with the organist and/or the priest celebrating your wedding. As a starting point, some possiblities are suggested here:

Joyful, joyful we adore thee God is love Moring has broken Love divine, all loves excelling Guide me, O thou great Redeemer Be thou my vision

(TIS 152) (TIS 153) (TIS 156) (TIS 217) (TIS 569) (TIS 547)

Other music

The organist will generally play for about 15 minutes before the service as your guests arrive. If you have any music that you would particularly like to be played, please discuss this with the organist.

Is a choir or other vocalist available?

Many couples choose to engage the services of the church's choir or a solo vocalist. The choir/vocalist can both perform an anthem during the service (usually during the signing of the registers) and provide some hearty support during the hymns. Specific arrangements should be discussed with the Assistand Director of Music, Susan Wuttke, whose contact details are set out below. By way of guidance, the following is available:

Choir

St Peter's has a very competent mixed voice adult choir. You can hear the choir sing at High Mass (11.00am) every Sunday. You are encouraged to come to a service and listen to their talented singing in the liturgical context.

The fee for the choir varies depending on how many singers are required. A choir of 4 or 8 is normally sufficient for a wedding. The choir is able to sing both before and during the service. Generally, the choir will provide support during the hymns and perform one or two anthems. The choir has an extensive repertoire, but specializes in a capella music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The Assistant Director of Music and/or the Organist will be happy to discuss any specific requests you have, or to make some appropriate suggestions if you have no particular preference.

The fee for the choir is not included in the Church's wedding fee. You should discuss fee arrangements with the Assistant Director of Music or the Organist, as the fee will depend on the number of choristers and the amount of music that you wish them to perform. By way of guidance, the fee for a choir of 4 choristers performing up to 2 anthems is $400.

Vocalist

Either as an alternative, or in addition to the choir, you may wish to engage a solo vocalist. A solo vocalist will generally perform one or two pieces of music with the organ during the signing of the registers. A vocalist of each voice part is available and there is a wide range of music possible. If you would like some suggestions, please speak to the Assistant Director of Music or the Organist. The fee for a solo vocalist is $200.

Contact Details

Organist

Rhys Arvidson (0405 277 853)

Assistant Director of Music

Susan Wuttke (0422 866 286)

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