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Choirs & Music at St. Katharine’s
Mrs.Barbara Childs
Organist and Choirmaster for St. Katharine's
Organ Recitals
Saturday 29th Sept - 12 noon - John Belcher - Godalming Parish Church
Saturday 27th Oct - 12 noon - Jonathan Hope - RCM / Frimley Church
Saturday 24th Nov - 12 noon - Stephen Disley - Southwark Cathedral
2008
Saturday 26 Jan - 12 noon - Timothy Byram-Wigfield - St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Saturday 24 Feb - 12 noon - Matthew Jorysz - Winner of Kent County Organists' Assoc.Organ Festival 2007
Saturday 29 Mar - 12 noon - Thomas Corns - Bromley Parish Church
St. Katharine's, Knockholt All at 12 noon. £5 at the door. With video screen presentation.
Details from 01689 853612
The Organ at St. Katharine's
Not many village churches can boast an organ of the quality of the Instrument in St. Katharine's Church, originally built by Percy Daniel and Co. Ltd of Clevedon, Somerset.
Undoubtedly there was an earlier organ but little information can be found, although it is known that it incorporated some pipes from the organ of St. Bartholomew-The-Less (in the grounds of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London) when that organ was replaced in 1825. So it seems safe to assume that these pipes were made in the 1700's and some of the same pipes still form part of today's organ.
The 1934 organ was given by a prominent local family in memory of Peter Smithers, killed at an early age in a riding accident. It is sited in the west end, with the chests of pipes on each side of the console.
In 1998 Martin K. Cross, Organ Builders, restored the 2 manual instrument, moving the blower into the vestry loft and replacing a "Flageolet"" rank with a "Fifteenth". The old pneumatic action, which for years had suffered from the ravages of brittle leathers and hungry mice, was replaced by electro-pneumatic action and a solid state switching system.
The Choir
The 4 part choir sings at the main services covering a wide range of music. The weekly practice is on Wednesdays from 6.45 - 7.45pm in the Church. We sing at events organised by the Rochester Diocesan Music Committee and Churches Together in Sevenoaks. An annual event with a strong following of people is Carols in Arthur's Coffee Shop at Coolings Nurseries and the money raised is donated to "Demelza Children's Hospice". We enjoy lighter times together including a Christmas Meal, a summer gathering and a monthly chat after choir practice in the local hostelry.
The Choir sponsors a boy "Goodwell" in Malawi who lives in one of the SOS Villages there and we enjoy hearing about him and receiving the occasional letter and photo.
We would welcome new members into our ranks and it is also hoped to have a few young singers (8+) who would sing at our Family Service on the 4th Sunday at 10.30am. Please phone for further details.
Goodwell
Concerts at St. Katharine's
For the past 6 years we have had a series of concerts from September through to March. These originated with 6 organ recitals in celebration of the fact that we had managed to have our organ restored The following year we widened our horizons and have had a range of different instruments, jazz and ensembles.
We now have a most valuable contact with Trinity College of Music in London with 4th year post-graduate performing students filling our programme. The concerts are on the last Saturday of the month at 12 noon and will start again in the autumn. A glass of wine and a warm welcome awaits you!!
For further details of anything from the above, please contact the Organist and Choirmaster, Mrs Barbara Childs on 01689 853612.
