Church Music

Philip Crozier

Philip Crozier, Director of Music

Philip Crozier was appointed Organist and Director of Music at St. James United Church in 1986. Born in England, he began learning the piano at six, the organ at sixteen and was a treble chorister in Blackburn and Carlisle Cathedral choirs. In 1979 he graduated from Cardiff University where he was awarded the Glynne Jones Prize for Organ in 1978 and 1979 and pursued further studies in Paris with André Marchal. Philip Crozier has given recitals extensively in Europe and North America. In 1984 he moved to Canada and married Sylvie Poirier, an organist and painter, with whom he formed an organ duo team in 1990, becoming known internationally through their concert career and commissioning of organ duets by composers from Canada and abroad and the release of recordings which include most recently CDs of solo organ works by Petr Eben. A recording of Philip playing the organs of St. James was released in December 2009.

The Organ

The main church organ is a four-manual, 64-stop instrument with almost 4000 pipes, originally constructed in 1891 by Wadsworth and Sons. It still has the original pipes. Further work was done on it in the early 20th century by Warren Brothers, the great early Canadian organ builders. But it was completely rebuilt in 1938 by Casavant Freres who continue to maintain the instrument. Great musicians like E. Power Biggs, Simon Preston, Fernando Germani and André Marchal have performed at St. James and Lynnwood Farnham, Raymond Daveluy and Bernard Lagacé had their Montreal debuts here.

More information about the organ is also available.

The last major rebuild of the main organ was in 1938. A complete restoration is now necessary and planned, costing almost $1 million. You can help. Click here to make a donation to the Organ Fund of St. James United Church.

In September 2004, the church acquired from Erskine and American church a fine modern chamber organ made by Karl Wilhelm of suburban St-Hilaire. This small instrument is used frequently in worship and in concert. See the technical Specifications of the chamber organ.

Philip Crozier, our organist and director of music, plays both church organs throughout the year. In addition, the St. James Music Program’s Summer Recital Series draws a variety of organists and other musicians from Montreal and abroad for our free Tuesday lunchtime concerts in June, July and August. A schedule of the 2010 summer recital series is available on our news page. And for years, the St. James organs have been featured in the Nuit Blanche and Orgues et couleurs festivities. For news reports (in French) about our organ concerts at St. James click here.

From September until the end of April, the church’s Open Door Program in cooperation with Chamber Music Without Borders affiliated with the Schulich School of Music at McGill University organizes a series of free lunchtime concerts as well. Chamber Music Without Borders also plays for the St. James Drop-In Centre and does workshops with the Every Kid Choir. For a report on a CMWB concert click here.

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This is a sample of the music played at St. James by Chamber Music Without Borders. This is a movement from the String Quartet in C-, D.703 ('Quartett-Satz') composed by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828) as played by The Roddick String Quartet: (Ewald Cheung and Aaron Schwebel, violins; Isaac Chalk, viola; and Yoona Jhon, cello) which performed several times in the church during CMWB’s first concert season.

Chamber Music Without Borders also brought to St. James The Bombadils, a lively six-piece Celtic group that has made several noon-hour appearances at the church and has also performed at the St. James Drop-In Center and in our annual Christmas concert. Here they are playing Twins and Jack. It's on their website with other tunes at www.thebombadils.com.
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To contact Chamber Music Without Borders, their email address is info@cmwbmcgill.org. Also see their Facebook page.

In addition to these events with Chamber Music Without Borders, the summer organ recital series and the other occasional St. James choir or organ concerts, the Open Door Program also hosts a number of weekend musical performances throughout the year.

Jean-Sébastien Allaire

Jean-Sébastien Allaire, Choral Director

Originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec, Jean-Sébastien Allaire studied violin for nearly ten years. He was a chorister and soloist with Les Petits Chanteurs de Trois-Rivières before turning his attention to vocal training. As a singer, he has been heard many times on CBC Radio and La Société Radio-Canada. With a widely varied vocal repertoire, ranging from early and baroque to contemporary music, Jean-Sébastien Allaire has performed with renowned ensembles such as Musica Intima, the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal (SMAM), Les idées Heureuses, Viva Voce, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and Les Violons du Roy. He has toured in Canada, the United-States, France and Mexico.

Upon the completion of his Master’s Degree in Conducting from McGill University (2000), scholarships from the Fondation Marie-Claude Desloges and the Austrian Society allowed him to continue his artistic education in Graz, Austria. Upon his return he accepted positions in Concordia University’s music department (2001) and as Choral Conductor and Professor of Conducting at Carleton University (2005). He has also held positions as Artistic Director of Ensemble Vocal Musica Viva (1999-2006), as Assistant Artistic Director for SMAM (2001-2006) and acted as Music Director at Erskine & American United Church (2001-2004). He was appointed Choral Director at St. James in September 2004. In 2007, he conducted SMAM at the Montreal High Lights Festival and in 2008, he conducted the innovative and accomplished Thirteen Strings Orchestra of Ottawa.

Most recently, JSA has emerged as a studio conductor with the Cirque du Soleil on soundtracks for two productions — namely KÀ and ZED. His efficiency, imagination and exuberance have found him in several recording studios in Montreal and in Slovakia where he directed on many occasions the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra.

Jean-Sébastien's personal site

The Choir of St. James United Church, Montreal, comprising from about 20 to about 30 mixed voices, enjoys a long musical tradition. The choir includes music students, professional singers and members of the church and wider community who meet together twice a week in the winter and once a week from May to September. In addition to leading congregational singing at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday worship services and others at the request of the church Session throughout the year. The choir presents a wide repertory of anthems and introits from the Renaissance to the Contemporary. It also performs in occasional concerts including the church’s annual Christmas Benefit Concert with the Peoples Gospel Choir and the Every Kid Choir. Our program provides occasional music courses at all levels for those who wish to advance their skills. Choir rehearsals are on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9:45 a.m. between September and May and at 9:45 am on Sundays from May to September. For further information, please contact the Music Department (514) 288-9245 james@qc.aibn.com.

Every Kid Choir: St-James United Church and Montreal City Mission are joining together to develop a multi-faith multi-ethic choir for children between the ages of 8 and 13 years old. Rehearsals are Sundays from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. Snacks and refreshments will be provided at each practice. Call the church office at 288-9245 or Jen at 844-9128 for more information.

The People's Gospel Choir of Montreal, under the direction of Mr. Kim Sherwood was born in 1992 out of love for gospel music and a desire to transcend differences through the power of the good news in song. Under the musical direction of Kim Sherwood, the choir embraces and embodies the cultural, racial and religious diversity our city offers. The choir rehearses at St. James on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, performs frequently in worship and in concerts at the church has raised funds for the Montreal City Mission and the St. James Drop-In Centre.

The choir released its first CD (recorded live at St. James United) and received a Vibe Award for best Urban/Soul Album of the year. Most of the music was written and arranged by the Musical director and Founder of the People's Gospel Choir, Mr. Kim Sherwood. Most recently the choir has sung with Patti Labelle and the Montreal International Jazz Festival and sang at the installation ceremony of Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada between 2005 and 2010.

Performing for you allows us to push ourselves beyond the limits, to let you in on the fun we experience when we sing, and to share our enthusiasm for the gospel. If only one of you experiences the rewards of the gospel during our performance, we will be overjoyed.

See their Facebook page.