St John's strives to combine the best of contemporary liturgy with the highest quality music. Music is important to us: whether it be choral and instrumental music during the liturgy, or energetic hymn-singing by the congregation, St John's is a singing church!

Our liturgy is based in the Book of Alternative Services (1985), and music for worship is taken from the broad repertoire of sacred music, representing everything from renaissance and baroque motets to contemporary spirituals and songs of praise.

A History of Music at St John's

Dr Gordon Johnston has written an extensive history of music at St Johns which encompasses 5 webpages and includes numerous historic photos:

A History of Music at St John's

OUR ORGANS

The beautiful pipe organ organ at the front of St John's Church is a two-manual, 21 stop mechanical-action instrument built in 1977 by the firm of Gabriel Kney & Co. of London, Ontario. In 2010, a three-manual digital organ was installed to increase the variety of sounds available. Both organs are used in worship, depending on which instrument sounds better for the style of music being played.

Although the acoustic in St John's is dry due to the porous wood panelling on the walls, the organs sound good because of the warm voicing, and because they are located within the nave of the church, to the left of the chancel, beside the north transept.

We are justifiably proud of our organs and so have added a separate Organ Page with pictures of the organs and their specifications.

OUR CHOIR

The heart of the music ministry at St John's is our choir. Presently 49 members, the choir rehearses Thursday evenings 7:30 to 9:30, often preceded by a half-hour workshop in sight-singing for those who wish to improve their ability to read music. The choir sings the principal service every Sunday from Labour Day to Pentecost, as well as on Holy Days and other special occasions.

In addition, the choir presents two concerts per year with orchestra, and sings special services and/or concerts in other churches. In the summer of 1994, our choir went on its first foreign concert tour, singing in such locations as St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and Westminster Abbey. The choir has released several professional recordings.

Membership in the choir is open to all. The ability to read music is essential. For information about joining the choir, please contact Gordon Johnston.

St John's Choir

There are more photos of our choir on
The Choir Page

Gordon Johnston
Our Organist and Choir Director

Did you know that the psalms we sing every Sunday are composed especially by Gordon Johnston? The whole church can now sing along with St John's, as three volumes of Gordon's psalm music have been published by the Anglican Book Centre, the publishing arm of the Anglican Church of Canada. The four volumes (one each for Years A, B and C, and one for Feasts and Holy Days) are available in Anglican bookstores across the country. Since the fall of 2008, we have been singing new psalms whose texts are taken from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill. These beautiful contemporary psalm paraphrases shine new light into familiar texts. Gordon is presently preparing these musical settings for publication.

Gordon Johnston is also the Director of Music for the Anglican Community at Saint Paul University. He teaches music and liturgics to students who are preparing for ordination as Anglican priests and to lay people who are learning to lead worship. He is also responsible for providing music for the Anglican celebrations of the Eucharist at the University, both the weekly Thursday noon celebrations as well as early morning Eucharists which are held on Holy Days and feasts of the BVM. He brings the zeal of a musical missionary to the task of encouraging students and clergy-in-training as they become familiar with our Canadian Anglican hymnal, Common Praise.

Gordon holds a Doctorate in Sacred Music, summa cum laude from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Indiana, USA. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and is the Chairman of the College's Board of Examiners. All in all, he's totally nuts about church music!

HANDBELLS

St John's has a beautiful three-octave set of english handbells made by Schulmerich Bell Company. Bells are often used to accompany parts of the liturgy, or for solo pieces. The handbell ensemble rehearses every Monday morning. They perform regularly in Sunday worship, as well as participating in concerts and special services.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

We are blessed at St John's with several talented instrumental musicians in our parish family. With our strong emphasis on classical music, we often include instrumental music (brass, flute, violin, harp, etc.) within the various services. Meditation time during our monthly services for people concerned with AIDS is often accompanied by music provided by instrumentalists or guest choirs.

CONCERTS

St John's is a popular location for concerts and recitals. It is well known as the birthplace of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. As well, throughout the year various groups and individuals present concerts at St John's.

St John's is also home to The Strings of St Johns, a 20-member chamber orchestra. Each season the orchestra gives four concerts at St Johns and at various other venues throughout the National Capital region. You can find more details about this orchestra and their concert series at their web page.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

St John's musical outreach consists not only of our choir going out to other churches, but also a number of community choirs rehearse at St. John's. These include the Saint Cecilia Singers; the Ottawa Gay Men's Chorus; the Ottawa Bach Choir; the Ottawa Celtic Choir; In Harmony, a Women's Chorus; and Tone Cluster (quite a queer choir). The second floor of the church office wing is devoted to music rooms -- and with singers and instrumentalists rehearsing during the day and choirs in the evening, there is always a joyful noise!

For more information about any of the above musical activities
please contact our Organist and Choirmaster
Gordon Johnston by e-mail
or by phone: 613-232-4553 ext 11

Visit our Organ Page

Visit The Strings of St Johns web site.

Visit the Royal Canadian College of Organists site on the Web.