Music

St Augustine said "Those who sing pray twice". The most casual visitor to the chapel quickly realises that people at Westcott pray twice a great deal of the time. The use of music plays an enormously important part in chapel worship, enabling us to engage our whole selves in prayer, uniting our heads and our hearts in God's praise.

We aim to ensure that as wide a range of different musical resources are used as possible; hymnody, worship songs, Taize and Iona, music from the world Church, Anglican chant and many other styles and formats all make their appearance from time to time. The House boasts both members of the highest musical ability and others who, prior to their arrival here, have not sung or played in public for years. Everyone is encouraged to bring the gifts they have and to see their time at Westcott as an opportunity to grow, participate, experiment, change and learn. We have a Chapel Choir, a Gospel Choir, and a variety of instrumental groups. A pipe organ has recently been installed which is greatly enhancing the House’s worship and All Saints Church, next door, also has an organ which we use when we worship in the church.

Each year, two members of the student body are charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating chapel music. These chapel musicians will help students find that hymn, advise about choices of music that reflect what they want to say, and help them discover a world of musical resources that they never knew existed. Working together, our aim is that worship in Westcott chapel sings out to God the very best of praises that we can sound.