Choral Evensong at Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle
FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH, OCTOBER–JUNE, 4:30 P.M., in person in the cathedral nave, and livestreamed
The ancient practice of singing evening prayers is a longstanding practice in many Christian traditions. In English cathedrals, this practice developed, through the centuries, into a special sung service, and today Choral Evensong is a treasure among Christian liturgies and a jewel of the Anglican choral tradition.
The Saint Mark’s Evensong Choir, an intergenerational choir of children, teenagers, and adults, offers this beautiful service once a month. All are welcome.
About the Evensong Choir
This intergenerational ensemble consists of the most advanced Senior Choristers and members of the Schola of the Choir School, select auditioned adult singers. (The adult singers of the Evensong Choir are required to be members of Saint Mark’s Cathedral Choir or Compline Choir, unless they are professionally engaged as singers or directors in other churches on Sunday mornings.)
In addition to their monthly offering of Choral Evensong in the English Cathedral tradition, they also sing occasional special liturgies, including The Pageant of the Nativity, the 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service, and Tenebrae on Wednesday in Holy Week.
Evensong Services, 2024–25
SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 – Service of Gratitude for the Ministry of Bishop Provisional Melissa Skelton
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 – The Welcome & Seating of the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia
OCTOBER 6, 2024 – Celebrating Francis and Clare of Assisi
NOVEMBER 3, 2024 – The Feast of All Saints (transferred)
[On December 1, 2024, Evensong is replaced by the annual “O” Antiphons Advent liturgy]
JANUARY 5, 2025 – The Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany
FEBRUARY 2, 2025 – The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candelmas)
MARCH 2, 2025 – The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
APRIL 6, 2025 – The Fifth Sunday in Lent
MAY 4, 2025 – The Third Sunday of Easter
JUNE 1, 2025 – The Feast of the Visitation (transferred)
Evensong Choir Pilgrimage
In the summer of 2018, The Evensong Choir served as Choir-in-Residence at Ely Cathedral, and at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. During these residencies, the choir sang the daily evensong service, in addition to the Sunday service of Holy Communion. On a day off from singing at Saint Paul's, they were honored to sing one service of evensong in Canterbury Cathedral, in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Just Welby (pictured).
The choir then made its second trip to England in August of 2022, serving residencies in the cathedrals of Chichester and Bristol. (A significant portion of the funds for this trip came from everyone in our cathedral community who participated in the Hymnathon, Cabaret, and Psalmathon fundraisers held within the past eight months, for which the choir expresses its more sincere thanks.) This experience was transformative both musically and spiritually for all the members of the choir—
children, youth, and adults—and we look forward to repeating the experience approximately every three years.