A Joyful Noise: Serving Through Song

By Tom Hammond-Davies, Director of Music

When the clear voices of our Choristers ring out across the church, most people think of music. In truth, what they are hearing is service.

At Saint Michael and All Angels, the Chorister Program is about far more than beautiful singing. It forms young disciples who learn, from an early age, what it means to offer their time, talents, and whole selves in service to God and neighbor. These children are learning the skills to lead worship and to represent the parish in the wider community, and I believe their ministry is a living expression of what it means to serve.

CALLED TO SERVE BEYOND OUR WALLS

In July 2026, the Choristers will take this ministry across the Atlantic to sing as the resident choir at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. This extraordinary invitation is the fruit of years of hard work and commitment—week by week, rehearsal by rehearsal—here in Dallas.

The invitation to sing at St Paul’s Cathedral is a profound honor. For one week next summer, our Choristers will take their place in one of the world’s most iconic sacred spaces, offering daily Evensong and Sunday Eucharist at the heart of the Anglican Communion. Their voices will echo beneath Wren’s great dome (up to 11 seconds!), continuing a centuries-old tradition of musical worship in that space.

OUR SONG

The ambition to go to St Paul’s began here at Saint Michael, in a room shaped by vision, generosity, and faith. The Chorister Program, relaunched in 2018 thanks to the support of generous donors, has grown steadily over the past seven years. What was once a small handful of young singers is now a vibrant ensemble of boys and girls, steeped in the richness of Anglican liturgy, musical excellence, and the rhythms of the church year. We follow the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) training scheme, marking progress through colored ribbons and rites of passage like ‘Surplicing’. The Choristers serve regularly at monthly Evensongs, feast day liturgies, and across a wide variety of services, including Shrove Tuesday, Christmas Lessons and Carols, and the joyful chaos of the Blessing of the Animals!

Choristers has helped me become the person that I am in music, faith, and character and it has helped me grow into the artist that I am today.

Taylor Brooks

OUR CALLING

These children are indeed learning music at the highest level. But they are also being formed as disciples. Week by week, these young people offer their time and talent in the worship of God, and, in doing so, they begin to understand that what they sing is not performance, but prayer. They learn to listen deeply, to collaborate, to lead with humility, and to show up when it matters most. In a culture of busyness and distraction, this rhythm of service grounds them.

I think that the sense of belonging that comes from this shared purpose is extraordinary. Choristers support one another not only musically, but emotionally and spiritually. They form deep friendships, develop resilience, and grow in confidence. Whether it’s the thrill of singing a solo for the first time, conquering nerves on the Big Swing at Chorister Camp, or simply showing up on a Wednesday afternoon after a long school day—they are becoming who they are meant to be.

This is formation in the richest sense: nurturing spiritual maturity through habit, beauty, and sacred responsibility. It deepens their commitment to faith and shapes who they are, wherever life takes them.

As it forms individuals, the Chorister Program is also shaping the life of our parish and wider community. On any given Sunday, these young people might be leading worship in the Traditional 9 a.m. Eucharist, offering an anthem in the 11 a.m. Contemporary Service, or standing shoulder to shoulder with our professional singers at 4 p.m. Evensong. They sing at North Park Mall during Advent, serve as ambassadors to neighboring churches such as St Christopher’s Episcopal Church, and bring joy to visitors and regular worshipers alike.

To make this possible, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers invest countless hours behind the scenes. We rely on the generosity of parishioners who give, serve, and support this ministry with quiet faithfulness. Every scholarship gift opens the door for a child to participate, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Every act of service—ushering or reading at a service, providing rehearsal snacks, or chaperoning rehearsals, outings, and tours—deepens the roots of our community.

OUR FUTURE

The invitation to serve as the resident choir at St Paul’s Cathedral in London is a tremendously important milestone, but it also is a marker of who we are becoming. It signals that Saint Michael is a place where children are taken seriously as ministers of music and faith. It shows that we are nurturing excellence, yes, but also joy, resilience, and Christian discipleship. This tour is the fruit of several years of careful cultivation, and it is also the seedbed for what we hope to grow.

Over the coming years, I dream of expanding the program to include annual tours—alternating between domestic and international destinations—while building connections with other choirs, schools, and institutions. I envision a world in which Saint Michael’s Choristers are not only leaders in worship, but also bearers of hope, healing, and beauty wherever they go. From the youngest Probationer learning their first psalm to the Senior Chorister preparing to sing in one of the world’s most iconic cathedrals, each child brings something irreplaceable. And every voice that supports them, whether through financial giving, time, or prayer, plays a vital part in this unfolding story.

Serving in the SMAA chorister program taught me the transformative power of music as both a spiritual discipline and a form of service. The program developed my artistic skills and confidence while shaping my character through leadership—taking responsibility for others’ growth and contributing to a legacy that extends far beyond myself. I’m forever grateful to have participated in such an exceptional program.

Brayden Girata

YOUR VOICE IN THEIR JOURNEY

To Give is to invest in the future of our church: to provide scholarships, underwrite tours, support our professional staff, and sustain the practical and pastoral needs of the program.

To Serve is to step into the life of this ministry: offering your time, your gifts, or your encouragement in whatever way you can. However, it’s expressed, contribution is an act of discipleship.

This Fall, as we prepare for our residency at St Paul’s Cathedral, I invite you to walk with us. Donate to the Chorister Scholarship Fund. Invite a young person to join. Share our music on social media. Come to Evensong. Sign up to volunteer. Tell a friend. Your support—your song—can shape a journey of faith that echoes far beyond these walls.

The sound of transformation is rising. Lend your voice and make it stronger.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

To explore ways you can serve, including by joining as a Chorister, email Catherine Seveney, Coordinator for Music and Choristers, cseveney@saintmichael.org.