Music

Music is an integral part of our worship and identity at Church of the Ascension. Music transcends the temporal, invites us to repentance, voices our thanksgivings, connects us to our past, and inspires us in hope as we walk with Christ into the future. As we offer our instruments and our voices to the glory of God, we obey God’s instructions to lift psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Music ministries at Church of the Ascension provide leadership for worship and offer parishioners the opportunity for Christian service, spiritual growth, and musical education. Music is a unique portal to scriptural teaching, depth, and service for all, including our youngest and oldest participants. Through commitment and rehearsal, musicians seek to perfect our praises and glimpse God’s beauty.

Let The Voices Be Heard

• Regular worship services at Church of the Ascension are at 8:00 AM and 10:15 AM on Sunday mornings.

• Vocal and instrumental soloists offer music at the 8:00 service, and The Ascension Choir provides leadership
at the 10:15 service.

• The Ascension Choristers sing occasionally throughout the year.

• Compline is sung on the second Sunday evening of every month at 7:30 PM, led by Encore!

• Special musical events are offered for the spiritual refreshment of those who attend. 

Children's Choir

Through children’s choirs at Ascension, young singers develop strong spiritual lives, improve personal and musical skills, and increase their knowledge of the Episcopal liturgy that will be with them throughout their lifetimes. A flexible rehearsal schedule encourages maximum participation by busy families. The children provide leadership in worship services several times during the year.

“All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voices , let us sing. Alleluia, Alleluia!”

Encore!

Encore! is a men’s ensemble formed for the purpose of singing choral literature as it was performed before the late 17th century. The singers are from diverse religious and musical traditions around the Montgomery community and provide leadership for the monthly sung Compline service on the first Sunday night of each month.

The ensemble sings both sacred and secular repertoire, including periods from the Renaissance to the Contemporary.
For an audition, please contact Rebecca Taylor at beckytaylor@coascension.org. For questions and booking, please contact Bill Taylor at 269-5663 or btyrcog@charter.net or Shane Nishibun at nishibun@gmail.com.

Instruments

The Ascension Organ

The Ascension Organ Specifications

Schlicker 1984,
Antiphonal addition –
Guzowski & Steppe 1998

Great

q 16’ Bourdon
q 8’ Principal
q 8’ Rohrfloete
q 8’ Gemshorn
(shares bass with Rohrflote [1-12])
q 4’ Principal
q 4’ Hohlfloete
q 2’ Octave
q III Cornet (very big)
q V Mixture
q IV Scharf
q 8’ Trompette
q Tremolo
q Midi/Great
q S/G 16
q S/G 8
q S/G 4
q A/G 8
q Great Unison OFF

Swell

q 8’ Gedeckt
q 8’ Salicional
q 8’ Voix Celeste (c2)
q 4’ Principal
q 4’ Flute Harmonique
q 2 2/3’ Nasat
q 2’ Waldfloete
q 1 3/5’ Terz
q IV Plein Jeu
q 16’ Dulzian
q 8’ Hautbois
q Tremolo
q Midi/Swell
q S/S 16
q S/S 4
q A/S

Pedal

q 32’ Contrabasse
q 32’ Resultant
q 16’ Principal
q 16’ Bourdon (Gt.)
q 8’ Principal
q 8’ Gedeckt
q 4’ Choralbass
q 4’ Nacht horn
q III Rausch Pfeife
q 16’ Posaune
q 16’ Dulzian (Sw.)
q 8’ Trompete
q 4’ Schalmei (big)
q G/P
q G/P 4
q S/P 8
q S/P 4
q A/P
q Midi/Pedal

Antiphonal

q 8’ Principal
q 8’ Bourdon
q 4’ Prestant
q 2’ Recorder
q III Mixture
q 16’ Pedal Bourdon
q 8’ Festival Trumpet (hooded)
q G/A
q S/A 16
q S/A 8
q S/A 4

8 General Pistons
6 Division Pistons
G/P and S/P Reversibles
Cymbalstern (installed 2001)

The console was reworked in 2006, and a SolidState Organ Systems MultiLevel Capture System, with sequencer, was installed.

The Ascension Choir

Church of the Ascension has a long tradition of beauty and excellence in worship, enhanced greatly by the work of the Ascension Choir. The choir consists of both volunteers and paid professionals, who offer the musical talents given by God to His glory in worship. In addition to music for Sunday mornings, the choir offers music for all major liturgical services, All Saints’ Sunday, and various concerts throughout the year.

Members of the choir are encouraged to sing as though joining their voices with the company of heaven in worship. Although we strive for excellence in all that we do, it is in the sincerity of our offering our efforts and talents to God that He is able to accomplish what He wills. In our worship, we are prepared for our service to the world, through healing, deliverance, guidance, and inspiration that occurs when we enter God’s presence with praise and thanksgiving.

Membership in the Ascension Choir is preceded by an interview with the Music Director Rebecca Taylor.

Let the voices be heard

Salisbury Residency

In 2014, the Ascension Choir was invited for a week’s residency at the Salisbury Cathedral in England. The Choir sang Evensong every afternoon in the cathedral and, along with 17 “groupies”, traveled each day to a nearby site. What an incredible experience we all had as we shared worship at Church of the Ascension with the world.

Prayer Request