St. Paul's Choir

Lift your voice — join St. Paul’s Choir! Sing alongside a welcoming community, experience the joy of music, and help lead worship through a rich tapestry of music spanning centuries of sacred Christian tradition. 
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​St. Paul’s Choir is comprised of 15-20 singers, men and women, including four paid section leaders. They rehearse Thursday evenings and sing every Sunday at the 10:00am Choral Eucharist, at Compline on fourth Sundays, Evensong on second Sundays, and also on Holy Days and other special occasions. The choir’s repertoire includes music from Gregorian Chant to modern Anglican, Negro Spirituals, and American Shape-note music.

The choir meets weekly, Thursdays at 6-8 pm, and Sundays at 9 am in the Church

For more information, contact Benjamin Bachmann, Director of Music, [email protected].  

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Choir Retreat, Summer 2025
​By Elizabeth Jenkins

I am a singer of St. Paul’s and the least of these.
Pray I thee sweets, for holy love,
Come and sing with me at St. Paul’s.
         
In western Marin, Richard Larson’s old stomping grounds, we descended on St. Columba’s Inverness like a small swarm of sybaritic locusts. We came to learn music primarily, to spend time together and to enjoy the beauty of the Marin coast.

It was Christopher Kula who first instituted the choir retreats. At first it sounded a bit corporate to this old loan servicer, but it was a brilliant idea. Our first retreat was out at Dillon Beach. Twelve Episcopalians, two Congregationalists, one cradle Catholic, one lapsed Baptist and the very best service dog in the world, all crammed into a kitchen and singing Byrd. The next August we went to Placerville and worked at the blessedly air conditioned Church of Our Savior. Ah the adventures of the choir of St. Paul’s.

I am afraid that you, my dearest sisters and brothers in Christ, consider your choir as a little coterie, perhaps a trifle separate from the rest of the Blessed Community. No, no my loves. We just need to hunker down somewhere and learn our music. St. Columba’s is a beautiful retreat in the Marin headlands (you can see a lagoon from the porch). There are two accessible rooms on the chapel level, and a dining hall on the bottom floor. But the reason we were here was the chapel and that is where we sang. When you have a day to do nothing but sing, pound notes and learn repertoire it is a good day. Truly, all we want to is do is sing and hang out together. 

And together is the whole point of the exercise. “‘If I ran the zoo,’ said Gerald Magoo…” everyone in the congregation of St. Paul’s would be in the choir. I really mean that. They used to fit 30 people in front of that altar, I’ve seen the pictures. Oh, and another thing, I can’t read music. So there is another excuse exploded. Everyone can sing and I would that we needed a much bigger place to hold our choir retreat.

​Come and sing with me at St. Paul’s.

Choir Retreat at St. Columba's Retreat Center August 2025

Choir Retreat at St. Columba's Retreat Center August 2025

Choir Retreat at St. Columba's Retreat Center August 2025

St. Paul's Choir, May 2026!

ST. PAUL'S CHOIR, MAY, 2026
​First row: Victoria Larson, Sharon Pilmer. Amyellyn Kessler*,
Jane Rosenblum, Carol Paxson, Diana Pray*.
2nd row: Richard Larson, Benyamin Chao, Elizabeth Jenkins,
Hallie Frazer, Kellie Marie Hickman, Leah Vaas, Christine Dukey, William Davis, Michael Crozier. 
Back row: Philip Saunders* (Asst. MD), Benjamin Bachmann (Director of Music), Mauricio J. Wilson (Rector),
​Ben Clausen, Benjamin Brown, Charles Blue.
​​* Section Leaders.
Not present: Lauren Bodenlos, Theresa LaQuey, Mark Miles. .

Choir Party June 2026

Choir Party June 2026

Choir Retreat at St. Columba's Retreat Center August 2025

Choir Retreat at St. Columba's Retreat Center August 2025

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