Music Events

Three Choirs Concert is November 11

The Combined Choirs from St. Paul’s, St. Stephen’s and St. James’s will sing Evensong at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 11 (Veteran’s Day), at St. James’s. With  more than 100 of some of our city’s best voices gathered here at St. James’s, this will be a beautiful service. We hope you will plan to attend.

Bluegrass Mass is October 28

St. James’s annual Bluegrass Mass will be a joint service at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 28. The service will include bluegrass standards and music by Russell Lawson/Andy Smith and Mark Whitmire. In addition to the West Gallery Choir and Guitar Ensemble, the Bluegrass Mass features guest musicians Charles Arthur and Molly Sharp.

Dobro guitar-player Charles Arthur is a versatile multi-instrumentalist who has toured with Slaid Cleaves, Caroline Herring, and Wayne “the Train” Hancock. In Richmond he can be heard playing with Johnny Hott’s Piedmont Souprize, Chez Roue, Page Wilson and Reckless Abandon, on his own, and with many others.  At home in just about every style  of American music, his primary instruments are guitar, lap steel, and dobro, though he can be heard playing fiddle, banjo, piano, autoharp, upright bass, and drums. He is also on the faculty of the University of Richmond as a guitar, banjo, and mandolin instructor.

Fiddler Molly Sharp is the Principal Violist of the Richmond Symphony and has played with the Richmond Symphony since 1993.  In addition to playing in Richmond, she has played with the Nashville Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, and the Cascade Music Festival in Bend, Oregon.  Ms. Sharp is a member of the Oberon String Quartet, which is in residence at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond.  In addition to playing the viola, she also plays fiddle with the Trevillian Ramblers.

Jazz Mass on Sundays at 5 pm

 St. James’s has added a unique liturgy to its Sunday services: an evening Jazz Mass. Offering a new look and feel from traditional services, the Jazz Mass at 5:00 p.m. employs contemporary language and readings which often include poetry. The Eucharistic bread is baked by parishioners. The music features bands led by some of the region’s finest jazz musicians including John Winn, Taylor Barnett, Jason Jenkins, Roger Carroll, Mike Davison, and Joe Sarver.  Come for evening worship and explore the spiritual roots of jazz.

Homegrown Concert celebrates St. James’s Talent and collects food for the Central Virginia Foodbank

A celebration of St. James’s own musical talent, Homegrown, a concert held on Saturday, June 23, in the Michaux House, drew a great crowd of fans who danced and enjoyed performances by St. James’s gifted artists including Russell Lawson, Massie Valentine, Bill Roper, Matt Lisk, Elizabeth Whitmire, and Steven Ralph.

Also featured were musical performances by St. James’s Guitar Ensemble (Richard Rumble, Gordon Graham, Alan Stone, Hank Artz, and Dave Johnson), Zimmie and the Babe Zone (Sam Zimmer, Mary Horton, Fran McDermott, Taffy Williams, and Diane Wright), and Jonathan Vassar and the Speckled Bird (Antonia FD Vassar). Admission was at least one can of food for the Central Virginia FoodBank.