Music has always been important at St Mary’s, which pioneered the liturgical performance of 16th and 17th century choral music from the 1950s onwards. 

The Church Choir regularly sing at services and are joined by professional singers (known as the Norbury Singers) for a monthly Choral Eucharist, occasional evensong services and special services at Easter and Christmas.

Organist and Director of Music

Matthew Brown

Matthew Brown is our principal Organist and Director of Music.

He graduated with a first class honours degree from the University of Bristol specializing in the organ and harpsichord. Whilst at Bristol, he was an Organ Scholar at St Mary Redcliffe Parish Church which prides itself on its high quality music programme. As Organ Scholar, Matthew was responsible for playing for services and rehearsing and conducting the choir, in particular coaching the boys and girls choirs.

He founded the Queenes Chappell, a young professional solo voice consort which regularly perform at St Mary’s.

Matthew is excited to work with and help develop our choir which will be one of his focus areas.

The Frobenius Organ

It was the focus on early choral music that inspired the commissioning of the superb organ installed in the church by Frobenius, Organ builders of Lyngby, Denmark, in 1975.

This outstanding instrument was voiced in the church by Erik Frobenius, and is widely praised for its light, responsive touch and the delightful sweetness and clarity of its sound. It is a smaller cousin of the renowned organ of Queen’s College, Oxford, installed by Frobenius a decade earlier.

The organ is a joy to play and has attracted a number of eminent organists to play, give recitals, and make recordings, including James O’Donnell, James Dalton, Simon Preston, Dame Gillian Weir, Susi Jeans, Ian leGrice, and Oliver MacFarlane. Emma Gibbins, a former Director of Music at St Mary’s, recently made a CD recording of the organ, which is available for sale at the church.

The specification can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register here.