Music Director

We are currently looking for a new music director. Any interested applicants may send their CV and cover letter to the office: secretary@saintjohnslutheranmontreal.org.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! - Psalm 95:1

Mission in music is an important part of our tradition. St. John's works in conjunction with the organ department at McGill and former directors such as John Grew and/or Hans-Ola Ericsson. Our most recent music director was Abraham Ross.

The Helmuth Wolff organ at St. John's ranks as one of the significant pipe organs of downtown Montreal and the Reformation repertoire of Bach, Schuetz, Buxtehude, et al is given priority. Music at the services uses hymns from the newest German Hymnal (Bavarian edition) at the German services and Evangelical Lutheran Worship for the English services. In the past, the Music Director coordinated a seasonal choir, usually for performances during Easter and Christmas services. Please don't think you have to be able to sing perfectly before you can join! We sing because we enjoy it. So don't be shy to come along!

Saint John's also hosts the Passion Consort Series.

St. John's organs

The first organ at St. John's was bought in 1859 for $350. It was moved from the St. Dominique St. church to the present building and erected in the chamber to the left of the altar. Its dedication took place on April 27, 1908. Lynnwood Farnam visited the church in 1909 and commented that it has a "...very nice tone, except the trumpet."

In 1913, the church purchased a new tubular-pneumatic instrument from the Karn-Warren Piano and Organ Co. Ltd. of Woodstock, Ontario. The cost of this two-manual, 7 stop instrument was $1,950. An additional $600 was spent for the construction of a new gallery to house the organ at the back of the church.

In 1983, Hellmuth Wolff replaced that instrument with a new two-manual organ in a free standing case of solid white oak. Only the wooden pipes were reused from the 1913 organ.

The stop and key action (balanced) is entirely mechanical. The keybourds are of padouk and grenadilla, the sharps being capped with bone. The flat pedalboard is of oak with rosewood sharps. The pipe shades are of butternut and the stop knobs are rosewood. An interesting feature of the organ is the separate pedal case located behind the instrument. The instrument is voiced on a presure of 75mm.

The new organ was dedicated on the Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 20, 1983. The inaugural recital was played by Douglas Bodle later that day.