Music at St Andrew’s

Music is central to the life of St Andrew’s. Rooted in the Anglican tradition, our music serves the liturgy, helping us to approach, encounter, and respond to God. We acknowledge the ability of both vocal and instrumental music to reflect upon and teach the Christian message, and its power to build up our community and encourage participation.

There is a rich variety of music on offer at St Andrew’s and our music reflects the different traditions we share, as well as the diversity of talent in Anglican church music today.

The Choir

The Choir of St Andrew’s Zurich is a robed, SATB, volunteer choir. St Andrew’s has a cherished tradition of choral music going back to the 1940s when a Choirmaster was first appointed. The choir performs not only the rich repertoire of the Anglican choral tradition but also music from a variety of broader Christian cultures and traditions.

Central to our Choir’s mission is to sing the 10.30am Eucharist on Sundays from September to June, as well as a monthly weekday Choral Evensong. Are you interested in singing with us?

The Choristers of St Andrew’s

The Choristers of St Andrew’s is a choral programme for young voices striving for excellence in singing. The Choristers programme will offer children and young people a chance to learn and grow through singing, and is delivered through the highly regarded Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) Voice For LifeⓇ Training Scheme and Singing Awards.

Do you have or know a child who loves to sing and would want to become a Chorister of St Andrew’s Zurich?
Click here for more information!

Choral Evensong

The Choir sings Choral Evensong service at least once a month, usualy on a weekday.

Choral Evensong 2025-26
Fri 26 Sep – Evensong in the City @ St Jakobs
Fri 10 Oct – Evensong @ Predigerkirche
Tue 4 Nov – Evensong for All Souls
Sun 30 Nov – Advent Carol Service
Tue 20 Jan – Come and Sing Evensong! (Join the choir on this special one-off occasion!)
Tue 10 Mar – Evensong in Lent
Tue 31 Mar – Evensong in Holy Week
Tue 28 Apr – Evensong on St George’s day
Tue 19 May – Evensong in Ascensiontide
Tue 9 Jun – Evensong on St Columba’s day

For details, see our Calendar of Services.

Carol Services

Each year in December, we hold two services of Lessons and Carols at St Andrew’s and also at the Augustinerkirche in Zurich, as well as in our daughter communities.
We warmly invite you to join us for these services.

Join our Choir!

Do you read music and enjoy singing? Our Director of Music, Shaun Yong, is eager to hear from you!

Our rehearsals are typically held on Thursdays from 7–9 pm (three Thursdays a month) and our duties include singing at approximately two Sunday services and one Tuesday Evensong each month – with more activity in the time leading up to Christmas and Easter. We understand that being in a church choir like ours is a substantial commitment, so the schedule is designed to balance musical enjoyment with ample free weekends.

In addition to our liturgical duties, we have a Good Friday concert and an annual choir recital before the summer recess. Singers also have the chance to perform in some of Zurich’s historical churches such as the Ausgistinerkirche, Fraumünster, and the Predigerkirche in the course of the choir year.

The choir possesses a high ambition and ability for choral excellence, at the same time being a friendly and welcoming group. We love welcoming new members – please get in touch if you wish to sing with us!

Instruments

Much of our worship is supported by the sound of a fine two-manual organ built by Orgelbau Kuhn in 1898. It has been well-cared for with major improvements made over the last decades.

We also have a fine Bösendorfer 200 grand piano in our Community Centre that we use for concerts and rehearsals. Rental of the grand piano and the Community Centre is available at a reasonable hourly rate.
Please contact our Church Office to find out more.

Music News

Choral Evensong at the Predigerkirche – Friday 10 October

The choir of St Andrew’s is delighted to have been invited to return to the historic Predigerkirche as part of the Freitagsvesper series. With its superb acoustics and the 1886 English Conacher organ, this is a perfect setting for Anglican music. This year’s service focuses on peace, featuring Sarah MacDonald’s Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in…

Keep reading

Evensong in the City St Jakob, Stauffacher – Friday, 26 September

We continue our joint musical project with the choirs of St Jakob and the Augustinerkirche on Saturday 20 September, when we will be rehearsing for the forthcoming Zürcher Orgelnacht at St Jakob Stauffacher. Together, our choirs have already led two wonderful services of Choral Evensong – a chance to share the richness of Anglican music…

Keep reading

Visit from Imperial College Chamber Choir – 21 September 2025

We are delighted to be welcoming the Imperial College chamber choir on 21 September, as they take time out from their tour of Switzerland to visit St Andrew’s. At the 10:30 service, the choir will sing Haydn’s Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo and Brahms’ anthem Geistliches Lied. Later in the day, at 15:00, they…

Keep reading

Sing with the Choir!”

Ever since I moved to Zurich, St. Andrew’s Church Choir has been one of the highlights of my life. I thoroughly enjoy singing with the choir at practices, Sunday services, Christmas Carols, and most of all the monthly Evensong.

If you are reading this, and would like to participate in a musically-enriching activity, do come and sing with us. Wonderful people and beautiful English music await you!

Crispin

Crispin has sung with the choir since 2017.
He also plays the organ and accompanies the choir.

“Thanks for the music”

I have enjoyed being in the choir for the last 4 years, singing with the group at our practices and services, learning new music, and getting to know new friends. I will miss it greatly when I go to London.

Iona

Iona sang with the choir for four years and is now a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London training in vocal performance.

“Vivat Regina!”

Everyone was friendly, enthusiastic, and they did a great job singing the pieces.

If any of you are interested in singing in the choir, I hope that you will take the plunge and give it a try – The music and the social aspect of choral singing are very enjoyable, and everyone looks good in a choir robe.

Chris

Chris is a professional singer in the chorus of the Opernhaus Zurich.