Music at Bethesda
2026-2027 Season
Under the expert direction of Choirmaster Dr. Stuart Forster, our upcoming musical season promises an exceptional lineup of performances.
Highlights include the beloved Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival, held on the weekend closest to The Epiphany, along with a rich array of concerts, Evensongs, and choral services throughout the year.
Click here to download and print our 2026-2027 music list with the Concerts and Choral Services for the season.
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Bethesda Choir
The Bethesda Choir is an auditioned ensemble, under the leadership of Dr. Stuart Forster, Associate for Music and Liturgy. Our choir is well known and respected in the community for its fine singing and musicianship and is responsible for leading the congregation and music in all of our major services. The choir’s repertoire draws on the vast legacy of the Anglican/Episcopal cathedral tradition, spanning six centuries and styles from Renaissance polyphony to living composers.
Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from September through May. The choir sings on Sunday mornings at the 11:00 a.m. service, as well as at services on many Feast Days and Holy Days. From October through May, the choir provides leadership in a special choral service, such as Evensong, the All Souls’ Requiem, or a Festival of Lessons & Carols. There are several services during the year at which the choir sings music of a larger scale—sometimes with orchestral accompaniment. The Bethesda Choir is the centerpiece of our annual Christmas Concert and also plays a major role in our Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival.
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Our Magnificent Organ!
MORE THAN 6,000 PIPES!
The Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea houses a magnificent organ comprising more than 6000 pipes. As one of the largest and finest instruments in the south, the organ contains 115 ranks of pipes, distributed over nine divisions, allowing the organist to blend multiple choruses from around the building. Click here to Learn more about the Bethesda Organ.
Upcoming Concerts & Choral Services
Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. The full Bethesda Choir resumes singing every Sunday. Music this morning by Bach, Boyle, Byrd, and Guilmant.
Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Mozart Requiem for All Souls’ Day, with soloists from Palm Beach Opera, orchestra, and the Bethesda Choir, conducted by Stuart Forster. Prelude by Elgar; hymns with the orchestra and organ; postlude improvised by Michael Murray.
Sunday, November 22, 2026 Service times change to “season” schedule. A decet will sing at the 9:00 a.m. service and the full Bethesda Choir will sing at the 11:00 a.m. service.
Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. [organ preludes at 3:40 p.m.] Advent Lessons & Carols, with the Bethesda Choir. Organ music by Bach, Krebs, Brahms, Demessieux, Forster. Choral music by Shephard, Ravenscroft, Nixon, Britten, Handel, and Mathias.
Wednesday, December 16, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Christmas Concert & Tree Lighting, with orchestra & the Bethesda Choir, conducted by Stuart Forster. Music by Bass, Forster, Rutter, Brandau, Nixon, Shayne, Forrest, and Murray. Tickets available in November.
Thursday, December 24, 2026 at 7:00 & 10:00 p.m. [organ & choral preludes at 6:35 & 9:35 p.m.]. Festival Christmas Eucharist, with brass, percussion, organ, and the Bethesda Choir. Music by Bach, Daley, McDowall, Willcocks, Whitacre, Lloyd, Stanford, Stewart, Head, Rutter, Carter, and MacDonald.
Friday, December 25, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Christmas Day Eucharist, with the Bethesda Choir. Music by Bach, Balbastre, Stanford, Stewart, Head, Daley, Carter, and Willcocks.
Sunday, December 27, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, with the Bethesda Choir. Music by Daquin, Ord, Scriven, Handel, Bach, Willan, Daley, Pilkington, and Vierne.
Saturday, January 2, 2027 at 3:30 p.m.; Sunday, January 3, 2027 at 2:00 & 4:30 p.m. Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival, with brass, organ, & the Bethesda Choir. Music by Purcell, Jacques, Warrell, Zgodava, Rutter, Willcocks, and lots of improvisation. Tickets available in November.
Sunday, January 31, 2027. After the Annual Meeting at 9:30 a.m., the full Bethesda Choir will premiere Sing we merrily by Philip Stopford at the 11:00 a.m. service, plus music by Wesley, Sitton, and Bach. Followed by the Parish Picnic.
Sunday, February 7, 2027 at 4:30 p.m. Organ recital by Michael Murray. Music by Purcell, Albinoni, Bruhns, Mendelssohn. Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m., with the Bethesda Choir. Music by Shephard, Harwood, Howells, and Preston.
Wednesday, February 10, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday service will include music by Tallis, Palestrina, and Farrant.
Friday, February 26, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. VOCES8 in concert “Let’s fly away.” Music by Byrd, Mendelssohn, Pärt, Cole, Rodgers, Smith, Bruckner, Shaw, Palestrina, Clements, McFerrin, Schubert, the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Berlin, and l’Estrange. Tickets available in December.
Sunday, March 7, 2027 at 4:30 p.m. Piano recital by Jackie Yong. Music by Rachmaninov, Debussy, and Bach. Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m., with the Bethesda Choir. Music by Smith, Sumsion, Balfour Gardiner, and Karg-Elert.
Sunday, March 21, 2027 at 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Palm Sunday services will include music by Weelkes, Poulenc, Schütz, and Portman.
Thursday, March 25, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday service will include music by Messiaen, Lehman, Pavlechko, and Duruflé.
Friday, March 26, 2027 at 12:00 noon Good Friday service will include the St. John Passion by Victoria, and additional music by Sanders and Lotti.
Saturday, March 27, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter will include music by Handel, Shephard, and Widor.
Sunday, March 28, 2027 at 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Easter Day, with brass & percussion. World premiere of He is Risen! by Dorothy Papadakos, plus additional music by Bach, Thalben-Ball, Handel, Stanford, and Gigout.
Friday, April 23, 2027 at 7:00 p.m. Bethesda Centennial Concert, with orchestra & the Bethesda Choir, conducted by Stuart Forster. Music by Haydn, Handel, Parry, Mozart, Ireland, Stanford, Goodall, Fauré, Hagenberg, and Vaughan Williams. Tickets available in February.
Sunday, May 2, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. The full Bethesda Choir sings at the 10:00 a.m. service during our “non-season” schedule.
Sunday, May 2, 2027 at 4:30 p.m. Organ recital by Jillian Gardner. Music by Howells, Whitlock, and Jackson. Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m., with the Bethesda Choir. Music by Lehman, Howells, Shaw, and Whitlock.
Sunday, May 16, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. Pentecost: final service of the choir season. Music by Duruflé, Mozart, Chesnokov, and Bach.
Summer Choir starts in June: volunteers who can read music are invited to arrive in the Choir Room, with black shoes, by 8:50 a.m. to sing at the 10:00 a.m. service.
Contribute to our Music Ministry
We welcome your tax-deductible contribution toward
the expenses of our series.
As a contributor, your name will be listed in all printed programs
for our concerts (not, of course, for the services). We look forward
to greeting you at many of our future events!
Mail your donations to:
Music at Bethesda
141 South County Road
Palm Beach, FL 33480