It was an absolute delight to welcome the Master of the Queen’s Music, Judith Weir, to St Mary’s today, as our choir gave the first performance of her new anthem, Ave Maris Stella.

Commissioned in memory of John Yarrow, a loyal and long-serving member of the choir who died in 2017, the new piece is a setting of an ancient Latin text referring to the Blessed Virgin Mary as ‘Star of the Sea, nurturing mother of God’. The text was selected to reflect the church’s dedication to St Mary, and also its important status as a parish church in a sea-going community.

The choir was joined by some guest singers from Pharos Chamber Choir, of which John was once a member, and which is still conducted by his son, Stephen.

Director of Music Malcolm Munro was conducting, and the organist was Patti Hicks-Whaley.

Ave Maris Stella by Judith Weir is published by Chester Music.