St. James Becomes First In San Diego To Offer Musical Compline-by-Candlelight Series

St. James by-the-Sea in La Jolla will become the first church in San Diego to offer a regular Compline-by-Candlelight service set to music, an opportunity for anyone in the community to spend half an hour in quiet contemplation and calm set to beautiful choral singing. The series begins on Sunday, November 4, 2018 and will continue on February 10, April 20, and June 2, 2019, all at 7:00 PM.

Compline is a service of evening prayers that forms part of the Christian tradition, traditionally said (or chanted) before retiring for the night. Over the centuries Compline prayers have been set to music by composers of all types. St. James' Compline-by-Candlelight offers music from Gregorian Chant and early polyphony to the contemporary music of modern mystics, chosen by Director of Music Alex Benestelli and sung by the Schola Cantorum of St. James, an all-professional choir of 12 voices. During the service, the church will be open to all and lit only by candlelight. The brief 25-minute service will be offered at 7:00 PM on the following dates: November 4, February 10, April 20, and June 2.
"We're excited to continue this tradition of night-prayer as an offering of tranquility for the whole community," says Benestelli. "Many in the current generation have a thirst for spirituality but coming to Sunday morning worship can be a big commitment. At Compline-by-Candlelight, nothing is required of you to enjoy or participate. You don't have to know how to read music, or sing, or recite a creed-nothing like that. It's just an opportunity to sit in quiet, pray, and be still and at peace with your own understanding of God."

Although musical Compline services have caught on in other parts of the country, such as Seattle and other cities, St. James is currently the only church to offer them in San Diego. "Our worship services are designed to engage people in a variety of different ways," adds Benestelli. "You can dress up and join in a vigorous Sunday morning service, or at Compline you can just come as you are, be quiet and sit in the shadows. It's a very simple and beautiful service set to an eclectic selection of music that appeals to anyone."

About Music at St. James by-the-Sea

In addition to being the home of concerts by acclaimed groups such as Bach Collegium San Diego and San Diego Early Music Society, St. James by-the-Sea is known throughout the county for its outstanding music programs under the leadership of the Director of Music, Alex Benestelli. Every year, St. James presents its highly acclaimed Music Series as an outreach to the community. Past performances have included the Vienna Boys Choir, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anonymous 4, The Tallis Scholars, The Westminster Abbey Choir, The Hereford Cathedral Choir, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, and a mainstay of the series, the Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer (returning in 2019).

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