Music has been inextricably linked with worship since Biblical times and has been an important feature of worship at St Giles’ throughout its history. The musical angels on the ceiling, dating from mediaeval times, attest to the significance of music in this building – a traditional that continues to this day. St Giles’ boasts one of the finest acoustics in the area, ideally suited to singing, orchestral music and, of course, organ music. Because of this we have a rich and varied programme of concerts and recitals throughout the year and St Giles’ is rightly viewed as one of the major concert venues in the region.

The Choir

St Giles’ has always had a strong choral tradition and the current choir plays a significant role in the worship and community of the Church. Comprising of 8 trebles, 4 adult sopranos, 4 altos, 1 tenor and 1 bass, the choir sings every Sunday for the 11 am service and for two or three Evensong services a month as well as for numerous extra services as part of the civic, military and historical life of Wrexham. The choristers also sing at special services for all major Christian festivals and Holy Days as well as singing carols at residential homes in the town; they participate in choral workshops and festivals organised by the Royal School of Church Music (to which we are affiliated) and various charity events. The choir has also featured in recordings for BBC radio.

Whilst the choristers lead a very busy life there is still time for fun with a programme of social events throughout the year culminating in a visit to the pantomime every January for the choristers and their families.

With the redevelopment of the inside of the church later this year, the choir will move out of the chancel and into the main body of the church. Bespoke choir stalls and a new vestry area under the tower have been designed – a vast and much-needed improvement to choral development.

Recruitment is an ongoing project and we have links with our ‘church school’ St Giles’ Primary School from where we regularly recruit young trebles, but the recruitment of adult male voices remains a problem. If you are interested in learning more about the Choir, please contact the Director of Music, Jacqui Blore, at the office (mornings only) on (01978) 355808 or by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Director of Music at St Giles’ is Jacqui Blore. Jacqui was born in Wrexham and educated at Borras Park Primary School, St David’s School (now Rhosnesni High School), Yale 6^th Form College and NEWI (now Glyndwr University) before going to the London College of Music, as a French horn player and conductor, where she gained a music degree with honours and a Post Graduate Diploma in Orchestral Studies. After leaving college she pursued a career as a freelance horn player and was also a ‘tour guide’ for Specialised Travel, a firm that brought choirs from the USA to sing series of Choral Evensongs in the great cathedrals of England. It was on one of these tours that Jacqui’s singing abilities, hitherto unknown, were discovered, as she often had to boost numbers in the American choirs. In this way she learnt the art of sacred choral singing from some of the greatest choir trainers in the country; Martin Neary, Andrew Carter, Peter Hurford, John Rutter, Philip Moore and Paul Leddington Wright.

Having played in the orchestra for a season, she was offered the post of Orchestral Manager at British Youth Opera, the London-based professional training company for the major UK opera houses (‘Youth’, in operatic terms meaning still-developing voices; the company trained post-graduate singers (21+) and orchestral players in full-scale operas which were produced in major theatres and opera houses in the UK and abroad) and was subsequently promoted to Company Manager.

Jacqui returned to Wrexham in 1994 and became Choirmaster at St Giles’ in 1996 and was promoted to Director of Music a year later.

The Organist:Gerry Howe was born in London. Following service as a Cathedral chorister he took up the organ, training at the London College of Music and Trinity College, London.From 1980 he worked mainly in the field of music education, but always maintaining an organist’s post at the same time. In the latter capacity he has played the organ and conducted choirs in many British and European churches and cathedrals. From 2000 until 2010 he was Director of Music at St Peter’s, Prestbury, a church with an exceptional musical tradition. In addition to being Organist at St Giles’, he is Musical Director of Cantiones and the Guilsfield Singers, chamber choirs based in Oswestry and Welshpool respectively. Gerry can be contacted via the parish email address ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and is happy to arrange demonstrations of the Wrexham organ to enthusiasts and budding students alike.

Organ Recitals

The annual series of lunchtime organ recitals usually runs from mid-May to the end of July and features both local organists and those from further affield. Recitals begin at 12.30 pm and last for 45 minutes; lunches are available from 12 noon.

However, because of the reordering work planned at St Giles, it is not possible to hold the recital series in 2011.  We look forward to welcoming you for the 2012 series in much improved surroundings.

Cambrian Philharmonic Orchestra: the orchestra, founded in 1995 by two French horn players (who were, and remain, choristers at St Giles’), Jacqui Blore and Matthew Ellis, performs regularly at St Giles’. This season’s concerts can be found on the ‘Special Events’ page; please do also visit the website www.cambrianorchestra.co.uk or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information.