Music plays a central role in the life of St Mary’s both liturgically and in concerts.

The Parish Mass draws on a variety of musical styles from the earliest chants of the church to good modern choral and congregational music. The “ordinaries” (the regular sung parts of the Mass) are sung to a mixture of choral and congregational settings. The choir sings some of these ordinaries each week to the music of Palestrina, Victoria, Byrd and many others. In addition, they sing a motet during the communion. Polyphony features heavily in St Mary’s, partly because of the current limitations of the organ (see the page on The Organ) and partly because it is still considered to be the music of the church. It is wonderful to think that some of the music which the choir sings was being sung when the walls of St Mary’s were new. These beautiful choral settings provide moments of reflection during the Mass, when the congregation can use the singing of the choir to focus on the central act of worship and to aid their prayers.

In addition to the choral settings of the ordinaries, we use a variety of modern congregational settings, chosen particularly for their prayerful character and for ease of singing. The parish has used the New English Hymnal since it first appeared in the 1980s. To this excellent hymn book, we recently added Laudate which has given us an extensive selection of good modern catholic hymnody. We are fortunate that, at St Mary’s, we not only have a very good choir but also a congregation which sings lustily and with joy.

The other sung services include 1662 Choral Evensong (first Sunday of the month) and special services as the seasons require, such as Carol Services, Requiem Masses (for Remembrance-tide) and liturgical performances of great works like Bach's St John Passion. On the third Sunday of each month, we have introduced the successful format of Evening Prayer (Common Worship) with a recital to follow. Beautiful prayer coupled with beautiful music of all genres in a moment of peace before the start of another week.

With it’s lofty vault, the large open spaces of St Mary’s give it the best acoustics for music in the town. Recently, the church has hosted master-classes by the eminent counter-tenor, James Bowman, CBE as well as concerts by the Essex Youth Chamber Orchestra, Senegalese kora player, Kadialy Kouyate, The Stanford Sting Quartet and a host of others. St Mary's is also the main venue for the Maldon Festival of Arts.

The Parish founded the Music Guild of St Mary's in 2008 to support the work of the Music Ministry. This it does by financing both the assistant organist and organ scholar, and by funding orchestral musicians when needed. The Music Guild also supports the educational aspect of the choir's work with children and young people, facilitating instrumental lessons for choir members. It also pays for sheet music purchase and helps with choir robes.

We hope that the provision of a new pipe organ, will further enhance the concert making in St Mary’s and the town.