Since English choral music started in medieval monastic communities, evolving as monks observed their religious duties, the art form has expanded to include a gloriously rich, expansive and ongoing legacy. In that context, it’s hard to pinpoint any one set of practitioners, at any point in history, as singularly special.

On the other hand, it’s worth noting that the Anglican Singers, a superb choir in the English choral tradition and artists-in-residence at St. James Church in New London, will celebrate their 25th anniversary there Sunday with a special service of Evensong.

Director Simon Holt will conduct the program, which features “O how amiable,” specially commissioned for the occasion by Will Cooper, an eminent contemporary composer and the music director/organist at St. James.

Cooper’s piece will serve as the evening’s introit, and Holt has fashioned a complimentary program including Bernard Rose’s “Preces & Responses,” C.H.H. Parry’s “Anthem — Hear my words, ye people” and, as a sort of thematic bookend to the Cooper commission, a rendition of “Service in G minor (Magnificat and Nunc dimittis)” by the American composer Robert J. Powell. The Anglican singers performed Powell’s piece in 2007 at the ensemble’s 10th anniversary concert — and Powell and his wife were guests.

Savoring the history

“It’s amazing that, after 25 years, the Anglicans are still producing this tradition,” Holt says. “This is one of those arts groups where camaraderie is almost as important as the music. We love spending time together, and I think that is reflected in performance.”

The Anglican Singers was founded and directed for several years by the late Marianna Wilcox, who had a fondness for Evensong, the Anglican church service held near sunset that focuses on sung psalms and other biblical canticles dating back half a millennium. In addition to their innumerable performances of Choral Evensong at St. James, the Anglican Singers have done concerts throughout the northeast and eastern Canada and as choral residences at four cathedrals in the United Kingdom.

“It’s been an amazing and joyous journey,” says Anne Bingham, secretary of the Anglican Singers who, with her husband, Robert Kim Bingham, joined the ensemble as vocalists shortly after the group formed. She and Robert are also longtime choir members at St. James and says there’s a special connection between the Singers, St. James and beyond.

“This will be an exciting and important occasion, not only for us, but for the community of southeastern Connecticut, which we’ve served for so long,” Bingham says. “Most important, though, have been the deep and abiding friendships I’ve formed with fellow choristers over the past quarter-century.”

Denise Cabana, the rector at St. James, says, “I’m very new to St. James and so my experience to the Anglican Singers is very limited so far. I’ve only been with them for one Evensong, but I was extremely impressed. They’re an amazingly talented group of singers and a gift to the community, and I think it’s wonderful they call St. James their home.”

As the sun sets

The group’s affection for the service of Evensong has a practical aspect.

“Very few choirs focus on Evensong anymore, it seems,” Holt says. “For a variety of reasons, there are fewer and fewer opportunities to come and worship in the evenings. We want to show an Evensong community that we’re committed to continue the tradition inasmuch as the composers of English choral music were steeped in the Evensong tradition.”

Meeting of the minds

While Holt and Cooper met about five years ago, their respective musical obligations were such that they didn’t work closely together until last year. Until then, Holt had served as organist for the Anglican Singers, a role Cooper took on last season.

“We’re both organists, so there’s that connection, and that helps make it easy,” Holt says. “Will is great to work with. He’s always prepared and plays beautifully.”

“It’s a wonderful group and it’s wonderful to be working with Simon,” Cooper says. “And I was honored to be asked to write a piece for this concert. It’s a big occasion and I wanted to write something that would honor the group – and lot of the members are in the St. James choir, which I conduct – and I wanted to celebrate our coming back together (after COVID) and the beauty of being together in this church.”

A commission realized

“Will’s piece is fantastic,” Holt says. “It’s difficult and a challenge, but we like that. There’s definitely a musical arc to it, and it pushes us, but that’s quite good. It’s contemporary enough without being too out there, and we’re happy to launch this piece. Hopefully, it will become part of our repertoire.”

Cooper says, “O how amiable” was inspired by Psalms 84 — which starts with ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts.’ I chose that text because it reflects the beauty of sacred spaces and worshiping.”

“O how amiable” is an introit, which is sung while as part of the opening of the liturgical celebration at many Christian churches. By definition, an introit is a shorter piece. Cooper decided to write an a cappella work with a recurring refrain and contrasting contrapuntal and homophonic sections. The beginning and ending are quieter, Cooper says, and Holt remarks that it contains some exhilarating solos.

“Sunday’s concert is something we want to be a little bit of everything to everyone,” Holt says. “It’s special to go back and play Powell’s piece, which we were lucky at the time to unearth, and which I think hadn’t been sung that many times. That was the 10th anniversary and it’s frightening to look back at the posters for that concert and see how young we were!

“Now, it’s just as important to be forward thinking with Will’s piece and carry on, and to strengthen that link we have with St. James.”

If you go

Who and what: The Anglican Singers Choral Evensong & 25th Anniversary Celebration

When: 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: St. James Church, 76 Federal St., New London

How much: Free

For more information: www.anglicansingers.org, (860) 443-4989