First female chorister rises above her critics
CHANGE is not always a bad thing, the first female St Paul’s Cathedral chorister has said, as she revealed she had been criticised by arch-traditionalists.
Carris Jones said she was denounced before she had even taken up the role by those who wanted to “guard the legacy” of the historically all-male cathedral choir.
However, she added that once the “initial hubbub died down” she has not had even the “slightest negative comment” since starting at St Paul’s.
In September, the Cambridge history graduate became the first female full-time chorister in St Paul’s 1,000year history.
“It felt a bit funny to be criticised for not being able to do the job before anyone had even seen me do it,” she said. “Whereas now I’m doing the job, those remarks – certainly as direct towards me – seem to have gone away.”
The former freelance singer has worked on soundtracks to the Harry Potter and Hobbit films, and joined Sting on his “lute tour” in 2006.
She went on: “I think, to put it charitably, some people are keen to guard the legacy of the cathedral choir which historically has largely been male. They are keen that change doesn’t damage that legacy. I happen to think that, firstly, change is not always a bad thing.” The Church of England passed a gender milestone last week as Sarah Mullally was appointed the first female Bishop of London.
Ms Jones, a mother-of-two, said she believes that female involvement in cathedral music represents “an enrichment of the entire process rather than a destruction of it”.
Acknowledging that there are some who disagree with this view, she said: “I have to say that it does very much seem that they are out in the wilderness and out of step with society at large in holding those views.
“Mercifully, as far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been any negative reaction since I was appointed.”