Cathedral choir – a centuries old tradition in need of sponsors

Peterborough Cathedral is looking for companies and individuals with a desire to create life-changing opportunities for young people in the city to come forward and sponsor a chorister for a year.

The cathedral choir has been enriching the spiritual and musical life of the city for centuries and the current choir continues this tradition. Alongside professional adult singers, known as lay clerks, children are recruited annually to join the choir by training as choristers.

The opportunity to audition for the cathedral choir is open to any child, regardless of their background, and selection is based on their musical potential.

They join the choir in school Year 3 at the age of seven and a choristership lasts for six years. At first they attend the junior department of The King’s (The Cathedral) School before they move to the secondary school at the age of 11. The school, founded by Henry VIII in 1541, is a state-funded Church of England academy.

Choristers become part of the cathedral choir alongside the adults, including three choral scholars, six lay clerks and three assistant lay clerks. There are up to 52 boy and girl choristers in the choir at any one time.

The cathedral choir sings in term time at approximately 350 services a year, from weekday Evensong to major festivals such as Christmas and Easter, as well as civic services for special occasions such as the installation of the mayor and Remembrance Sunday.

It also sings at concerts with other musicians, make recordings and represent the cathedral and city on overseas singing tours.

Offering a world-class musical education to choristers is achieved by providing talented cathedral music department staff to lead, teach and inspire. It means singing lessons for everyone in the choir, buying music, providing and maintaining robes, tuning pianos and organs, supporting places at The King’s School and, not least, feeding hungry choristers after school before they rehearse.

And when you take all that into consideration, the cost per year for each chorister is around £3,000. Whilst a small percentage of the cost of a choristership is covered by grants from trusts and other sources, if the cathedral is to continue to offer these opportunities, sponsorship and donations are vital.

“Sponsoring a chorister is a wonderful way to support individuals in their music making,” said Tansy Castledine, director of music at the cathedral.

“Helping the choristers undertake this unique and distinctive experience in turn gives back to the cultural life of the city and beyond, as the choir seeks to enrich all people’s lives through music and words that are centuries old, but still ring true today.

“We treasure the diversity of our choir and the talent that this brings to our singing. Being a chorister lays a foundation that lasts a lifetime, not just musically, but also spiritually and artistically.”

The sponsorship being sought is £1,500, in monthly instalments or as a lump sum. Sponsors can take advantage of two complimentary tickets to two cathedral choir concerts a year, or a complimentary tower tour for up to six people (ages

eight-plus). They also receive invitations to attend a choir rehearsal and evening drinks reception, and a special benefactors’ Evensong each year.

To find out more visit www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/sponsorachorister.aspx or contact the cathedral music department via music@peterboroughcathedral.org.uk or 01733 355315. Auditions for the choir usually take place in November for children in Year 2, who would join the following September.

Peterborough Cathedral choristers