Cash-strapped cathedral sad to announce choir closure
Belfast Cathedral has announced that it is to disband its 115-year-old professional choir and replace it with a voluntary one, a decision that has been met with disappointment in the choral world. The change, which the dean of the cathedral says is due to ‘difficult financial circumstances’, also includes the director of music Matthew Owens losing his job – his post will be replaced by a part-time choir director. Though he only arrived from Wells Cathedral in 2019, Owens had already made his mark, including the formation of Belfast Cathedral Children’s Choir. Highly rated, he will doubtless be among the favourites for any major choral conducting positions that arise elsewhere in the near future.