Join the Cathedral Choir

Do you know a child who would like to join the Cathedral Choir? We are looking for boys and girls in Years 4-6 who:

love to sing with other people
are willing to take their place in a committed team
are keen to learn new skills – potential and enthusiasm are key!

Being a chorister is a unique experience. As well as getting to sing incredible music in this wonderful building alongside professional musicians, being a chorister teaches team-work, leadership skills, confidence, and so much more! Just as with a team sport, commitment is key to ensuring the team is always at its best, and as a result, our choristers form strong friendships which last well beyond their time here. Whether it’s singing beautiful services at the Cathedral, recording a CD or heading off on choir tour (this summer we’re going to Sweden!), there is so much for your child to experience during their time with us.

Justice Service 2026_Luke Tomlinson_small

How to become a chorister

You can get in touch at any time throughout the year about becoming a chorister. In the chorister handbook you will find the full details of what being a chorister entails, including the days of the week we meet, timings and expectations throughout the year. Please read this carefully, as chorister life is a commitment!

Once you’ve told us you’re interested, the process of becoming a chorister will look like this:

Arrange to come and visit us on a day when our choristers are singing so your child can experience what it’s like for themselves and we can have an informal chat. They may even like to join in for a bit!
Arrange a date for a singing try-out: this is a relaxed environment where we’ll listen to your child’s voice to hear its range and do some short ear tests (singing back a melody, clapping back a rhythm, all of which we’ll explain as we go along). We will also ask them to sing a short song of their choice – this could be a favourite Christmas carol or something from a school assembly. You can also ask us any questions you have about being a chorister.
Once the singing try-out has been successful, we’ll arrange a date for your child to join the choir. Everyone starts as a probationer, which is the name given to our choristers in training (you can read more about probationers and their schedule in the handbook). Then, once they’ve gained enough experience, they will be promoted to a full chorister and move up to the full choir schedule (again, you can find this information in the handbook).
Now a member of the choir, your child is part of a tradition of singing on this site which stretches back over 1,000 years – an amazing thought!

To find out more, arrange a visit or arrange a singing try-out, please contact the Director of Music, Claudia Grinnell: claudiagrinnell@stedscathedral.org