As Christmas approaches, we are busy preparing to welcome thousands to our much-loved Christmas Carol Services, where the Cathedral Choir brings to life the sounds of the season.
For many, these services are a festive tradition, drawing the community together in celebration and filling the Cathedral to capacity.
This year has been a memorable one for our Choir. You may have heard their voices on the moving soundtrack of Coram Boy at Chichester Festival Theatre over the Summer. The choir recorded 15 minutes of music, arranged by composer Max Pappenheim, including adaptations of Handel and original pieces in an 18th-century style. The project was a challenging but thrilling experience for the choristers, who dedicated time after a full day at school to capture each intricate detail for the play’s atmospheric musical insertions.
Celebrating now, investing in the future
With an extensive calendar of services throughout the year, especially during Advent, our Choir stands at the heart of worship, tradition and community life. To support this rich musical legacy, the Cathedral Chapter has approved a Choristership programme, offering individuals, organisations and community groups an opportunity to support the choir by contributing to the education and training of choristers at The Prebendal School. The Choristerships at Chichester Cathedral will cover 25% of a chorister’s annual school fees, typically for the duration of their five-year tenure in the choir. Any additional funding received beyond the 25% will go toward the bursary fund, ensuring the choir remains accessible to talented children regardless of their financial situation.
This initiative complements the Cathedral’s long-term endowment strategy offering an alternative for those who wish to support the choir’s current needs, helping to sustain the choral tradition that defines Chichester Cathedral’s music programme.
Currently, several funders, including the Chichester Cathedral Choristers Association and the Arthur Williams Charitable Trust, support our choir through partial or full fee contributions. However, some existing sponsorships are due to expire soon, making further support urgently needed. This new Choristership programme offers additional opportunities for our community to support and sustain this rich tradition for the future.
A gift that lasts beyond Christmas
By supporting a Choristership, donors do more than fund a place in the choir, they help build the future of choral music at Chichester Cathedral. As you enjoy the Cathedral Choir’s music this Advent, consider the impact of sustaining this tradition for future generations. For more information on the Choristership programme, or other ways you can support the Cathedral’s work, please email Alison George, Director of Fundraising at the Chichester Cathedral Trust: alison.george@chichestercathedral.org.uk.