‘Be a Chorister for a Day’ at Salisbury Cathedral is back
Children get a chance to sing in Salisbury’s landmark building
The ever popular choir recruitment day is back at Salisbury Cathedral today.
After being cancelled last year because of the pandemic children in years 2, 3 and 4 will finally get the chance to ‘Be a Chorister for a Day’ in front of an audience.
The children will get the opportunity to sing with the Cathedral's current choristers to get a taster of what life is like at the Cathedral and Cathedral School.
Parents of the singers are being welcomed too and while their children are rehearsing they will be given information on what being a parents means and the grants and bursaries available.
The day ends with a special Evensong led by the Cathedral’s Director of Music, David Halls, and performed by all the visiting children with the choristers.
What being a Salisbury Cathedral Chorister is like
The choristers rehearse each morning for an hour from between 08.00 and again after school at 16.35 in preparation for the sung service (usually Evensong) at 17.30.
During term-time Evensong is sung every day, with a sung Eucharist and Mattins each Sunday. In addition to maintaining the music for the Opus Dei, Salisbury Cathedral Choir regularly broadcasts, records, tours and gives concerts.
In total the choir has 40 choristers (including probationers) training and performing to a professional standard, supported by bursaries from the Choral Foundation. The Foundation seeks to make opportunities available to musically talented children who may not otherwise have the chance to sing at such an advanced level. All choristers attend Salisbury Cathedral School, which was founded as the Choir School in 1091 by Bishop Osmond.
David Halls, Director of Music, said:
“You don't have to play instruments or read music to book your place. This day is for children who love to sing and are natural team players. We can teach them the rest. They just need that raw talent and interest.”
Susie Lamb, Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral School said:
“Being a chorister is a great training for musical children, as well as being loads of fun. It teaches you the skills that come with being a performer, such as discipline, time keeping and working with others. All essential life skills.”
'The pandemic saw the event cancelled last year'
Instead of the event, Cathedral choristers made a virtual tour with TV presenter Alexander Armstrong.
It’s still up on the Cathedral website if youngsters want to take a look before they come: https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/worship-music-our-choirs/virtual-chorister-tour