One Friday morning in February 2024, I received, out of the blue, an email from Westminster Abbey in London.
In it, the Assistant to Minor Canons in charge of Special Services and Visiting Choirs, wrote to invite our Cathedral’s choirs to undertake a summer residency at the abbey.
And so began a project that, in less than a year, will see our Cathedral Girls Choir, Boys Choir and Lay Clerks embark on a performance tour to London where they will be the “Choir in Residence” at Westminster Abbey the week of July 19 to 25, 2027.
During that time, we aim to showcase the range and depth of talent and engagement in our Cathedral’s choral family including by our parent volunteers as well as the pastoral leadership and support of Dean Beth Bretzlaff and the Rev. Canon Doug Richards. Our choristers will sing services every day except Wednesday. Some services will be sung by upper voices alone, some by the Lay Clerks; the Boys and Men will sing together, and, on the Sunday, the full complement will assemble for the morning Eucharist and closing Evensong of the residency.
This invitation from the Abbey is a significant honour and a testament to the good name and reputation of our Cathedral and its music ministry throughout the Communion. It is also an amazing opportunity for our choristers to learn and to grow, continuing and enhancing our educational offerings and building on past experiences of international touring by the choirs. Indeed, it will be the fourth overseas trip I’ve led since 2016 and the third time that choristers from our Cathedral have sung at the Abbey (previously the Girls Choir in 2012 and the Men and Boys in 2017).
In addition to the liturgical duties, our vision for this tour includes plenty of fun extra-curriculars including a daytrip to Oxford. And thanks to associate music director Andrew McAnerney (himself an alumnus of Magdalen College) we’re looking forward to seeing and experiencing the college chapels, quads and gardens as usually reserved only for members of the university community.
Logistical and financial planning is already well underway by a dedicated team of volunteers. This fall, our fundraising events will launch in earnest and throughout this season there will be many opportunities to show your support, including:
A gala concert with silent auction featuring the music of John Rutter on Saturday, November 7.
For Christmas, please consider the purchase of one or several of the Choir’s famous wreaths along with unique, chorister-designed Christmas cards.
For more information and to stay up-to-date on our fundraising initiatives, please email: [email protected]
“Grow through what you go through.” Great—but how?