An Easter Treat!

50 singers, made up of the Choristers & Vicars Choral of Wells Cathedral and some of their friends, released this Virtual Choir hymn for Easter Day, conducted by Jeremy Cole: ‘Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to heaven and voices raise’.

All obviously isolated in their homes, the choristers had to listen to a pre-recorded accompaniment track whilst watching a video of Jeremy Cole conducting. They then recorded themselves and sent their videos back to Mr Cole. It’s a super effort and we hope you enjoy it as much as we have! Hats off to Barnaby Martin, the tech wizard behind this video!

Choristers perform St Matthew Passion on BBC Radio 3

The 2014 Head Choristers, Maddie Perring and Greg Wills with Sir Simon Rattle

This Good Friday evening at 7.00pm, the Wells Cathedral Choristers can be heard on BBC Radio 3 in a repeat broadcast of Bach’s St Matthew Passion from the 2014 BBC Proms. Performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle and with a stellar line-up of soloists, this wonderful performance is one not to be missed.

You can find details on the BBC Radio Website here.

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The Boy Head Chorister at the time, Gregory Wills, wrote the following account of the day:

We stayed in a hotel called the Lancaster Gate and spent the next few days rehearsing at the Royal College of Music where I met Sir Simon Rattle for first time. He was so kind and encouraging, making us feel confident to perform with his conducting.

One evening we went to the Rainforest Café and had a lovely dinner together. We also had the opportunity to go on the London Eye and visit our first 4D cinema, which everyone enjoyed.

On the day of the performance our rehearsal was in the Royal Albert Hall. The first thing I noticed when I walked into the hall was the giant organ: it was as tall as a house. Then I looked up at the ceiling which looked like floating balloons, perfectly made to balance the acoustic. The whole room was red and gold and we were amazed by the number of seats and boxes that filled the room. I was so excited and nervous to perform to such a large audience.

We walked onto the stage with bright lights shining on our faces and thousands of people watching us. The first person in the whole room I noticed was my Dad. He gave me a massive smile and I knew it would all be fine.

The music was beautiful and I felt like I was part of something amazing. I loved every moment of the performance and before we knew it, it was time to leave.

I am grateful for having been given this amazing opportunity at only thirteen years old. I have memories I’ll never forget and met people who have inspired me to become the best musician I can be. I’m looking forward to the next adventures to come.

Gregory Wills,
Head Boy Chorister (2013-14)

Sir Simon Rattle rehearses the choristers on stage

Outside the Stage Door of the Royal Albert Hall

The Singing Continues

Following the closure of the Cathedral School and the temporary cessation of services in Wells Cathedral, two of our Girl Choristers missed their music-making so much that they decided to record their own ‘evensong’ service at home before the lockdown came into force. They have allowed us to share their video below. We join them in greatly looking forward to the day when the Choristers are once again united in their singing in Wells Cathedral.

Until Next Time...

In line with schools across the country, Wells Cathedral School closed yesterday in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. The realisation that our Choristers will not be singing the services for Hoy Week and Easter for the first time in hundreds of years, has been a difficult thing for both them and us to take on board. Before they left, the Choristers wanted to sing for you one last time, at least until we meet again…

Services Suspended at Wells Cathedral

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We have been told that, in light of the Government guidance around non-essential contact, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued advice that public worship is suspended until further notice. This of course applies to Wells Cathedral and means that the Cathedral Choir will not be singing until further notice. This is a very sad time for our Choristers and Cathedral Musicians. We send them our very best wishes and greatly look forward to the day when we will hear their voices filling that glorious space once again.

Do note, however, that the Cathedral will remain open as a place of prayer, but all who enter will be asked to observe recommendations about physical (also known as social) distancing recommendations. Clergy will continue to maintain their pattern of daily and evening prayer and no-one will be turned away should they choose to join clergy in private prayer. All recommendations around maintaining hygiene in churches will be followed. Virgers and cleaners will be essential to ensure the building remains open and clean.

The official statement from Wells Cathedral is reproduced below.

Our fundraising concert with the Gesualdo Six has sadly also been postponed. Read more here.

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Wells Cathedral – Coronavirus update (18 March)

All public worship will no longer take place. This means that Evensong, Eucharists and other public services (including the healing service) will not happen. Other groups that meet currently (Taizé and Taste and See) will not be convened in a physical sense. The Cathedral Choristers and the Vicars Choral (including choral scholars) will not be singing services.

The Cathedral will remain open as a place of prayer, but all who enter will be asked to observe recommendations about physical (also known as social) distancing recommendations. Clergy will continue to maintain their pattern of daily and evening prayer and no-one will be turned away should they choose to join clergy in private prayer. All recommendations around maintaining hygiene in churches will be followed. Virgers and cleaners will be essential to ensure the building remains open and clean.

For further information, please see the Church of England website here. A copy of the Archbishop’s letter is available here.

Concerts and events in Wells Cathedral

In addition to the changes in worship, a number of other events happening in the Cathedral have been cancelled and postponed. Please check the ‘What’s On’ page for full details.

Further details will be announced shortly.

National Advice & Guidance

Please consider if you should come into the Cathedral if you have a serious health condition and should be avoiding social contact, are yourself unwell or anyone in your household has a persistent cough or fever, or have recently returned to this country from somewhere where Covid-19 is prevalent. The government is asking that anyone in these categories self-isolates.

For more information and advice see:

NHS advice: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Government advice: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

Fundraising Concert Postponed

Following the most recent briefings from the Prime Minister, informed by the Chief Medical Officer, about the Coronavirus COVID-19 position which specifically advises against non-essential travel and public gatherings, we have taken the decision to postpone our fundraising concert in Wells Cathedral with the Gesualdo Six on 1 May. You will appreciate that your well-being, along with that of performing artistes, have to be our primary concern and it would be irresponsible to allow this concert to go ahead at this time.

We deeply value your support and have taken this decision with both reluctance and regret. Naturally, all customers will be offered either a full refund for tickets purchased or a credit on their account to be used for a future concert. We hope to reconvene this particular event at a later date and the Gesualdo Six are very keen to come and perform for the Trust in the future.

If you have purchased tickets online, please contact the online Box Office on 01749 834483 for your refund or credit. If you purchased tickets from Wells Cathedral Box Office in person, please contact them on 01749 672773.

We have also heard that, very sadly but understandably, services at Wells Cathedral have been suspended until further notice and the the Cathedral Choir will no longer be singing. Our thoughts are with the Choristers and Cathedral Musicians for whom this is a very sad time. Please click here to read more.

With sincere best wishes,

Arnold Wills
Chairman of Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust

Former Chorister in Cedars Hall Concert

We're looking forward to this Wednesday's concert at 7pm in Cedars Hall when Wells Cathedral School's Brass Department joins forces with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for 'an evening of exhilarating music for brass and percussion'. There will be items from Handel's Water and Fireworks Music, Rimsky-Korsakov's depiction of the Procession of the Nobles, Leonard Bernstein's soundtrack to the film On the Waterfront, and some surprise items by, amongst others, Deep Purple!

Amongst the RWCMD students will be former Wells Chorister, Robbie Wills, who is in his final year before heading off to the Royal Academy of Music for his Masters.

You can get tickets for only £10 (free for under-25s) HERE.

Recording a Hollywood Soundtrack!

This morning the Choristers had a great time recording for the score to the film, to be released later this year - watch this space! The beautiful, evocative music has been composed by Hollywood film composer, David Buckley. A former chorister of Wells himself, David was delighted to return once again to record the choir for one of his scores.

A Ceremony of Carols - Listen Again Now!

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you can listen again to the performance here

The Choristers' performance on Saturday 1 February of Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' was utterly captivating. Performing to a sell-out crowd, with Jeremy Cole conducting and Ruth Faber playing the harp, they together brought out the magic of this extraordinary work.

The Choristers' singing was committed and brilliant, and they clearly demonstrated their love of the music! Particular credit must go to the soloists: Sophie, Lloyd, Sophie, Meg, George, and Dan.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who came to hear them, gave the Choristers a well-deserved standing ovation, and supported the work of the Trust.

you can listen again to the performance here

The Iain Ball Chorister Appeal

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPEAL BROCHURE

At the end of 2019, we were very sorry to hear about the passing of Iain Ball MBE. Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust owes a huge debt of gratitude to Iain, who served from 2004 to 2014 as Chairman of the Trustees. During his period as Chairman, the Trust supported young choristers, enabling them to benefit from a unique musical education which might otherwise have been denied them. 

To mark their gratitude and appreciation for Iain’s commitment and dedication, the Trustees wish to provide an annual chorister award (The Iain Ball Chorister) by creating a fund of capital to be professionally managed. 

The Iain Ball Chorister Award will encourage generations of choristers to excel in their musical field, ever mindful of the fruits of Iain’s commitment.  

The Trustees are increasingly concerned that ‘every child’s voice should be heard’, and that every talented child regardless of their family’s financial circumstances, should be able to take up an offered chorister place at Wells Cathedral. 

We know some families are unable to take up offered places for financial reasons. These ’lost voices’ are central to the Trust’s campaign strategy, soon to be launched, in an attempt to preserve the unique tradition of English Cathedral Music at Wells. The Trust’s aim is to raise enough money to fully fund all thirty-six choristers.

Boys have sung in Wells Cathedral for over 1100 years; girls began in 1994. Day by day, the boy and girl choristers sing in their own treble lines with the men – the Vicars Choral. Occasionally they all sing together – the Great Choir.

With the support of our Royal Patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex, the Trust is determined that no child with musical talent should miss out on these opportunities for financial reasons. 

Arnold Wills 
Chairman of Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust
chairman@wcct.co.uk

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPEAL BROCHURE

Iain Ball [centre] welcomes HRH The Countess of Wessex to Wells Cathedral School on her first official visit in 2007

He has supported the whole choir through the opportunities for new and interesting music which Trust activities have given, and many people have had hours of quality entertainment through Trust events. And Iain is, above all else, generous. He shares his contacts and his friends – like Lady Marina – and he shares his hospitality. (He once told me that he believes it is a sacrament.) He thanks people warmly, quickly, and personally. He is trenchant, and he is kind. So he achieves things!

Helen [Iain's wife] has been a willing, generous and thoughtful ally and supporter through all these years, and needs our thanks as well. There are choristers now in the choir and the school who would not be there if it were not for Trust funding. There are young adult musicians making an impact for good in the world who started their musical careers in the choir because of the support of the Trust.

And perhaps his greatest success is that he leaves the leadership of the Trust at a point when it is both solid and developing, with clear ambition for the future, and the ability to realise that ambition. We owe Iain a great deal!

Elizabeth Cairncross
Former Principal, Wells Cathedral School