Being a chorister at Truro Cathedral

Truro Cathedral Choristers on stage at the London Palladium for Britains Got Talent

As millions of viewers witnessed in May, Truro Cathedral choristers received a standing ovation and an emphatic four yesses from the judges of Britain’s Got Talent. “That was perfection!” said David Walliams after the choristers’ performance of ‘Can you feel the love tonight’. And whilst a TV appearance (and meeting Ant & Dec) might be a particular highpoint, it’s fair to say that the life of a Truro Cathedral chorister is never dull.

Looking just at the past couple of years, Truro Cathedral choristers have enjoyed a multitude of interesting, exciting and life-enhancing experiences. Highlights include performing with the BBC Concert Orchestra, singing in St Paul’s Cathedral, and singing on the BGT stage at the London Palladium, as well as various live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and making CD recordings, the latest of which, ‘Kynance Cove’, is a collection of music by renowned composer Dobrinka Tabakova.

Of course there is the choristers’ performance of ‘Grenfell – From Today’ too, which was a single released as a song of solidarity by local charity, Cornwall Hugs Grenfell, and not forgetting the welcome performance given for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales upon his visit to the newly renovated Old Cathedral School.

Taking choral music out beyond the cathedral is also something the choristers have enjoyed – last year the Isles of Scilly warmly welcomed members of the choir, and this year the boys have just returned from a wonderful tour of Austria and Slovakia which saw them perform in St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna.

As a new choir year begins, the future promises even more, with an early highlight coming in October when the choir will perform alongside City of London Sinfonia, one of the UK’s top professional orchestras, in an unusual, immersive concert experience.

And all that is in addition to the daily experience of rehearsing and performing truly great music to enhance the worship that is the beating heart of Truro Cathedral.

Without doubt, being a chorister in Truro Cathedral Choir requires dedication and commitment – not only on the part of the chorister but on the chorister’s wider family too. Constantly striving for the highest standards and learning so many new pieces each week, choristers rehearse with the cathedral’s professional musicians every day before school starts and again before each service takes place.

The boys usually join the choir as they enter Year 4 at school, leaving at the end of Year 8, whereas the girls join as they enter Year 9 and leave at the end of Year 13 – for all of them, music and singing becomes a key focus and something that is nurtured and developed within a supportive and enabling environment.

As the 2019/2020 intake of choristers find their feet, it’s not too early for thoughts to turn to 2020/2021. If you know a boy in Year 2, 3 or 4 or a girl in Year 7 or 8 who loves to sing please ask them to contact the director of music christophergray@trurocathedral.org.uk

Visit our What's On page to see more information on the up and coming City of London Sinfonia concert