Cornish youngsters to benefit from Cathedral Music Trust grant

The Cathedral Music Trust has awarded Truro Cathedral a grant of £30,000 to support bursaries and scholarships for young choristers in 2022-23. It will be presented to the Cathedral by one of their Trustees, Canon James Mustard, at 16:00 Evensong on Sunday 3 July. The grant helps to bridge a funding gap of £110,000 per year that is threatening the future of the excellent choral music heard daily in the cathedral.

Choristers aged 8 – 18 are an essential part of Truro Cathedral Choir, which is a recognised centre of excellence for the much-loved Anglican Choral Tradition in classical music. The grant from the Cathedral Music Trust will help to fund the cathedral’s scholarships and the means-tested bursary scheme so that any musically-gifted child can join the choir, regardless of family finances. The cathedral welcomes enquiries from parents and holds Chorister Experience Days each winter so that boys in school years 2, 3 and 4 and girls in years 7 and 8 can find out what it would be like to become a member of Truro Cathedral Choir.

During their time in the choir, each chorister annually receives 250 hours of professional singing tuition, pastoral care, music, robes, transport and education. In their time as a chorister, they will sing at hundreds of services, broadcast on radio and television, record CDs, go on tour and help raise money for charities such as UNICEF. This incredible opportunity is not available anywhere else in Cornwall, and often has wider benefits for the children involved. Choristers develop a range of skills such as leadership and time management alongside their love of music, and this paves the way for success in the future.

Christopher Gray, Director of Music, said “Truro Cathedral has a proven track record of choral excellence, high quality music education and innovative activities with children in Cornwall and beyond. This support from the Cathedral Music Trust is a vital part of the financial package that underpins the choir, and we are incredibly grateful for it.”