Westminster Abbey recruits 30 new choristers

Westminster Abbey recruits 30 new choristers

News

norman lebrecht

September 13, 2023

Message from Master of Choristers Andrew Nethsingha:

Very gratifying progress after prolonged decline.

Comments

  • Observer says:

    What’s happened to all the other existing ones?
    Does this 30 include girls…?

  • Jonathan says:

    In what way was the Abbey Choir in prolonged decline?? Under James O’Donnell the choir reached and maintained an impeccable level during his 22 years as Organist and Master of the Choristers. I’m sure the choir will continue to flourish under the very talented Andrew Nethsingha, building on the work of his predecessor.

    • Glynne Williams says:

      Absolutely right! O’Donnell did a superb job (as the King’s Coronation proved). Other cathedral choirs have declined because the church hierarchy would not support them (Llandaff and Sheffield spring to mind).

      • Maria says:

        And don’t forget about the alleged disgraceful behaviour of some priests at Wakefield Cathedral! Easy to forget as it’s not London! But both Thomas Moore and Ed Jones were forced out as music directors. Assistant now appointed without scrutiny and the job vacancy was not advertised. At least there the precentor priest was sacked bit too late for Ed Jones to continue!

      • Michael Turner says:

        Sorry, that was Andrew Nethsingha at the Coronation. James O’Donell left last year.

      • Tallis says:

        He’d already left by the Coronation

    • Tallis says:

      Very steady but hardly exemplary even compared to some regional cathedrals 30 years ago.

  • Una says:

    Hope 15 of these choristers are girls, and not just all boys!!!

  • Hugh Mather says:

    Don’t really understand this post. I was educated at the WA Choir School about 65 years ago, and it was a self-contained little boarding school for 36 children aged 8-13, and incidentally provided a good musical education. They seemed to have a good roster of boys at the Coronation, so where are these 30 new choristers going to be based ? I presume it is the big change to having girls, but no details are given. More info needed.

  • Mystic Chord says:

    As an ex-chorister in one of the best all male choirs of the 70’s I appreciate this tradition but equally times change and surely the most important thing here is that cathedral and church choirs not just survive but flourish in this country with boys, girls, whoever wants to join – enthusiasm, talent and commitment are more important than gender!

  • Althea T-H says:

    30 girls to supplement the boys?

    I do hope so! It is about time that this type of elite childhood musical education ceased to be the default preserve of males – even unto Westminster Abbey. It is a blatant piece of educational discrimination.

    Men need to stop monopolising the good things in life: expecting women and girls to continue to sit back and take it – meekly and docilely.

  • mf. says:

    mf.
    14th. September

    Hear! Hear!

    Girls?
    (Yes, why no details?)

  • MOST READ TODAY: