Choir Music Autumn 2024 | OPEN pdf >
Does your child like singing?
Do they enjoy all kinds of music?
Would they like to sing in one of the finest buildings in Europe?
Are they aged between 7-13?
Boys’ voices 7+
Girls’ voices 7+
Consort (for girls aged 14+) auditoned
Try out any one of the choirs on offer! Membership is free and there are opportunities to perform in services, concerts, Minster tours, weddings and recordings!
Children 7-14 years can apply for Choral Foundation Scholarships, providing free individual music lessons.
Children have been singing in the Minster for more than 800 years.
- Music is an integral part of Beverley Minster life.
- Singing as a team to produce the finest music contributes to raised self esteem, confidence, increased vocabulary, increased reading confidence as well as musical literacy and understanding.
And – it’s a lot of fun!
VOICE TRIALS
To apply, please complete the form below and we’ll be in touch.
If you would like your child to benefit from this wonderful experience which will help build self-confidence, reading ability and performance skills, please complete the contact form or contact Robert Poyser for further information.
MORE ABOUT THE CHOIR
The choir sings at the major services on Sundays and on Thursday night at Choral Evensong.
The Minster is a parish church with no dedicated choir school, but the aim is to develop and maintain a quality of worship in the cathedral tradition. There is a strong musical tradition at the Minster. The building has the largest collection of medieval musician carvings in Europe, a 250 year old organ built by Snetzler, a choral tradition going back to the plainsong of the medieval Vicars Choral, and currently a flourishing diversity of traditional and contemporary music under the Director of Music Robert Poyser, who was appointed in March 2009.
Listen to the choir singing Handel’s Zadok the Priest on a video recording.
Five recordings by the choir are available.
Our musicians are dedicated to giving of their best in worship and to achieve this they rehearse before and after services.
Anyone interested in joining the choir should contact the Director of Music –
Robert Poyser.
Junior Choir
A Junior Choir is available for 5-8 year old boys and girls. Contact Robert Poyser
Free Music Lessons
Beverley Minster is excited to launch a new scheme offering FREE instrumental lessons to choristers aged 8-14. This initiative is funded by the Friends of Beverley Minster. Read more.
History of the choir
When the present Minster was built in the 13th century, the chancel (or quire), which accommodated the choir, was constructed first in order that services could be conducted with music.
Daily services continued to be sung until the Reformation. In 1531, records show that a John Merbecke was listed as receiving payment ‘in reward for songs by him given to the church’. He later moved to St George’s Chapel, Windsor, to become a ‘singing man’ and one of two organists. He collaborated with Archbishop Cranmer to publish his ‘Book of Common Prayer Noted’ (i.e. set to music).
After the Dissolution in 1548 the Minster was re-established as a Parish Church. Since this time the Minster Choir, despite its amateur status, often reaches the performing standard of many a cathedral choir and has broadcast on several occasions.
Choir Tours
In 2014 the choir sang in Bristol Cathedral and Gloucester Cathedral. In 2016 they visited Lemgo, in Germany and in 2017 they sang the services over a weekend in Coventry Cathedral. In October 2018 they made their second visit to Germany.
In March 2022 the choristers sang at a service in York Minster and met Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.
