Our Cathedral Choir leads music at the Eucharist and Evensong services during term time. The Cathedral Choir also sings at major services as well as touring the world.
We are now recruiting:
We are now recruiting new boy and girl choristers to start training with the choir in September 2021. Boys must be aged 7-10 and girls 8-11. We will be auditioning on Sundays 27th June and 11th July.
To arrange an audition please email christopher.newton@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk or book here.
In the video below you can hear from our director of Music, Lee Ward, Head Chorister, Felix Haywood and Choir Parent Vicky Merriman about what life in the choir is like.
Our Choristers
Our choristers, both girls and boys, come from many different schools across Liverpool and the Diocese. Over the years, the choir has built up a distinguished reputation, performing at numerous special services, concerts, broadcasts,recordings and taking part in tours. It has sung on numerous occasions with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and orchestra and colloborates with a number of British Cathedral choirs and those abroad.
The boys and girls of the choir sing most of the choral services six days week. They sing either separately, or altogether for special services (when they are known as the Great Choir)
The choir consists of four voice parts.
- Sopranos
- Altos
- Tenors
- Basses
Over its life span, choir membership has included more than 2000 boys and a huge number of girls, many of whom have gone on to eminent careers including doctors, lawyers, composers, organists and directors of music.
The choir has worked with many famous musicians, including former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney who, despite having failed his audition for the choir in the 1950s, returned to the Cathedral to collaborate with our choir several times - most notably in performances of the ‘Liverpool Oratorio’ and 'Ecce Cor Meum'.
If you wish for you child to have an audtion for the cathedral choir, then please contact Lee Ward, Director of Music at lee.ward@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk
Liverpool Cathedral Choir History
The Cathedral Choir was founded when the Diocese of Liverpool was founded in 1880 and the Parish Church of Saint Peter became the first Cathedral of the Diocese.
In 1904 work began on Giles Gilbert Scott’s great new Cathedral and in 1910 the first portion, the Lady Chapel, came into full use. Regular choral services in the new Cathedral, sung by a choir of boys and men began.
They sustained daily worship in the Cathedral Lady Chapel for the next fourteen years, until the first bay of the main Cathedral was completed in 1924.
Daily choral services were maintained until the outbreak of the Second World War, at which time the number of choral services was reduced. The pattern of choral services six days a week was re-established with the boys and Lay Clerks singing each day apart from Wednesday.
In September 2003, to mark the centenary of Scott’s Cathedral in 2004, the girls’ choir was founded.
In September 2020 the back row was reformed to consist of six Vicars Choral (formely Lay Clerks) and six Choral Scholars, young students living in Cathedral Close and helping with the work of the music department.
You’ll find an extensive range of books, cards, gifts plus our choir's music recordings in our Cathedral shop. Buy online or browse in person.
Alto, tenor and bass singers
The back row of singers in Liverpool Cathedral consists of six Vicars Choral and six Choral Scholars with some former choristers singing in a training role as Choral Students.
They sing for the Choral Eucharist on Sunday mornings, Evensong on Sunday afternoons and Evensong on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings.
In addition, they sing for numerous special services and concerts with the boys and girls of the Cathedral Choir, and regular ATB voices services. They are supported by a number of deputies.
If you are interested in becoming an alto, tenor or bass in the cathedral choir, then please contact the Director of Music, Lee Ward, for further information (lee.ward@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk)