Gloucester Cathedral has become the latest choral establishment to welcome girl choristers into its choir stalls. The girls will begin rehearsing in September and will then sing at Evensong each Monday from October, as well as at Christmas and Easter services. They will, say the Cathedral, play ‘a full part in the Cathedral’s musical worship’. 

The past 25 years have seen a significant growth in traditional choral foundations welcoming girl choristers, beginning in the early 1990s with Salisbury and Wells. In 2008 St Catharine’s College, Cambridge became the UK’s first college-based girls choir. 

Gloucester’s girl choristers will be drawn from local schools. Adrian Partington, Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral said ‘We hope to select choristers from a range of backgrounds, many of whom may not have considered the prospect of singing in a Cathedral Choir before. Our aim is to “discover” some very talented girls along the way.’

Auditions for places will be held on April 23, for girls aged 7-12. Earlier next month, on April 9, potential applicants will have the opportunity to experience something of what life as a chorister might involve at a‘Come and Sing Open Day’ at the Cathedral - an event open to both girls and boys. See the Gloucester Cathedral website for more details. 

Gloucester Cathedral is one part of the trio of organsitions which make up the Three Choirs Festival, the others being Hereford and Worcester.