About Choirs (One Last Time!), But This Time Chapel Choirs

College chapel choirs are present only in those universities which use a collegiate system, such as Durham, Oxford and Cambridge.

Each college has its own chapel, chaplaincy, and choir, which together constitute a significant aspect of life in the college. It is not necessary to be a member of a college to sing in its chapel choir, however: roles in the choirs are auditioned every year and open to anyone in the University. The best candidates are usually offered a choral scholarship, which is a nice way of earning some money by doing something you enjoy.

In my second year I sang in St Chad’s College Chapel Choir. Chad’s is the smallest college in the University and as such it has a really close-knit community. We sang two services each week, including a Sung Eucharist, as well as a number of extra services such as Compline – the final prayers of the day. One of the best things about singing in chapel choirs is each choir’s annual service in the beautiful setting of the Cathedral, which is right next to St Chad’s College.

 

St Chad’s College Chapel Choir after a service celebrating Ascension Day

This year I sang in the Chapel Choir of St John’s College, which is one of the best choirs in the University. John’s is another small and very friendly college, and I have really loved singing there: the chapel is often full, which makes the choir a really important part of college life. While housing academic students, the college is also a training centre for priests. Each week a different priest conducts the service, making each service unique! This year St John’s Chapel Choir has sung a weekly Choral Evensong service on Wednesday evenings, for which we have two rehearsals, one the day before and one just before the service. These sung Evensongs are a very English thing, which I didn’t know before coming to the UK, and something which I have really come to appreciate and enjoy.

This year we have been conducted by the brilliant Andrew Reid, who is very well known in the English choral world and whose achievements include playing the organ in London’s Westminster Abbey. Singing in the choir has introduced me to a huge range of choral music, for which England is internationally renowned. I’ve sung some beautiful pieces, including a piece written specially for Durham University by Arvo Pärt; it is based on a text in the Cathedral above the tomb of the Venerable Bede, who is one of England’s most important historic figures. Singing in St John’s Chapel Choir has provided me with some amazing memories and opportunities, such as singing in York Minster in the historic town of York, slightly further south from Durham. In July the choir will be going on a tour to Budapest for a week. We will be singing in various venues, but at the same time we will enjoy a well-earned holiday!

Chapel Choir of St John’s College after its annual Evensong in Durham Cathedral

If you are a keen singer, I would definitely recommend joining a chapel choir or in fact any university choir. Singing in the choirs at Durham has provided me with so many opportunities, introduced me to so much wonderful music, and allowed me to meet so many great people. I can’t quite believe that this will be my final blog from Durham at the end of three fantastic years. I would like to thank the Kellner Family Foundation for enabling me to come to study in Durham, which has been a life-changing experience for me. The memories I have gained and the lessons I have learned are things which I will always treasure, and although I feel sad to be leaving, I am really excited about the future.