Our Choirs
The Cathedral Choir
Music has always played a vital role in the Daily Offices, provided by sixteen boy choristers, six Lay Vicars, the Director of Music, the Assistant Director of Music and the Organ Scholar.
In 1991 Salisbury took the historic step of forming another ‘top line’, bringing girl choristers into the Choral Foundation and Choir School. Today the singing duties are divided equally between the two sets of choristers, usually singing with the men of the Choir.
In term-time, Evensong is sung every day with a sung Eucharist and Mattins each Sunday morning. In addition to maintaining the music for the Opus Dei, Salisbury Cathedral Choir regularly broadcasts, records music, tours and gives concerts.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, please follow the link below:
Junior Choir (ages 7 – 13)
Saturdays 11:00 – 12:00 (term-time)
The Cathedral Junior Choir is open to children aged 7 to 13, and rehearsals take place on Saturdays between 11am and midday (term-time). No auditioning is required, and the choir is free to join. The choir is led by Sarah Budd, and the Cathedral’s organists act as rehearsal pianists. The Junior Choir is an integral part of the musical life of the Cathedral, and has a particularly special role in leading the music at our family services on Christmas Eve, and at other special Cathedral events throughout the year. For more information please contact Abigail Bray, email scjc@salcath.co.uk, phone 07929769311.
The Junior Choir was established in September 2007 as a further development of the Singing Together initiative run by the Cathedral and Cathedral School and was originally made possible by a government grant administered by the Choir Schools Association.
Youth Choir (ages 13 – 18)
Tuesdays 18:30 – 19:30 (term-time)
The Youth Choir was established in September 2016 as a continuation of the successful Junior Choir.
The Choir is free to join and open to all boys and girls aged 13 to 18.
The director is Stephen Abbott, formerly of Bishop Wordsworth’s School, and current Lay Vicar in the Cathedral Choir.
The Choir of around 25 teenagers comes from all over the Diocese and beyond. They rehearse every Tuesday during term-time from 18:30 to 19:30. They regularly sing in concerts and services in the Cathedral and other venues in Salisbury, singing both sacred and secular music.
For more information please contact Abigail Bray, email scjc@salcath.co.uk, phone 07929 769311.
Chamber Choir
The Chamber Choir is the Cathedral’s mixed-voice adult choir and is formed of singers who work and live around Salisbury. The choir was established in 2008 with the purpose of providing the Cathedral with a high standard of liturgical music-making in the absence of the Cathedral Choir. The group also aims to promote the Cathedral’s work and mission by performing throughout the diocese.
The Chamber Choir is a small group, performing repertoire from across the centuries in line with the liturgical requirements of the Cathedral. A strong feature of the choir’s regular repertoire is unaccompanied Renaissance music (which it often sings in a variety of alternative spaces in the Cathedral), and the traditional Sarum Chant.
In addition to deputising for and singing alongside the Cathedral Choir, the Chamber Choir has also collaborated with the Salisbury Musical Society, Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra, and Charivari Agréable.
The choir is directed by Dr Elizabeth Stratford.
If you are interested in joining the Chamber Choir, please email musicofficer@salcath.co.uk for further details.
Visiting Choirs
When the Cathedral Choirs are taking a break, we have been supported for many years by visiting choirs as part of our Christian worship at the Cathedral.
There are vacancies for choirs to sing at single services, weekends, or week-long residencies throughout the year. A warm welcome and the beautiful acoustics accompanied by our exceptional Father Willis organ make Salisbury Cathedral a popular venue with choirs from the UK and around the world.
Read our guidance for visiting choirs and organists
If you are interested in singing in the Cathedral with your choir, please email musicofficer@salcath.co.uk for further details or complete the form below.
Visiting Choirs Enquiry Form
Diocesan Visits
Our choristers make occasional visits to churches within the Salisbury Diocese to give concerts. If you would like your church to be considered as a venue for one of our Diocesan concerts we welcome applicants but please be aware that there is currently a long waiting list.
Please note that the choir must be fed an evening meal prior to the concert, and petrol charges must be reimbursed; after this, any concert takings may be kept in aid of your Church.
Diocesan Visits Enquiry Form
Music Schemes
Our music schemes provide all the information that you would need for worship at Salisbury Cathedral, including the music that is being played and the preachers leading the service.
Music Schemes