Choir

Our Choir

The Music Department currently comprises two part-time salaried posts – a Director of Music (Nicholas Hurndall Smith) and an Organist (Ian Pattinson FRCO). The Director of Music is responsible for the Priory Choir and Children’s Choir. The Priory Voices – a choir made up of volunteer members of the congregation – is led by the Priory Organist and sings during school holidays, when the Priory Choir is on holiday.

The Priory Choir is made up of local school children, volunteer adult singers, both men and women, and choral scholars drawn from the local universities. The treble line is made up of both boys and girl choristers, and the back row of altos, tenors and basses. The Children’s Choir functions as a training choir before its members join the treble line of the Priory Choir. There is capacity for three organ scholars at any one time, all funded by the Duchy of Lancaster, and the organ scholars are taught by the Priory Organist.  The Priory Choir rehearses every Wednesday evening, as well as before each service.

Regular weekly Wednesday schedule

17:00 – 21:00 Choir Rehearsal (details of time for Autumn term 2025 tba)

SUNDAYS
10.00am Choral Eucharist (9.00am rehearsal)

4.30pm Choral Evensong (3.30pm rehearsal)

During school and university holidays, a choir of volunteer singers from the congregation (The Occasional Singers) leads the music for the weekly Choral Eucharist. For details of how to join this, please speak to the Organist, Ian Pattinson, after a service.

Music Staff

Director of Music – Nicholas Hurndall Smith  (start date June 2025)

Ian Pattinson BA (Hons) FRCO (Organist)

Jayne Crow (Singing teacher)

Christopher Steele (Singing teacher)