Biography
Arguably the oldest continuous musical ensemble on the planet, the York Minster Choir still supplies daily liturgical music inside York Minster Cathedral, one of Europe’s largest Gothic churches. Beyond its routine obligations, the ensemble has traveled extensively and made numerous appearances on British radio and television.
A direct predecessor of today’s York Minster Choir was the song school founded in 627 by Paulinus of York, the first Archbishop of York. While the present cathedral rose and reached completion in 1472, the training of its young singers—both musical and academic—remained closely tied to the institution’s daily music-making. Current choristers attend St. Peter’s School, whose centuries-old buildings are themselves designated historic landmarks. The choir now comprises forty boy and girl choristers who together perform at eight services each week. Girls first joined the ranks in January 1997; although many other choirs have since turned coeducational, the York Minster ensemble has retained its singular tonal character. In return for their commitment, which includes rehearsals both before and after ordinary school hours plus participation in Choral Evensong, choristers receive between sixty and one hundred percent of their tuition. The roster is completed by seven salaried Songmen and five Choral Scholars, the latter receiving financial support along with advanced musical instruction.
Most of the choir’s recordings appear on the Regent label, yet it produced two popular Christmas collections for Chandos—Favorite Carols at Christmas (1994) and Christmas Carols at York Minster (2001). It has also issued two albums devoted to the English Golden Age: Threads of Gold (2017) and Threads of Gold II (2021).
A direct predecessor of today’s York Minster Choir was the song school founded in 627 by Paulinus of York, the first Archbishop of York. While the present cathedral rose and reached completion in 1472, the training of its young singers—both musical and academic—remained closely tied to the institution’s daily music-making. Current choristers attend St. Peter’s School, whose centuries-old buildings are themselves designated historic landmarks. The choir now comprises forty boy and girl choristers who together perform at eight services each week. Girls first joined the ranks in January 1997; although many other choirs have since turned coeducational, the York Minster ensemble has retained its singular tonal character. In return for their commitment, which includes rehearsals both before and after ordinary school hours plus participation in Choral Evensong, choristers receive between sixty and one hundred percent of their tuition. The roster is completed by seven salaried Songmen and five Choral Scholars, the latter receiving financial support along with advanced musical instruction.
Most of the choir’s recordings appear on the Regent label, yet it produced two popular Christmas collections for Chandos—Favorite Carols at Christmas (1994) and Christmas Carols at York Minster (2001). It has also issued two albums devoted to the English Golden Age: Threads of Gold (2017) and Threads of Gold II (2021).
Albums
