Chapter House Choir

This 35-voice chamber choir draws its membership from the City of York and the wider region. As well as presenting an annual concert season at York Minster, including the atmospheric and popular ‘Carols by Candlelight’ concerts, the choir supports fundraising activities throughout the county through concert-giving in smaller churches and venues.

The Chapter House Choir was founded by York-based composer Andrew Carter in the 1960’s. As a member of the Minster Choir, he realised the potential for a concert to raise funds for a restoration appeal, and persuaded other Minster songmen and their wives to form a choir.  As a result the first ‘Carols by Candlelight’ concert was held in December 1965.  The choir has continued to contribute financially to York Minster in the intervening years.

This summer the choir’s busy season included hosting a ‘Come and Sing Day’ in York which was open to all choral singers. For more information on this please visit www.chapterhousechoir.org/ai.html . This was held in conjunction with choral composer and director Bob Chilcott, who has just completed work on a new commission for the choir entitled ‘Marriage to My Lady Poverty’. The choir is excited to be premiering work by such a respected musician, and in doing so is following a long tradition of commissioning new choral music.

The choir mostly sings unaccompanied, and its high standard of singing has been further developed in recent years by Musical Director Stephen Williams. This hard work has been recognised by the Association of British Choral Directors who have invited the choir to take part in a national gala concert later this year.

 For more information please visit www.chapterhousechoir.org .

The Archbishop of York has been Honorary President of the Chapter House Choir since 2006.