Westminster Cathedral Choir: Better Times
The pandemic has been devastating to choirs of all kinds, with cathedral and church choirs not escaping the harsh effects of enforced hibernations. Their finances are in a terrible state.
Westminster Cathedral Choir was essentially crippled entering the pandemic, due to the tumultuous period following the School's ill-fated attempt to cut back the chorister programme, and so it has been particularly badly affected and destabilised further. It lost its Master of Music during this period, and the Assistant Master of Music (oddly never referred to as "Acting Master of Music") has had responsibility for steering the ship in the meantime.
Choirs are now returning in their full form up and down the country. See below for a selection of full choir services from the last few days, all with congregations.
Westminster Cathedral has taken an extremely restrictive approach. Four lay clerks sing the Sunday solemn choral Mass, and beyond that a solitary cantor is present during the week. The trebles are not singing services at all: as set out here. There are indications that this position will prevail until the new school year (i.e. September 2021).
In the meantime, their former glory can be remembered here:
Full choirs returning recently, to be contrasted with Westminster Cathedral Choir which remains in enforced exile:
Canterbury Cathedral: Choral Evensong - Tuesday, 11th May 2021
With congregation, full choir, 10 men, 18 boy choristers
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