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The Cathedral Choir sings seven services each week in term time. The choir began in its present form following the Victorian restoration of the Cathedral building and Llandaff Cathedral School was set up by Dean Henry Vaughan in 1880 to educate the boy choristers of the Cathedral Choir. The girl choristers were established by the Cathedral School in 1996 and, following an historic change in 2021, the girls were formally welcomed into the Cathedral music department and became part of the Cathedral Choir. From September 2022 full parity of opportunity was realised for boys and girls who wish to be choristers in Llandaff, and they now share duties equally. All the Choristers attend the Cathedral School which is the only remaining Anglican Cathedral School in Wales.
The Back Row of the Cathedral Choir is comprised of a talented team of adult lay singers and Choral Scholars who sing Alto, Tenor and Bass. They join the choristers in the weekly round of services, and in concerts, recordings, broadcasts and other events. The Choir has been heard internationally on broadcasts, most recently for a service attended by HM The King and Queen Consort which was broadcast live worldwide.
More information can be found on the Cathedral Choir's socials
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Choristers
The Choristers at Llandaff Cathedral consist of eighteen boys and eighteen girls. These two separate choirs sing services each week with the adult members of the choir, and occasionally perform on their own. All Choristers are educated at The Cathedral School, Llandaff. Scholarships are awarded to Choristers in the form of a generous remission of their school fees.
Choristers usually enter as Probationers the choir in Year 4 or Year 5 (8 or 9 years old), but this can vary, and we welcome enquiries about entry in any year group. Choristers usually leave the choir at the end of Year 9 (14 years old), or when a boy’s voice changes.
Probationers take part in a year-long introductory programme where they undertake a reduced schedule of duties and spend time working with the Chorister Vocal Coach, allowing them to adapt to the life of a Chorister more gradually.
The Choir provides music for the daily worshipping life of Llandaff Cathedral and sings seven services each week in term time. Choristers rehearse each morning before school. They alternate singing Evensong during the week, share the services at weekends, and take part in special services at Easter and Christmas as well as Diocesan and National events.
Choristers have a great many opportunities, including participating in concerts, tours, commercial recordings, and radio and television broadcasts.
Auditions for new Choristers are held during each Spring term. Further information about Chorister places can be found on the Cathedral School website here.
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Adult Singers
The Back Row of the Cathedral Choir is made up of a dedicated team of adults who sing Alto, Tenor and Bass. They join the choristers for services during the week and at the weekend, recordings and broadcasts, and occasionally sing as a separate group. The Cathedral Choir has a large repertoire of music, and members of the Back Row are experienced and talented choral singers who come from all walks of life; some as professional or semi-professional musicians, others as students, and many other professions besides.
We are always interested in hearing from people who might like to join our team.
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Choral Scholars
Llandaff Cathedral is proud to offer three Choral Scholarship (one each for an Alto, Tenor, and Bass) each academic year. These scholarships offer a unique opportunity to undergraduate and postgraduate students to experience life in an active music department, singing alongside our back row for major services, concerts, recordings and broadcasts. There are also opportunities to become involved with the wider life of the Cathedral community. Alongside the annual remuneration, the scholarships come with a further annual bursary for music lessons or scores, and the opportunity for further paid work with the Cathedral Choir on occasions which fall outside of the scholar’s regular schedule.
For more information about the Choral Scholarships, please contact the Director of Music, Stephen Moore.
