Cathedral News

Girls to become part of Cathedral choir.

The Chapter of Durham Cathedral is pleased to announce that, as from 2009, twenty girl choristers will join the Cathedral choir.

During this autumn, girls aged from 8 to 12 will be invited to audition for chorister scholarships.  These will allow them a 50% reduction in the fees for the Chorister School where they will be boarders.

The girl choristers will begin to sing services later in 2009.  They will alternate with the boy choristers and join with the twelve men of the Cathedral choir. 

When the Cathedral was a monastic church, the services would have been sung by the monks.  It was not until after the Reformation in the 16^th century that the practice of a choir of men and boys was started here and has continued, almost without a break, until today.

Canon James Lancelot, Master of the Choristers and Organist of the cathedral since 1985, says:

"This is an exciting and momentous development into which have gone years of planning.  The tradition of all‑male English cathedral choirs is unique and precious and we will continue this in Durham. 

However, the presence of two treble parts in the choir enables us to grasp the many opportunities of outreach and partnership which we now have and wish to develop further. Our choristers lead busy lives, balancing the demands of school work, sporting and social life and singing. 

With forty choristers rather than twenty, we shall be able to maintain this balance for them while also developing the Cathedral's musical life.  I am delighted for the Cathedral, and for the young people who will be able to experience this unique musical training." 

The Dean of Durham, The Very Revd Michael Sadgrove says:

"The decision to admit girl choristers is one of those historic moments in the long history of Durham Cathedral.  The music of the Cathedral is one of the jewels in its crown.  I am delighted that we shall be able to offer the same opportunities to girls as well as boys.  This can only enrich the Cathedral's choral tradition as well as the life of our Chorister School.  Outreach among children and young people is crucial if the Cathedral and its music are going to flourish in the future.  This development is a big step on that important journey. "

The Headmaster of the Chorister School, Mr Ian Hawksby says:

"I am delighted that girls are to get the same opportunity that boys have had here for centuries. They will receive a music and general education which equips them for the rest of their lives, as well as enabling them to spend their formative years in a beautiful spiritual place like Durham Cathedral. Here come the girls!"

(Posted on Thursday 8th May 2008)

10:05 - Coffee, Toast and Scripture

10:05 is an opportunity for 18 to 36 year-olds to meet for coffee, toast and scripture before the 11.15am Eucharist service every Sunday (during University term-time).

10:05 began life as an experiment in January 2008, and has resumed until 22nd June.

Do join us if you can from 10.05 to 11.00am on Sundays.

Further information can be found on the 10:05 page.

(Posted on Sunday 4th May 2008)

Bid online for a historic Durham experience

Durham is one of the first Cathedrals in the country to take part in TopLots - an exciting new online fundraising auction, which gives individuals, families, companies and groups, from anywhere in the world, the opportunity to bid on eBay for special 'behind the scenes' access to, and unique experiences offered by, some of the UK's vast range of arts and heritage organisations.

Durham Cathedral is one of the first Cathedrals to take part and is offering a lucky bidder, plus five guests, the chance to enjoy a private tour of the Cathedral, hosted by the Dean of Durham, The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove.  The tour will include a private viewing of the 11^th century Deanery, where King James I stayed on his visit to Durham in 1603 and which contains some of the oldest fabric on the Durham peninsula.  Following the tour, guests will be invited to join the Dean and his wife, Jennifer, for an elegant dinner in the King James Room - the very place where the monarch himself stayed more than 400 years ago.

You can view the Cathedral's lot, and register your interest in the auction, by visiting the TopLots website at http://www.toplots.co.uk/.  The auction will be live on eBay from 3 June 2008 and will run for ten days.  If you know anyone who may be interested in making a bid, please do let them know.  Funds raised by the auction will support the Cathedral's new Development Programme.

(Posted on Friday 25th April 2008)

Durham Cathedral Choir Tour to Versailles, 16 - 23 June 2008

Durham Cathedral Choir has been invited to visit Versailles for a week this June, singing concerts in Notre-Dame de Paris and the cathedrals of Versailles and Chartres, as well as the American Church in Paris, and the churches at Auvers-sur-Oise and Neauphle-le-Château.

The purpose of the tour is to create musical links and exchanges between the two cathedrals of Durham and Versailles, as well as fostering ecumenical ties, dialogue and friendship between the two dioceses.

Raising money to support the trip is being undertaken by Durham Cathedral Choir Association and the members of the choir themselves. The DCCA has been involved in negotiating sponsorship opportunities and other fund-raising, whilst one of the Choristers has created a photographic print of Durham Cathedral and produced a greetings card, with proceeds going towards the trip. Durham Cathedral Old Choristers Association meanwhile has given us a generous grant to cover our coach travel.  Many of the costs of the tour, once the choir arrives in France, will be covered by grants and fees from paying concerts.  The choir will stay with French families in the parish, where they will be able to experience French culture.

As well as a marvellous adventure for the choir it is a working tour, involving a busy schedule.  Highlights of the schedule include:

Tuesday 17 June - Concert at Chartres Cathedral

Wednesday 18 June - Concert at the Church of Notre Dame d'Auvers-sur-Oise as part of the Festival International d'Auvers-sur-Oise

Friday 20 June - Concerts at Notre-Dame de Paris and a concert at the American Church in Paris

Saturday 21 June - Visit to Neauphle-le-Château and a concert at the Church of Neauphle-le-Château with the choir of Versailles, as part of a nationwide annual celebration of music

 Sunday 22 June - High Mass at the Cathedral of Versailles with the choir of Versailles Cathedral, and Evensong and Benediction at the church of St Jeanne-d'Arc.

(Posted on Thursday 24th April 2008)

Van Mildert Canon Professor of Divinity

The Chapter of Durham Cathedral and the Department of Theology & Religion at Durham University are delighted to announce the appointment, by the Bishop of Durham, of The Reverend Professor Mark McIntosh as the new Van Mildert Canon Professor of Divinity  (He succeeds Professor David Brown who took up a post at St Andrew's University last year.)  McIntosh, who is currently at Loyola University (Chicago), is a world-renowned scholar in Systematic Theology and Spirituality, and has had many years of experience as theological adviser in the Episcopal Church in America.  He will begin his work here in September 2009 and we look forward very much to welcoming him and his family to Durham. 

(Posted on Tuesday 12th February 2008)