Kings Ely Juniors at St Paul’s

KING’S Ely Junior’s Chamber Choir is on a high after having the opportunity to sing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral, London. The 35-strong choir, made up of boys and girls from Years 5 to 8, travelled to the capital for the service on June 3^rd. On the service sheet Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Herbert Sumsion and Come Holy Ghost by Thomas Attwood, a former organist of St Paul’s.

Director of Music Performance at King’s Ely, Neil Porter-Thaw, who directed the choir on the day, says he could not be prouder of how the pupils performed. He said: “After a very good journey down to London, we arrived and had a relaxed packed lunch outside the walls of St Paul’s. We were then shown through the crypt and into the wonderful song school. After a long rehearsal we moved up to the Cathedral to finish preparing for Evensong.

Singing to a Packed Choir and Nave

“The massive acoustic took a little time to get used to but the choir responded well. We were greeted very warmly and were taken aback by the amount of visitors in the Cathedral during our rehearsal. Most of them stayed for Evensong and both the choir and the nave were packed. The choir sang beautifully and it was a really amazing experience for us all. We were pleased to receive so many positive comments from the clergy and congregation. Congratulations to everyone involved!”

Music is the beating heart of King’s Ely and is the reason why the school came into existence in the first place (970 AD!) Over a third of students learn a musical instrument or receive vocal tuition and the quality, range and variety of ensembles all attest to the school’s musical pedigree. The school calendar is jam-packed with student-led and professional concerts, workshops and masterclasses, all of which, together with the excellence of the school’s cathedral choirs, highlight how music is the soul of the King’s Ely community and testify to its inclusivity.