Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

The Quire of St George's Chapel, by Charles Wild, from W.H. Pyne's Royal Residences, 1818.

The Choir of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle exists to sing services in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

It has been in existence since 1348 and, with the exception of the Commonwealth period (1649–1660), has sung services in the Chapel continuously ever since.

The choir today

The choir comprises up to 23 boy choristers (5 of whom are probationers or training choristers) and 12 professional Lay Clerks, singing Countertenor, tenor and bass.. The Choir sings at Evensong each day (except Wednesdays) and twice on Sunday mornings during the three terms of the College year. The choristers are educated at St George's School, Windsor Castle which is situated in the Castle grounds. The Lay Clerks live in the Horseshoe Cloister and on Denton's Commons.

The choir sings regularly in the presence of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Significant recent events have included:

Concerts are also given from time to time, some collaborating with ensembles such as the London Concert Orchestra, the London Handel Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players. The choir also broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4.

The choir is directed by the Director of Music and accompanied an Assistant Organist, plus an organ scholar who is selected by audition on an annual basis.

Tours

Other overseas appearances include Norway, France, Holland, Poland, Spain and Switzerland

Recordings

Recent recordings include:

List of Organists and Master of Choristers

  • Walter Whitby 1406-1415
  • Laurence Dreweryn 1415-1441
  • John Wederby 1441-1461
  • Thomas Rolfe 1461-1469
  • Robert Cotyngham 1469-1473
  • William Browne 1473-1476
  • Thomas Rolfe 1476-1489
  • Tuke, Bell, Bowyer, Bednall and Rede (acted jointly)
  • Richard Wood 1496-1531
  • John Marbeck, 1531–1547
  • George Thaxton 1547-1559
  • Preston 1559-1563
  • Robert Golder 1563-1564
  • Richard Farrant, 1564–1580
  • John Mundy 1581-1585
  • Nathaniel Giles 1585-1632
  • William Child 1632-1697
  • John Golding 1697-1719

Sub organists

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Assistant Organists

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Assistant Directors of Music

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Organ Scholars

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. Who's who in Music. Fourth Edition. 1962. p.205
  2. (Graham Elliott was NOT an Organ Scholar but a private pupil of Dr Sidney Campbell. I went in 1964 as a private PA to Dr. Campbell and then became the first Organ Scholar, along with John Porter who stayed on when I went to be Assistant Organist at York Minster 1966. Many of these dates are wrong!)

External links

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