What is a Chorister?

Choristers are usually children with treble (unchanged) voices who sing the top (soprano) line in the cathedral choir. They rehearse regularly and sing for services. At weekends they sing with professional adult singers – the adult altos, tenors and basses of the choir, known as the 'lay clerks'.

Alongside regular services, choristers take part in concerts, they have the chance to take part in concert tours to other countries and make recordings and sing on radio and television broadcasts.

Most of our choristers start at the beginning of year 4 and they all leave at the end of year 9.

Unlike other cathedrals, St Albans has no 'choir school': all the choristers attend local schools, and form part of the Cathedral Choir around school hours. We are able to open up this amazing opportunity to local children without asking them to change schools.