A Call for Choristers: Exeter Cathedral Invites Children to Audition for Prestigious Choir
Exeter Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral School are now welcoming applications from children who are currently in years two to five at school, for the opportunity to join Exeter Cathedral Choir.
Applicants will be invited to attend the cathedral’s Chorister Voice Trials, which are taking place on 25 and 27 January. The auditions involve singing a prepared song or hymn that the candidate enjoys, as well as ear tests to demonstrate their musicality.
Exeter Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music, Michael Stephens-Jones, said the auditions offered a unique opportunity for young children with a love of music:
“Choristerships at Exeter Cathedral offer children a fantastic musical education by being part of our prestigious choir, singing daily in one of Europe’s most magnificent cathedrals.
“We are looking for children who are eager to learn, work hard and have fun developing a love of singing.”
All of Exeter Cathedral’s choristers attend the nearby Exeter Cathedral School – an independent prep school that has historic ties with the cathedral. The school’s Headmaster, James Featherstone, explained:
“Being a chorister really can be life-changing and life-affirming, and it is a real source of pride for us at the school that we have an 845-year history of educating these young musicians. They are fully involved in all areas of school life, and are often able to be supported financially – I don’t think we’ve ever had someone turn down the offer of a place in the choir and school on the grounds of financial need. Music really matters at our school – as does sport, kindness, and nurturing people.
“We are really looking forward to this year’s Voice Trials, and I’d encourage anyone who loves singing and being part of a team to give it a go.”
The successful candidates will play an important role in both the school and the cathedral, with the choir leading around eight services each week during term time, maintaining a tradition that has been largely unbroken for centuries. The choir also undertakes a busy programme of concerts, radio broadcasts, recordings and tours.
Ten-year-old Harry, a chorister and pupil at Exeter Cathedral School, shares his headmaster’s pride in the long musical tradition:
“When we sing in big concerts in the cathedral, it is really cool when people stand up and clap and whistle. You know you’ve done a really good job.
“Being a chorister in Exeter Cathedral Choir becomes part of your normal life. I know it is amazing. But it is what we do every day. It is what we do all the time and I like it.”
The application deadline for the 2025 Exeter Cathedral Chorister Voice Trials is 20 January. The auditions will be held on 25 January for external pupils, and on 27 January for pupils already attending Exeter Cathedral School.