Chester school choir enthralls audiences at St Paul’s Cathedral

May 4 2009 by Jo Henwood, Chester Chronicle

HUNDREDS of Londoners and tourists piled in to St Paul’s Cathedral to listen to a Chester school choir sing.

The 68-strong Abbey Gate College Chapel Choir sang choral evensong at the capital’s cathedral for the 20th year running.

Director of music Stewart Smith said: “We first sang at St Paul’s 20 years ago and have been fortunate to be invited back every year.”

The choir sang the anthem Blessed be the

God and Father by S S Wesley with a solo by 15-year old Olivia Hunt.

They also sang a setting of the

Canticles in G minor by Henry Purcell.

Mr Smith added: “The clegy found the anthem thrilling and cathedral staff commented on the choir’s high standard of singing, behaviour and appearance.

“The evensong is a public event and hundreds attended both our rehearsal and the performance.”

The youngsters, aged from 11 to 18, will sing at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice during a summer concert tour which will also include other churches in Venice and northern Italy.

St Paul’s regularly invites school and university choirs to perform during school holidays.