A new girls' choir for St Margaret's Church

Applications to join the St Margaret's Choristers, which will begin meeting in September 2023, are now open.

When fully established, the choir will consist of twenty girls, four each in Years 8 - 12, as well as four probationer choristers in Year 7. Choristers will be drawn from schools across London, and will receive free singing and music theory tuition as well as a generous scholarship.

The choir will have the opportunity to perform some of the great cathedral music repertoire alongside the professional singers of the St Margaret's Consort. The choristers will sing at the weekly 6:00pm service in St Margaret's on Sundays during term-time, as well as at some Wednesday Evensong services in Westminster Abbey. There will be occasional additional services, such as at Christmas and Easter, and over time the choristers will take on other projects including concerts, tours and recordings.

Looking ahead to the establishing of the St Margaret’s Choristers, the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, said:

‘The worship of the Abbey is our reason for being here, it is our character and our duty. It has always been as good as we can make it and music has always been central within it. We are delighted to be taking another step in making that worship better and more inclusive. We will, of course, continue to think about the role girls should have alongside our wonderful boy choristers, honouring our inheritance and looking to a richer future. I look forward to hearing girls’ voices in St Margaret’s and in the Abbey.’

Greg Morris, Director of Music at St Margaret’s, said:

‘I am already looking forward to welcoming girl choristers to St Margaret’s and the Abbey in September. The choir provides a fantastic opportunity for girls to enjoy singing some great choral music alongside professional musicians, receiving an excellent musical education in the process, and I’m sure the St Margaret’s Choristers will lead the way in an exciting new chapter for the music of St Margaret’s.’

About St Margaret's Church

Celebrating its 500th anniversary this year, St Margaret’s Church is situated next to Westminster Abbey and is under the governance of its Dean and Chapter. The church has significant links with Parliament and is often called ‘the parish church of the House of Commons’. As well as services for the parliamentary community, St Margaret’s also holds regular services for schools, charities and other organisations, alongside the important part it plays in the worshipping life of the Abbey.

More details and how to apply

Complete details about the St Margaret's Choristers and details about how to apply can be found on our dedicated becoming a Chorister page.

After the application has been submitted, applicants will be invited to a short audition taken by the Director of Music and a singing teacher, when girls will be asked to sing one song of their choice and will be given exercises to explore their vocal range, melodic memory and musical awareness. No previous experience of choral singing is necessary and we welcome applications from girls from any school or background.