St Paul’s Choir

The Choir at Bristol Cathedral

Music is at the heart of our worship at St Paul’s and the choir is very much a part of the church community. We have an extremely dedicated Director of Music and an organist and choir of which we are justly proud. Anyone can join the choir whatever their musical ability. There are no auditions!! However, our Director of Music, Louise Turner, is able to maintain a very high standard that is often commented upon favourably by visitors to St Paul’s and people at the cathedrals visited.

Music is always carefully chosen to enhance our worship, reflecting the church’s seasons.

As well as singing on Sunday mornings for the Mass, a full Choral Evensong is sung on the third Sunday of most months. The choir also visit cathedrals to sing Choral Evensong. Most recently, this year, they sang in Bristol Cathedral in February and Southwark Cathedral in April. These visits are well supported with members of the congregation sometimes outnumbering the choir on the bus!

The choir also sing for a service of Advent music and readings on Advent Sunday and a traditional Service of Nine Lessons and Carols shortly before Christmas. Midweek Sung Mass for Feast days are also well supported by the choir and there is a service of music and readings for Passiontide on Palm Sunday evening.

The choir is available to sing for weddings and funerals if requested and in the lead up to Christmas go carol singing in the care homes in the Parish and in the town’s marketplace.

A selection of some of their music:

O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen, sung at St Paul’s in 2023 (9 lessons and Carols)

Wir setzen uns from St Matthews Passion, sung at St Paul’s in 2023 (Music for Holy Week)

Let all mortal flesh keep silent, sung at Chichester Cathedral in 2023

Greater Love hath No Man by Ireland, sung at Tewkesbury Abbey in 2022

Psalm 46, sung at Tewkesbury Abbey in 2022

Abendlied by Rheinberger, sung at Winchester Cathedral in 2019

Northen Lights by Ola Gjeilo, sung at Chichester Cathedral in 2015

A special musical evening