Guildford Cathedral Singers

Musical Director: John Bawden

About the Guildford Cathedral Singers

Guildford Cathedral Singers is a mixed-voice choir established in the early 1980s by the Cathedral Music Department to sing at the morning Eucharist and Mattins on about twelve Sundays a year when the Cathedral Choir is on holiday, and occasionally for an Evensong or a special service. Once a term we combine forces with the Cathedral Choir under the combined direction of the Cathedral Organist and Master of the Choristers, and our own Musical Director. We perform a wide range of music appropriate to the style of the Cathedral services, including anthems and settings of the canticles and mass by outstanding composers from the 17th century to the 21st. For us, the opportunity to sing some of the finest sacred music within the liturgical context for which it was intended, in the spacious surroundings of Guildford Cathedral, is both a pleasure and a privilege.

Our Musical Director, John Bawden, is a former member of Guildford Cathedral Choir and has a wealth of experience as both choral director and singer.

Rehearsals are held on the Friday evening preceding each service, from 7.45pm to 9.45pm. There is also a short practice immediately before the service. Music is distributed about two weeks in advance so that it can be prepared beforehand. 

We have several social functions during the year, including a Summer Lunch Party and a Christmas Social.

Dates for 2011-12

Music details for each service are published in the Services section of this website approximately one month in advance (click on the links below to take you to the service details).

September

Friday 2: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 4: Eucharist (BCP) and Mattins

October

Friday 7: Singing Workshop with Hilary Jones
Friday 21: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 30: Eucharist and Mattins

November

Friday 11: Rehearsal (Song Room)
Sunday 13: Evensong (sung jointly with the Cathedral Choir)

December

Thursday 15: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 18: Eucharist and Mattins
Friday 30: Rehearsal (Quire)

January

Sunday 1: Eucharist (BCP)

February

Friday 10: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 12: Eucharist (no Mattins)

March

Friday 9: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 11: Evensong (sung jointly with the Cathedral Choir)

April

Wednesday 4: Rehearsal (Quire)
Friday 6: Good Friday Evensong
Friday 27: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 29: Eucharist and Mattins

May

Saturday 12/Sunday 13: Association of Cathedral Voluntary Choirs Festival at Ely Cathedral
Friday 25: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 27: Patronal Festival Eucharist (sung jointly with the Cathedral Choir)

June

Friday 1: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 3: Eucharist (BCP) and Mattins

July

Friday 20: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 22: Eucharist and Mattins

August/September

Friday 31: Rehearsal (Quire)
Sunday 2: Eucharist (BCP) and Mattins

Join the Guildford Cathedral Singers

If you are interested in singing with us, and you are an experienced choral singer with good sight-reading skills, regularly available about once a month on a Friday evening and a Sunday morning, we would be pleased to hear from you. There is an audition (click here for audition details) before you can become a member of the choir, but you are welcome to come and join us at one of our rehearsals first, before committing yourself further. Please click here to email John Bawden, Musical Director, for further details.

Book the Guildford Cathedral Singers for a Wedding or Special Service

The Guildford Cathedral Singers are available to sing for weddings and other special services in the Guildford area.

To discuss this matter further please click here to email John Bawden.

Committee Members

Association of Cathedral Voluntary Choirs

The Guildford Cathedral Singers is one of a number of voluntary choirs which support their Cathedrals. The Association of Cathedral Voluntary Choirs, often referred to as ACVC, draws us all together with a festival hosted by one of the member choirs roughly once every eighteen months.

Link to ACVC web page