The Choir of Canterbury Cathedral
The Choir of Canterbury Cathedral sings at the daily services in the Cathedral, providing music which enchants and delights the many thousands of visitors and pilgrims from all over the world, as well as the regular congregation. As the seat of the Archbishop, the Cathedral has a unique role in the life of the Church. Canterbury Cathedral is also a World Heritage Site.
The choristers are aged between 9 and 12; the younger boys will see their turn in years to come! They live in the ancient and beautiful Cathedral Choir House in the Precincts and attend St Edmund’s School. Each chorister learns to play at least two instruments as well as his very special training for his singing. Choir practice takes place every day, early in the morning before school and again before Evensong, and they perform music from the widest repertoire: mediaeval to modern.
There is, naturally, a lot of work but the Master of the Choristers, David Flood, ensures that there is always plenty of fun amongst it all. The boys find a tremendous fulfilment in performing and very quickly become at ease with the big solo on the big occasion. “Big Occasions” can be anything from a Royal visit to a Christmas service with more than 4,000 in the congregation or, as in 2008, a Lambeth Conference.
The Lay Clerks are professionally trained singers who also pursue another career, outside the Cathedral. Many are teachers of various kinds and some are in commerce or other fields. They sing seven services each week in the Cathedral, which is a tremendous commitment, but the opportunity to perform an exciting repertoire in a place such as Canterbury Cathedral is a thrill, despite the effort it demands.
In recent years the choir has toured in France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Canada and the United States. These trips, together with the television and radio appearances and the making of recordings, are some of the many exciting bonuses which come during a boy’s time as a chorister. It is a time which lives with them for ever and a training which is second to none, anywhere in the world.
David Flood
Straight after University in Oxford and then Cambridge, David Flood was appointed Assistant Organist at Canterbury Cathedral, a post he held for eight years. In 1986 he was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Lincoln Cathedral and in 1988 returned to Canterbury as Organist and Master of the Choristers. He is responsible not only for the outstanding daily programme of services but also for the special occasions.
He has given organ recitals in France, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand and many cities in the USA. He has studied with Gillian Weir and Jean Langlais.
As one of the leading choir trainers of the UK, he is in great demand around the world as a guest clinician and festival conductor, directing the Washington All-State Honor Choir in January 2008. He has directed an American Children’s Choirs Festival in Canterbury since 1995, featurning up to 400 children. David directed the music for the Enthronements of Archbishops Carey and Williams and for the 1998 and 2008 Lambeth Conferences. In 2001, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by the University of Kent and in 2008 an Honorary Fellowship of Canterbury Christ Church University.
The responsibility of daily sung services is naturally the most important part of his work and performing exciting music for the millions of visitors and pilgrims to the Cathedral each year is a great joy.
This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.
