Securing our Music
For
many centuries there has been a choir at Winchester Cathedral, playing
a part in leading the worship of God’s people in this ancient house
of prayer.
The choir which sings services in the Cathedral day by day is continuing a living heritage of music which is of inestimable value to the spiritual and pastoral life of the city, county and diocese, and also exemplifies the tradition of English Cathedral Music which is unique throughout Western Europe.
In common with other cathedral choral foundations, the most significant threat to the continuing health and excellence of the Winchester Cathedral Choir is financial. The costs of the music continue to rise at a significantly higher rate than inflation, without comparable increases in funding.
If funding is not secured for the choir, then this jewel of English Cathedral Music could eventually be lost, as has happened in most Italian and French cathedrals.
Winchester Cathedral is therefore committed to a programme of ongoing and capital funding to secure the choir for a generation.
Primarily this is aimed at providing chorister scholarships for their education at the highly acclaimed Pilgrims’ School, in Winchester Cathedral Close. Singing in a cathedral choir offers children a unique experience, as part of a close-knit, highly trained and disciplined team of other children working in partnership with adult musicians. This experience will benefit all our choristers in later life, and notably many will receive scholarships to their next schools, often at the highest levels.
It therefore makes sense for us to seek to secure this first, and we are therefore seeking assistance from individuals and companies which will provide ongoing revenue (at a range of manageable levels) for the short to medium term, and a capital sum which will provide a longer security once the most immediate problem has been addressed.
If you would like to talk to somebody about music funding
please contact:
Winchester Cathedral Trust
Cathedral Office
1, The Close
Winchester
Hampshire SO23 9LS
Telephone: 01962 857200
Fax: 01962 857201
Email: cathedral.office@winchester-cathedral.org.uk
Registered Charity no: 287400
All monies raised through the Music Fundraising programme will be administered
through the Winchester Cathedral Trust to meet the objectives of the donors.