Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

The Quire of St George's Chapel, by Charles Wild, from W.H. Pyne's Royal Residences, 1818.

The Choir of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle exists to sing services in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

It has been in existence since 1348 and, with the exception of the Commonwealth period (1649–1660), has sung services in the Chapel continuously ever since.

The choir today

The choir comprises up to 23 boy choristers (5 of whom are probationers or training choristers) and 12 professional Lay Clerks, singing Countertenor, tenor and bass.. The Choir sings at Evensong each day (except Wednesdays) and twice on Sunday mornings during the three terms of the College year. The choristers are educated at St George's School, Windsor Castle which is situated in the Castle grounds. The Lay Clerks live in the Horseshoe Cloister and on Denton's Commons.

The choir sings regularly in the presence of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Significant recent events have included:

• the annual service for the Order of the Garter, Britain's highest order of chivalry
• the marriage of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly in 2008
• the thanksgiving service for Edmund Hillary in 2008, televised live in New Zealand
• the baptism of James, Viscount Severn in 2008
• the thanksgiving service for HM The Queen's 80th birthday in 2006
• the Service of Prayer and Dedication on the marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall in 2005
• the funeral of Princess Margaret in St George's Chapel and the thanksgiving service for her life held in Westminster Abbey in 2002
• the marriage of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999

Concerts are also given from time to time, some collaborating with ensembles such as the London Concert Orchestra, the London Handel Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players. The choir also broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4.

The choir is directed by the Director of Music and accompanied an Assistant Organist, plus an organ scholar who is selected by audition on an annual basis.

Tours

• 2015 - Germany (the Choir sang in the Theatinerkirche)
• 2013 - Germany and Austria (the Lay Clerks sang in Nuremberg, Munich and Salzburg)
• 2007 - United States (the Choir sang in Boston and Washington DC)
• 2006 – United States (the Choir sang in New York at The British Memorial Garden on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The Choir also sang at a Gala Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to raise money for the New York Downtown Hospital, where many of the casualties were taken following 9/11 as well as singing Evensong at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, New York. This was the first appearance of the Choir in the US for over 20 years.)

Other overseas appearances include Norway, France, Holland, Poland, Spain and Switzerland

Recordings

Recent recordings include:

• 2011 - Celebrate Christmas
• 2006 - O How Glorious is the Kingdom
• 2006 - W H Harris Anthems
• 2005 - Music for a Royal Celebration
• 2005 - Abide with Me
• 2003 - Carols from Windsor Castle
• 2002 - Carols from Windsor Castle
• 2001 - Tomkins Cathedral Music
• 2001 - Carols from Windsor Castle
• 2000 - Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis Vol 21
• 2000 - The Glory of St George's
• 1999 - Mathias: Lux Aeterna
• 1996 - David Fanshawe: African Sanctus (with Bournemouth Symphony Chorus)
• 1994 - Parry Cathedral Music
• 1994 - Tavener Sacred Works
• 1993 - Saint Nicolas & Hymn to Saint Cecilia (with Corydon Singers)
• 1984 - 20 Christmas Carols from Saint George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

List of Organists and Master of Choristers

Walter Whitby 1406-1415 Laurence Dreweryn 1415-1441 John Wederby 1441-1461 Thomas Rolfe 1461-1469 Robert Cotyngham 1469-1473 William Browne 1473-1476 Thomas Rolfe 1476-1489 Tuke, Bell, Bowyer, Bednall and Rede (acted jointly) Richard Wood 1496-1531 John Marbeck, 1531–1547 George Thaxton 1547-1559 Preston 1559-1563 Robert Golder 1563-1564 Richard Farrant, 1564–1580 John Mundy 1581-1585 Nathaniel Giles 1585-1632 William Child 1632-1697 John Golding 1697-1719

John Pigott 1719-1756 Edward Webb 1756-1788 Theodore Aylward Sr., 1788–1801 William Sexton 1801-1824 Karl Friedrich Horn 1824-1830 Highmore Skeats 1830-1835 Sir George Job Elvey, 1835–1882 Sir Walter Parratt, 1882–1924 The Revd Canon Edmund Fellowes, 1924–1927, Acting Master of the Choristers, with GS Kitchingman and later Malcolm Boyle, as Acting Organist Sir Henry Walford Davies, 1927–1932 Charles Hylton Stewart, 1932 Sir William Henry Harris, 1933–1961 Sidney Campbell 1961-1974 Christopher Robinson 1974-1991 Jonathan Rees-Williams 1991-2002 Roger Judd (Acting) 2002-2004 Timothy Byram-Wigfield, 2004-2013 James Vivian, 2013-incumbent

Sub organists

• Richard Frank Martin Akerman 1908 - 1924
• Malcolm Boyle 1925 - 1932
• Reginald Alwyn Surplice 1932 - 1945^[1][2]
• John Morehen 1968 - 1972

Assistant Organists

• Charles Hancock ???? - 1875
• G.F. Huntley 1875 - 1880
• Henry Walford Davies 1885 - 1890 (later Organist of the Temple Church London and subsequently Organist here 1927-1932 - see above)
• Richard Frank Martin Akerman 1900 - 1908 (afterwards Sub Organist)
• Harold William Rhodes 1908 - 1910 (later successively Organist of Coventry Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral)
• Reginald Alwyn Surplice 1927 - 1932 (afterwards Sub Organist here and later successively Organist of Bristol Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral)
• John Charles Stirling Forster 1941 - 1945
• Philip Harold Moore 1946 - 1949 (later Organist of Guildford Cathedral and York Minster)
• Lionel Frederick Dakers 1950 - 1954 (later Organist of Exeter Cathedral)
• Richard George Greening 1955 - 1959 (later Organist of Lichfield Cathedral)
• Clement McWilliam 1959 - 1965 (later Sub Organist of Winchester Cathedral)
• John Porter 1972 - 1985 (deceased while in office)
• Roger Judd 1985 - 2008
• Ben Giddens 2008 - 2009 (Acting)

Assistant Directors of Music

• Richard Pinel 2009 -

Organ Scholars

• Peter J Williams 1965-1966^[3]
• John Porter 1965–1967 (later Assistant Organist here)
• John Taylor 1965–1967 (then Assistant Organist of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh)
• Terence Atkins 1967–1969 (now Organist and Choirmaster at St John the Baptist Parish Church, Chipping Barnet)
• Jason Smart 1969–1972
• Francis Grier 1972–1973 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; later Organist and Master of the Choristers at Christ Church, Oxford)
• Colin Walsh 1973–1974 (afterwards Organ Scholar of Christ Church Oxford; later Assistant Organist Salisbury Cathedral, Organist St Albans Cathedral, now Organist Laureate Lincoln Cathedral)
• Christopher Brayne 1974–1975 (later Organist and Master of the Choristers of Bristol Cathedral; now Director of Music at Christ Church, Charlotte, North Carolina)
• Thomas Trotter 1975–1976 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge, later Organist of St Margaret's Church, Westminster and Birmingham City Organist)
• Adrian Partington 1977–1978 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; currently Director of Music Gloucester Cathedral)
• Harry Bicket 1978–1980 (Director, The English Concert)
• Wayne Marshall 1980–1983
• Iain Simcock 1983–1984
• Neil Kelly 1984–1986
• Andrew Nethsingha 1986–1987 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; currently Director of Music at St John's College, Cambridge)
• Roger Muttitt 1987–1988 (currently Director of Music at Durham School)
• Philip Scriven 1988–1990 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; then Sub-Organist of Winchester Cathedral; later Organist and Master of the Choristers at Lichfield Cathedral)
• Mark Wardell 1990–1991 (later Assistant Organist of Chichester Cathedral)
• Jonathan Lilley 1991–1992 (later Sub-Organist at Leeds Parish Church; then Assistant Organist at Ely Cathedral; currently Organist of Waltham Abbey Church)
• Christopher Allsop 1992–1993 (afterwards Trinity College, Cambridge; assistant at St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham; currently Assistant Organist of Worcester Cathedral)
• Matthew Raisbeck 1993–1994
• Greg Morris 1994–1995 (currently Associate Organist Temple Church, London)
• Iain Farrington 1995–1996 (then Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge)
• Myles Hartley 1996–1997
• Teilhard Scott 1997–1999
• Jonathan Vaughn 1999–2000 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Organist Wells Cathedral)
• Robert Kwan 2000–2001 (Assistant to the Organist-Choirmaster, Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Westport, CT; currently Director of Music, Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport, CT, USA)
• Francesca Massey 2001–2002 (Acting Assistant Organist September–December 2001; afterwards Organ Scholar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Organist of Durham Cathedral)
• Tom Winpenny 2002–2003 (Acting Assistant Organist; then Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; then Sub-Organist, St Paul's Cathedral; currently Assistant Master of the Music, St Albans Cathedral)
• Henry Parkes 2003–2004 (Acting Assistant Organist September–December 2003; then Organ Scholar of Christ Church, Oxford; later Associate Director of Music All Saints, Margaret Street, London)
• Ben Giddens 2004–2005 (afterwards Organ Scholar Norwich Cathedral; subsequently Acting Assistant Organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle; later Assistant Organist Magdalen College, Oxford)
• Peter Stevens 2005–2006 (afterwards Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Master of Music, Westminster Cathedral)
• John Challenger 2006–2008 (afterwards Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral)
• Laurence Williams 2008–2009 (afterwards Choral Scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge; currently Assistant Organist at Waltham Abbey Church)
• Alexander Binns 2009–2010 (afterwards studied organ at the Royal Academy of Music, London whilst Organ Scholar at Marylebone Parish Church, the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and Southwark Cathedral, currently Assistant Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral)
• Ben Bloor 2010–2011 (afterwards Organ Scholar of New College, Oxford; later Organ Scholar of Westminster Cathedral; currently Organist of Brompton Oratory)
• Adam Mathias 2011-2012 (afterwards Organ Scholar of Emmanuel College, Cambridge)
• Joseph Beech 2012-2013 (undergraduate at the Royal Academy of Music; currently organ scholar at Brompton Oratory and organ scholar elect of St Paul's Cathedral)
• Glen Dempsey 2013-2014 )currently Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge)
• Alexander Hamilton 2014-2015 (currently Organ Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge)
• Asher Oliver 2015-2016 (Organ Scholar elect to Trinity College, Cambridge)
• Benjamin Newlove 2016-2017

Notable alumni

• Michael Chance, countertenor
• Sir Henry Walford Davies, composer and noted speaker and broadcaster on music
• David Fanshawe, classical composer
• Francis Grier, classical composer
• Sir William Henry Harris, composer of church music
• John Lubbock, conductor
• Sir Arthur Sullivan, composer

See also

• Anglican church music
• St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

References

• For organists appointed prior to 1939: Organists and Masters of the Choristers of St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Historical monographs relating to St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle Volume 3. Edmund Fellowes (1939)

1. Organists and Masters of the Choristers of St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Historical monographs relating to St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle Volume 3. Edmund Fellowes (1939)
2. Who's who in Music. Fourth Edition. 1962. p.205
3. The following note in the first person, intended as a correction, was written and added here by Peter J Williams. The entry for Graham Elliott, to which he objected, has been removed. ("Graham Elliott was NOT an Organ Scholar but a private pupil of Dr Sidney Campbell. I went in 1964 as a private PA to Dr. Campbell and then became the first Organ Scholar, along with John Porter who stayed on when I went to be Assistant Organist at York Minster 1966. Many of these dates are wrong!")

External links

• Choir website
• Current music list
• Information about the choristers
• Video about the choristers
• A history of the choristers of St George's Chapel Windsor
• Chapel shop