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 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 chivalrythe marriage of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly in 2008the thanksgiving service for Edmund Hillary in 2008, televised live in New Zealandthe baptism of James, Viscount Severn in 2008the thanksgiving service for HM The Queen's 80th birthday in 2006the Service of Prayer and Dedication on the marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall in 2005the funeral of Princess Margaret in St George's Chapel and the thanksgiving service for her life held in Westminster Abbey in 2002the marriage of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999Concerts 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.
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
Recent recordings include:
2011 - Celebrate Christmas2006 - O How Glorious is the Kingdom2006 - W H Harris Anthems2005 - Music for a Royal Celebration2005 - Abide with Me2003 - Carols from Windsor Castle2002 - Carols from Windsor Castle2001 - Tomkins Cathedral Music2001 - Carols from Windsor Castle2000 - Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis Vol 212000 - The Glory of St George's1999 - Mathias: Lux Aeterna1996 - David Fanshawe: African Sanctus (with Bournemouth Symphony Chorus)1994 - Parry Cathedral Music1994 - Tavener Sacred Works1993 - Saint Nicolas & Hymn to Saint Cecilia (with Corydon Singers)1984 - 20 Christmas Carols from Saint George's Chapel, Windsor CastleRichard Frank Martin Akerman 1908 - 1924Malcolm Boyle 1925 - 1932Reginald Alwyn Surplice 1932 - 1945John Morehen 1968 - 1972Charles Hancock ???? - 1875G.F. Huntley 1875 - 1880Henry 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 - 1945Philip 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 - 2008Ben Giddens 2008 - 2009 (Acting)Richard Pinel 2009 -Peter J Williams 1965-1966John 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 1969–1972Francis 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 1980–1983Iain Simcock 1983–1984Neil Kelly 1984–1986Andrew 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 1993–1994Greg Morris 1994–1995 (currently Associate Organist Temple Church, London)Iain Farrington 1995–1996 (then Organ Scholar of St John's College, Cambridge)Myles Hartley 1996–1997Teilhard Scott 1997–1999Jonathan 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 2016-2017Michael Chance, countertenorSir Henry Walford Davies, composer and noted speaker and broadcaster on musicDavid Fanshawe, classical composerFrancis Grier, classical composerSir William Henry Harris, composer of church musicJohn Lubbock, conductorSir Arthur Sullivan, composer
