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Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

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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

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The choir comprises up to 23 choristers (the youngest of whom are probationers or training choristers) and 12 professional Lay Clerks, who sing alto, tenor and bass. The Choir sings at Evensong each day (except Wednesdays) and at Mattins and Eucharist 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 King and other members of the Royal Family.

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 the Assistant Director of Music, plus an organ scholar who is selected by audition on an annual basis.

In January 2022 – two months after the first woman became a lay clerk there – it was announced that the choir would admit girl choristers from the following year, forming a mixed treble line.[1]

List of Organists and Masters of Choristers (known as 'Director of Music' from 2004)

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Sub organists

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Assistant Organists

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Assistant Directors of Music

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  • Richard Pinel 2009 – 2016 (subsequently Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge, currently Director of Music at St Mary's, Bourne Street)
  • Luke Bond 2017 – incumbent

Organ Scholars

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Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Choir of St George's Chapel". College of St George. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  2. ^ 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)
  3. ^ Who's who in Music. Fourth Edition. 1962. p.205
  4. ^ An entry for Graham Elliott which formerly appeared here has been removed in the light of the following statement which was inserted by Peter J Williams: "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!"
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