Portsmouth Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Portsmouth, which covers south-east Hampshire, Portsea Island and the Isle of Wight. The focal point for many diocese-wide services and events, we host many diocesan events from confirmation services to the ordinations of new ministers. Worship in a variety of different styles is available throughout the year, from daily Holy Communion, to our informal family service #PompeySundays. We warmly welcome all through our doors, as a beacon and safe haven anchored in Jesus Christ. We are also the Parish Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, serving all who live in our geographical parish rather like any other smaller parish church.
Since humble beginnings in 1180, we have for centuries the Cathedral watched, listened and helped the people of Portsmouth navigate the passage of time. We have witnessed wars and peace, famous marriages, been bombed and rebuilt. The Cathedral reflects the constantly changing, growing and unfolding of the Christian faith, displaying a harmony of three distinct architectural styles which provide a source of light, warmth and space.
CHORAL MUSIC AT PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL
Portsmouth Cathedral Choir is made up of Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars with an alternating top line of 24 boys and 22 girls who contribute to the pattern of daily cathedral worship. The choristers rehearse on weekday mornings at 8.00am before a normal school day in preparation for the week’s music.
In any normal week, the Cathedral Choir sings for at least six services. The Choir also sings at various special services and events both locally across the diocese and internationally, and has toured Belgium, Holland, Sweden, France, Italy, Malta, Estonia, Sweden and more recently Iceland and Finland. Last month our Girl Choristers and adults toured in Antwerp and Mechelen, Belgium.
At home in the UK they have also sung at St Paul’s Cathedral, St George’s in Windsor Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and at Westminster Abbey. The Cathedral Choir maintains strong links with the Royal Navy and takes part in a number of services for them. Highlights include the annual Royal Marines Band Service and the Second Sea Lord’s carol service on HMS Victory and they were particularly delighted to be aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth for her commissioning at the end of 2017 in the presence of Her Late Majesty The Queen and The Princess Royal.
Portsmouth Cathedral Choir was the first cathedral choir to broadcast a live on Radio 3 Choral Evensong after the BBC paused outside broadcasts in 2020. This time last year, Portsmouth Cathedral Choir was highlighted in the BBC Music Magazine for their new CD of Advent and Christmas carols, Verbum caro. On Christmas Eve last year, we broadcast Midnight Mass from Portsmouth live on BBC1 alongside Musicians from His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band.
The choir takes a full part in leading Portsmouth’s Cathedral Sing! Chorister Outreach Programme in Hampshire and Portsmouth schools, and later this year we will host The Gabrieli ROAR project with 200 children from schools across the region. This term we are working with schools in Portsmouth and Gosport.
We are so pleased to be back in Denmark for the first time since 2007, singing at venues in Copenhagen and Roskilde, Denmark.
