A Christmas appeal to raise funds in support of securing and broadening access to music at Durham Cathedral has exceeded its target and raised £5200.
These funds will enable more young people from the North East to realise their musical potential by becoming part of the choir, and experiencing a life-changing education within the Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation. In particular, the funds will provide means-tested bursaries for school fees and support the choir’s music outreach activities.
Matthew Mills, Relationship and Development Manager at the cathedral says, “This is a great result for our Christmas appeal. Thanks to the support of nearly 100 members of the public, as well as a generous match donor and the Durham Cathedral Choir Association, we have raised the equivalent of the cost of a full chorister bursary. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed; for supporting our talented young musicians and helping the cathedral to continue giving the gift of music, which has been at the heart of cathedral life for nearly 1000 years.”
As well as a number of donations through social media and a ‘text to donate’ option, viewers of the cathedral’s online and in-person services over the Advent and Christmas period contributed to the Sing, Choirs of Angels appeal as they watched Durham Cathedral Choir perform, some as they watched via livestreaming from locations outside of the UK.
Daniel Cook, Master of the Choristers and Organist at Durham Cathedral, said, “Durham Cathedral Choir shares the joy of choral music with communities across the world, and I am delighted with the success of the appeal this Christmas. Financial support for music is the only way that we can realise our ambition to grow the choir to its full capacity, providing the opportunity of forty-eight chorister places for talented young singers from the North East. I am incredibly proud of our choristers and thank them for everything they do to enrich worship at the cathedral, especially at Christmas time.”
If your child has a passion for singing, consider signing up for the cathedral’s next Chorister Experience event on Saturday 22 January. This free afternoon event gives children in years 2-6 a taste of being a chorister. Sign up at www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/whats-on
To find out more about supporting Durham Cathedral’s historic choral foundation, contact Matthew Mills at [email protected]
