Carlisle Cathedral is delighted to be one of 42 Cathedrals and churches to have been awarded a Government grant to fund the Cathedral’s Chorister Outreach, part of the Sing Up National Singing Programme.

The project, in partnership with the County’s Local Music Service, aims to promote singing in primary schools and to support and develop the skills of new and existing singing leaders and teachers.

Singing leaders from the Cathedral’s Music Department and the Local Music Service are going into three primary schools per term on a weekly basis to work with the children. In addition groups of Cathedral choristers are visiting the schools to sing to and with the pupils. This culminates, towards the end of each term, with a concert featuring the school children and the choristers. The next Sing Up concert “summer Sing Up” is to be held in the Cathedral on Tuesday 29 June at 6.30pm. Admission is free by ticket only, available from the Cathedral Office, and all are welcome.

A separate part of the Outreach Project is the formation of a junior choir, known as Carlisle Cantate, for 7 – 13 year old boys and girls. The choir sings a programme of mainly secular music in a fun and relaxed atmosphere and rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6.30-7.30pm.  Anyone who is interested in joining Carlisle Cantate, or who would like further details, can contact Edward Taylor, the Cathedral’s Assistant Organist, E-mail: edward.j.taylor@hotmail.co.uk

The Cathedral is pleased to be able to participate in this nationwide initiative. Jeremy Suter, the Cathedral’s Master of the Music commented “The popularity of such programmes as Last Choir Standing and The Choir: Unsung Town is evidence of the huge interest in singing. Singing can bring great pleasure to children themselves and to others. It helps develop creativity and confidence, encourages teamwork and can have spin off benefits in other curriculum subjects. We very much enjoy working with the local schools”.

The Chorister Outreach Programme, part of Sing Up The Government's National Singing Programme
Working in partnership with Cumbria Music Service