Press
The Diocese of Leeds has the largest church programme of choral music for young people in the United Kingdom.
Our Choral Directors work with some 3500 children weekly (over 100 groups across 53 schools), returning to their bases to run our elite choirs; 6 boys’ choirs, 6 girls’ choirs, 5 mixed children’s choirs, 2 youth choirs, 3 university choirs and an adult choir, all drawing their membership from our school sessions.
There are two main elements to the system: auditioned choirs for boys and girls and the Diocesan Schools Singing Programme. These two areas of work are complementary and the musical and educational rewards flow into the schools and the liturgical life of the Diocese.
Click here to read testimonials from schools, choir members and parents.
The development of the choral programme is facilitated by a financial partnership with schools, and has been the subject of a number of press articles and news reports in recent years. A selection of these is reproduced below by kind permission of the publishers and broadcasters.
Songs of Praise – Primary School Choirs ( © BBC Television)
Songs of Praise – Bradford Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs ( © BBC Television)
News report – Chapeltown Choir School Project ( © BBC Television)
News report – Singing to Pope Benedict ( © BBC Television)
Past Hymns ( © 2018 Music Teacher Magazine)
A Top-flight Choir ( © 2018 Catholic Herald)
Schools Singing Programme ( © 2017 The American Organist)
Singing Our Praises ( © 2016 Royal School of Church Music)
Its all about the music for Leeds Choirs (© 2016 Catholic Universe)
Finding their voices ( © 2016 The Tablet)
Medal Glory for Bradford Girls (© 2014 Catholic Universe)
Sure Foundation (© 2014 Music Teacher)
Leeds Diocese Youth Choirs (© 2014 Catholic Life)
Leeds Cathedral leads the way (© 2013 Organists Review)
The heart of cathedral music ( © 2012 Cathedral Music Magazine)
New appointment at Leeds ( © 2012 Friends of Cathedral Music)
Singing for the Pope ( © 2010 Times Educational Supplement)
New Cathedral Organ ( © 2010 Organists Review)
Choristry revival ( © 2010 Bath Abbey Music Society)
Inner-city voices ( © 2010 Yorkshire Evening Post)
First state primary turns choir school ( © 2009 Times Educational Supplement)
A week in the life of a Choral Director ( © 2009 Diocese of Leeds)
Singing in Leeds Diocese ( © 2009 Association of British Choral Directors)
Roll out the choirs ( © 2008 Classical Music Magazine)
Laying Solid Foundations ( © 2008 Choir and Organ Magazine)
Sing Choirs of Schoolkids ( © 2007 The Tablet)
Hear hear!! Bravo @thomas_leech and @DOLMusic .. https://t.co/Bih1p2kCQs
...'We constantly strive for the revealing of the extraordinary potential and hope contained within the children we work with. they deserve the very best we can bring them.'
Here's to another great term of singing with our schools and choirs!
...'Classical choral music is all too often a culturally monolithic bastion of privilege - the children we work with deserve the riches of this world too; we cannot allow the improvement of access to be undermined...'
Our lovely Keighley Junior Choir!
In preparation for their BBC One broadcast of Christmas Day Mass 30 members of our Bradford Catholic Youth Choir are undertaking a choir development tour to Rome at the start of November this year. To ensure this experience is accessible and affordable for all choir members we are seeking support from a range of Trusts, Foundations, corporate partners and individual donors. Any support you are able to give, however small or big will make a huge difference.
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bcycrometour?utm_term=q6mBvBZEp
Help raise £3000 to support Bradford Catholic Youth Choir's Development Tour to Rome this November.
Weʼre raising money to support Bradford Catholic Youth Choir's Development Tour to Rome this November.. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.Worth up to £2,000 a year, university students local to Leeds have the opportunity to sing with one of the country’s finest cathedral choirs. With clear progression routes, expert mentoring and regular performances (including BBC broadcasts, the Leeds International Organ Festival and joint concerts with the Gabrieli Consort) these scholarships are an invaluable and unparalleled experience.
Leeds Cathedral now has scholarships available for all voice parts from September 2019. To apply contact: office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk
Music education 'creates more well-rounded people'
Music education 'creates more well-rounded people'
Jazz star and presenter YolanDa Brown says politicians should appreciate the benefits of music education.Our Cathedral Choir School has featured in the Yorkshire Evening Post today. 2019 marks 10 years of the Choir School and we are delighted to have worked with so many talented children in Chapeltown. Our long term aim is to sustain the Cathedral Choir School into the foreseeable future, maintaining and developing musical, academic and community partnerships old and new; an achievable goal with the generous support of funders. All donations towards the Choir School make a real and measurable difference. To secure another brilliant 10 years, please consider supporting this project.
World class musician Sally Egan receives Leeds College of Music fellowship
An inspiring musician who has helped the Leeds Cathedral Choir School thrive has received a fellowship from the Leeds College of Music.Worth up to £2,000 a year, university students local to Leeds have the opportunity to sing with one of the country’s finest cathedral choirs. With clear progression routes, expert mentoring and regular performances (including BBC broadcasts, the Leeds International Organ Festival and joint concerts with the Gabrieli Consort) these scholarships are an invaluable and unparalleled experience. Leeds Cathedral now has scholarships available for all voice parts from September 2019.
To apply contact: office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk
www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk/cathedral-scholarships/