Priory Singers replace disbanded cathedral choir for King’s Belfast visit
Florence Lockheart
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Following the sudden disbandment of Belfast’s cathedral choir the Priory Singers stepped in to provide music for yesterday's service of thanksgiving for the life of Queen Elizabeth II
King Charles heard Belfast’s Priory Singers during the Queen’s Thanksgiving service held yesterday in St Anne’s Cathedral. The choir was joined by five guest singers from Northern Ireland Opera.
Following the sudden disbandment of Belfast’s cathedral choir and removal of the cathedral’s music director announced last month as part of a ‘restructuring’ of its music department, the organisation was required to turn elsewhere for music for the service.
Matthew Owens, who held the position of director of music until it was removed in August chose the music for the service during his time in the role. In a statement released on LinkedIn and Twitter, Owens said: ‘I send my best wishes to the Priory Singers, members of Northern Ireland Opera, and all the other musicians conducted by Philip Bolton… They have all been asked to perform at this important occasion, as the cathedral currently has no choir or cathedral musicians.’
According to a statement released by the cathedral, the director of music role will be replaced by a part-time cathedral choir director and the paid, professional choir replaced by a ‘voluntary adult choir’. As replacements were not in place as The Queen’s health began to decline in early September, the Priory Singers were asked to be on ‘stand-by’ in case of a memorial service.
Philip Bolton MBE, the choir’s director of music, said: ‘The music had already been chosen and some of it, such as Charles Wood’s magnificent setting of the Nunc Dimittis in F major, was familiar to us: but we also had to cope with new material, in particular Tavener’s “They are all gone into the world of light”, which is an ethereal piece but very difficult to deliver.’
Bolton added, ‘Intensive and lengthy rehearsals followed over the next three days and the Choir, along with our brilliant organist Jack Wilson, really rose to the occasion. We were honoured to sing music in celebration of the life of Queen Elizabeth, and in the presence of the new King.’
