Evening closure of Precincts, Tues 26 – Sat 30 September
Due to the Luxmuralis light show and the need to manage large queues, public entry to the Precincts after 17:30 will only be possible for Luxmuralis ticket holders or those attending Choral Evensong.
Planning your visit? Remember to check our upcoming closures.
In addition to singing at regular services, the Cathedral’s musicians frequently take part in large-scale projects and performances, both in Canterbury and further afield. More information about selected projects and performances can be found below.
The Sky Engine
In July 2023, the boy choristers participated at the JAM on the Marsh Festival in the world premiere performance of The Sky Engine, a community oratorio by Richard Peat and Timothy Knapman.
In addition to the choristers, this performance featured children from primary schools in the Romney area, two opera singers, Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and Julian Close, an actor, Kudzanayi Chiwawa, and an orchestra of London Mozart Players and community players of any age. It was conducted by Michael Bawtree.
The Palimpsest Project
In 2022, Canterbury Cathedral Choir was pleased to play a prominent part in the Palimpsest Project.
This project, headed by critically-acclaimed saxophonist Sam Corkin, commissioned 11 leading contemporary composers to write new works for saxophone, choir and organ. The fundamental requirement of these composers was that their pieces be based on pre-existing compositions. A further 4 pieces, written to the same brief, were selected through a composition competition which attracted 100 applicants from around the world.
The majority of these 15 works were premiered at Cathedral services during 2022; the remainder were performed for the first time at a concert which took place as part of the Canterbury Festival in October of that year.
The pieces were subsequently recorded for Signum Classics, and the album was released in September 2023.
Also premiered during the Canterbury Festival was a community composition brought into existence by a group of local volunteer musicians, who worked under the expert guidance of David Knotts at Christ Church Canterbury University over the course of a number of weeks.
The Palimpsest project has been generously supported by Arts Council England, the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust and Canterbury Christ Church University.
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