• Studying
      Here
      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
        • Courses We Offer
        • Joint Schools
        • Information for applicants 2020/21
        • How to Apply
        • Funding Your Course
        • Choral Scholars
        • Open Days and Visits
        • International Students
        • Visiting Students
        • Commonly Asked Questions
      • As a Graduate
        • Application Process
        • Selection Criteria
        • Clinical Medicine
        • Funding Your Course
        • Scholarships and Awards
        • Visiting Students
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
        • Online Outreach Event Booking
        • Half Term Virtual Taster Days
        • Talks With Tutors- Taster Subject Lectures
        • Next Steps Sheffield
        • Outreach Resources
        • Law at Magdalen Programme
    • Living
      Here
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
        • Adam, Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE)
        • Amy, History
        • Betsy, Jurisprudence with Legal Studies in Europe
        • Catrin, Human Sciences
        • Eleanor, French and Linguistics
        • Nadia, Medicine
        • Parth, Biochemistry
        • Ryan, English
        • Seb, Music
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
        • The Florio Society
        • The Atkin Society
        • The Sherrington Society
        • The Magdalen College Trust
          • Accomodation
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen
      • College History
        • The College Buildings
        • The 43 Presidents
        • Famous Alumni
        • Nobel Laureates
        • Conversation Pieces
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen
    • Chapel
      & Choir
      • The Chapel
        • Chapel Services
        • Chapel People
        • Sunday Addresses and Sermons
        • Learning and Fellowship
        • Some Magdalen Sermons
        • The Organ of Magdalen College
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives
      • COVID-19: information for library users
        • Library Click and Collect
        • Borrowing books whilst self-isolating
      • Libraries
        • New Library & St. Swithun’s Library
        • SOLO (Library catalogue)
        • History of Magdalen College Libraries
      • Archives
        • About the Archives
        • Access to the Archives
        • Online Catalogues
        • Magdalen Hall
        • Magdalen College School
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
        • The Medieval Title Deeds Project
        • The Conservation of the Daubeny Library
        • The Conservation and Preservation of Greek Manuscripts at Magdalen College
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends
      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
        • Webinar Recordings
      • Supporting Magdalen
        • May Giving Challenge
        • Making a Gift (UK)
        • Making a Gift (Outside UK)
        • Giving in your Will
        • Fundraising Priorities
        • Recognising Your Support
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
        • Publications Archive
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events
      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
        • Sample Menus
    • Hilary Term 2021 Return Plans
    Home > Chapel & Choir > The Choir
    • An unbroken tradition of learning since 1458
    • Engaging environment for study and friends
    • Welcoming students from all backgrounds
    • Building on excellence
    • A warm community
    • Academic and athletic experiences
    • A community of enquiry and discovery
    • An environment for growth
    • Nurturing arts and culture

    The Choir

    The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford was founded in 1480 with provision made in the statutes for 16 singing boys, eight Academical Clerks and four chaplains. Magdalen College was then one of the oldest and largest choral foundations in late-medieval England, and this historic legacy has been preserved and maintained over five centuries. The Choir, which now enjoys an international reputation as one of the finest ensembles in the UK, exists primarily to sing the daily church services in Magdalen College Chapel.  The Academical Clerks now number 12 and the Consort of Voices was founded in 2010, offering opportunities to women students to sing in the Chapel on a weekly basis. In addition to the regular round of services, the College Choir sing at a number of special occasions throughout the year, including the famous May Day celebrations, an ancient tradition dating back to the 16th century.  Famous directors of the Choir who have held the ancient title, Informator Choristarum still in use today, include John Sheppard, Daniel Purcell, Sir John Stainer and Dr Bernard Rose.  The current Informator is Mark Williams.

    Consortofvoices

    The Choristers are part of the College Foundation, receiving their academic education at Magdalen College School. The Academical Clerks and Organ Scholars are undergraduates at the College, reading for degrees in a variety of subjects.  In University Term, the Choir sings Evensong every day except Monday at 6pm.  Services on Tuesdays are normally sung by the Choristers alone, on Fridays by the Academical Clerks alone, and on Saturdays by the Consort of Voices.  The College Choir also sings the Eucharist (Mass) on Sunday mornings at 11am.

    Magdalen College Choir has toured Japan, USA, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Germany, France and Poland in recent years; concert appearances have included the BBC Proms and Cadogan Hall. The Choir has worked with a number of leading orchestras including Britten Sinfonia, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.  In Oxford, they have collaborated with both composers and musicians in concert and on disc:  recordings have included the music of John Ward and Thomas Tomkins with the celebrated viol group, Phantasm, and the work of the renowned composer of sacred music, Matthew Martin. They won a Gramophone award under former director Grayston Ives, and have collaborated with the film composer George Fenton, most notably in Richard Attenborough’s movie, Shadowlands, with the Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney, and on the award-winning soundtrack for the BBC TV series, Blue Planet. 

    To find out more about the Choir’s day to day activities, or admission into the Choir as a chorister, choral scholar or organ scholar, please visit our website.

     

    Copies of all choir recordings may be purchased from the Bursary; please email celia.brown@magd.ox.ac.uk for more information.

    Choir photographs by Hugh Warwick

    The Chapel
    • Chapel Services
    • Baptisms
    • Weddings
    • Chapel People
    • Sunday Addresses and Sermons
    • Other Special Services this Term
    • Learning and Fellowship
    • Some Magdalen Sermons
    • The Organ of Magdalen College
    The Choir
    Choir Recordings
    Services and Music List

    Magdalen College Choir

    Click here to visit the Magdalen College Choir Website for news and forthcoming Choir events

     

    Click here to find out how to support Magdalen College Choir

     

     

     

    Hilary 2021

    In line with the most recent Government guidance, there will be no live services in the College Chapel until further notice.  Our online services, however, will continue on Tuesdays at 8pm, Thursdays and Saturdays at 6pm, and these can be accessed via the link here.

    www.magdalencollegechoir.com

     

     

     

    BUILDING OUR FUTURE: Magdalen's Campaign to raise £7.5m to redevelop the New Library How you can help

    Connect with us

    Get in touch

    Magdalen College
    Oxford
    OX1 4AU
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1865 276000

    Contact us

    Media Enquiries

    Job Vacancies

    Find us

    • Studying
      Here

      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
    • Living
      Here

      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen

      • College History
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen

    • Chapel
      & Choir

      • The Chapel
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives

      • COVID-19: information for library users
      • Libraries
      • Archives
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends

      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
      • Supporting Magdalen
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events

      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
    • Hilary Term 2021 Return Plans

  • Copyright © Magdalen College, Oxford 2021 | Equality | Other policies | Strategic Plan | Internal Pages | Gender Pay Gap Magdalen College is a Registered Charity, No.1142149
    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We will assume that you are ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy