Durham Cathedral Choir Association:
Supporting first-class music-making at Durham Cathedral.
Furthering Durham's rich choral and organ musical tradition for future generations.
Supporting DCCA makes a huge difference to music-making at Durham Cathedral
By supporting the Durham Cathedral Choirs Association charity, you can provide essential support for Durham Cathedral's choirs and organists, and the cathedral's music outreach throughout the year.
Your donations and membership fee enable the following:
- funding the purchase of new music scores
- funding new music stands and choir folders
- funding new cloaks and uniforms
- funding new Durham Cathedral CDs and online recordings
- funding the production of regular Cathedral Choir concerts
- helping towards the cost of Cathedral Choir tours
- maintaining Durham Cathedral’s magnificent Harrison & Harrison organ
- providing funding for a third organist post
- providing chorister bursaries to give more people the chance to learn to sing
Music at Durham lies at the heart of everything we do here. The sound of voices raised in praise of God has echoed within the sacred space of the place for nearly 900 years.
The community of musicians at the Cathedral is a rich and broad one, with young children, boys and girls, adult professional organists and singers, volunteer singers, and children giving it a go through our music outreach programme.
To know that Durham Cathedral Choir Association is a support group for so many talented and spirited people is really heartening and I am proud to have been a founding member for over 25 years.
As Precentor, I look after the group of people who make liturgy and music possible at Durham Cathedral and the DCCA is an important part of what we are all trying to achieve here: a delight for the mind and a solace for the heart – and all in praise of God and for the building up of God’s people, yesterday, today and forever.
Find out more about these things on this website and please consider becoming part of the story yourself as a supporter and a friend.
– Canon Michael Hampel, Vice Dean & Precentor, Durham Cathedral
Upcoming concert dates for your diary
Northern Spirit Choir concert
Sunday 16th February 2025, 5pm
A programme of Anglophone choral music on theme of the future, both sacred and secular, ranging from familiar favourites from Parry and Vaughan Williams to new works by Meredith Monk and Lucy Walker.
Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers concert
Sunday 16th March 2025, 5:30pm
Repertoire to be confirmed.
Durham Cathedral Choral Scholars concert
Sunday 15th June 2025, 5pm
Repertoire to be confirmed.
Read our latest news online
Find out what Durham Cathedral’s musicians have been up to over the last year, and plans for the future…
Keep in touch with all our news via our annual DCCA newsletter. In our latest edition (2023-2024), enjoy an exclusive interview with the Dean, meet DCSF’s new Director of Music and find out the latest news from our choirs and hear about our recent events.
If you have any ideas for items that you would like us to include in future editions, please let us know.
Watch online: Gathering Swallows in the Skies
Enjoy this 30 minute except from a DCCA recital of music for flute, cello and piano, presented by Clare Crinson (flute), Deborah Thorne (cellow) and Alison Gill (piano).
You can hear two short sketches by Amy Beach followed by Bohuslav Martinu’s trio for flute, cello and piano, H.300.
Watch online: An Afternoon with John Betjeman
Click the image above to watch a delightfully summery DCCA concert with Canon Michael Hampel, Mandy Griffin (mezzo soprano) and Georgina Wilczek (piano), featuring poetry by John Betjeman (1906-84), and Five Betjeman Songs set to music by Madeleine Dring (1923-77).
An extract from Summoned by Bells – Betjeman
A Bay in Anglesey – Dring
An extract from Summoned by Bells – Betjeman
Business Girls – Madeleine Dring
Death in Leamington – Betjeman
An extract from Summoned by Bells – Betjeman
Undenominational – Dring
False Security – Betjeman
An extract from Summoned by Bells – Betjeman
Upper Lambourne – Dring
Bristol and Clifton – Betjeman
An extract from Summoned by Bells – Betjeman
The Song of the Nightclub Proprietress – Dring
A Subaltern’s Love-song – Betjeman
The Last Laugh – Betjeman
Become a member of DCCA
Benefit from our annual magazine, be the first to hear about upcoming DCCA concerts, and receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and news, delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.
Annual Subscription rates:
Individual £13 / £10*
Two at the same address £18 / £15*
(* if paying by bankers order)
Donate to the DCCA
Donate to the DCCA (regularly or as a one-off)
Provide essential support for Durham Cathedral’s choirs and organists, and the cathedral’s music outreach, both now and far into the future. Your donation will be put towards ongoing funding for new music scores, stands and folders, choir uniforms, CDs and recordings, maintenance of the organ, tours and travel and the funding of a new 3rd organist post.
Engage with Durham Cathedral's music throughout the year
Explore upcoming music listings
Explore the music settings for upcoming services and join the services live, in person or online.
Join Cathedral services on Youtube
Watch the Cathedral’s latest services online via the Cathedral’s official Youtube channel.
Explore our online music archive
Explore recordings online of Durham Cathedral music through the decades.
Enjoy organ music from Daniel Cook
Beautiful organ music from our very own Master of the Choristers and organist, Daniel Cook.
Get to know our musicians
Daniel Cook
Daniel Cook is Master of the Choristers and Organist of Durham Cathedral, where he takes responsibility for the cathedral’s musical ministry. He maintains a busy schedule of recitals, concerts and recordings, both as performer and producer, as well as being in demand as a conductor, teacher and singer.
In addition, he is Diocesan Organ Advisor for Newcastle, and Assistant Diocesan Organ Advisor for Durham.
Joseph Beech
Joseph Beech took up the post of Sub-Organist of Durham Cathedral in September 2019.
As Sub-Organist, Joseph is the principal accompanist to the Cathedral Choir, playing the organ for daily services in addition to the choir’s schedule of broadcasts, concerts, recordings and tours.
He also assists the Master of the Choristers in his work conducting the choir, and recruiting and training the choristers.
Benjamin Mills
Benjamin Mills is Assistant Organist and St John’s College Director of Music.
Formerly a chorister at St Mary Magdelene, Newark-on-Trent, he became organ scholar at Southwell Minster and later, Keble College, Oxford, where he read Music. He then studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, holding positions at St Mark’s, Hamilton Terrace and St Michael’s, Highgate, before becoming Organ Scholar at Salisbury Cathedral.
Durham Cathedral Choir
Durham Cathedral Choir can trace its origins back to the time of the Cathedral’s foundation in the 11th century. The Durham Cathedral Choir consist of up to 24 girl and 24 boy Choristers, as well six Lay Clerks and six Choral Scholarship holders.
The choir sings eight services each week, continuing a centuries’ old tradition. In term-time the Durham Cathedral Choir sings Evensong six times a week at 5.30pm Tuesday – Saturday and 3.30pm on Sundays. On Sunday mornings the Durham Cathedral Choir sings at a Sung Eucharist at 10am and Matins at 11.30am.
Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers
Founded in 1997 as the very first mixed-voice adult cathedral-run choir in the country, Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers is the Cathedral’s auditioned voluntary choir, which sings around four services per University term. This includes services for major feast days such as the Requiem Eucharist on All Souls’ Day.
Consort performs a vast range of repertoire to an exceptional standard, and has performed many radio broadcasts, services and concerts in its own right. The choir includes singers from Durham University and across the wider region.
Durham Cathedral Junior Consort of Singers
Junior Consort is the Cathedral’s newest voluntary choir, helping teenagers (13+) to stay in touch with music and sing to the highest standard, beyond the age range of choristership.
This choir rehearses fortnightly on a Wednesday evening during term time, and sings at services when the Cathedral Choir is not available. It also takes part in concerts alongside the other choirs.
The choir welcomes young singers of all voice parts from across the city and includes several former choristers. Entrance is by audition.
Durham Cathedral Young Singers (DCYS)
Durham Cathedral encourages a lifelong love of music from a young age and provides opportunities for children aged 1-17, through a range of age-specific groups: Chimes, Minstrels, Training Choir, Chamber Choir. Rehearsals are held in the Chorister School at weekends. The groups are open to all for a small fee each month.
Visiting Choirs
Visiting choirs can sing for services when the Cathedral Choir is not available. During term time, Mondays are the quiet day and so are available for visiting choirs. Other holidays include half terms (in February, May and October) and the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays. The Cathedral give preference to choirs in the summer who are able to sing for an entire week.
Music Outreach Programme
Durham Cathedral’s Music Outreach programme aims to teach high-quality singing skills to primary schools throughout the Durham area.
It allows local schoolchildren to sing alongside other primary schools from the Durham LEA and offers a fun opportunity for them to perform at the Cathedral in front of family and friends.
Get in touch
Any questions? Please fill out the form below and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
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