Music at Wimborne Minster

Music at Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster has a long musical tradition. Edward the Confessor established a College of Secular Canons in 1043 which included five singing men. The support of choral worship was implicit in the duties of the 12 Minster Governors created in the reign of Elizabeth I. James I granted a charter for choral music and a second charter from Charles I added provision for choristers and singing men. The Minster, alongside Manchester, Ripon and Southwell, was among the first to re-establish a choral tradition, the Minster Choir reforming by 1663. Wimborne Minster was the only church to have “Cathedral Style” worship in the whole of Dorset and was at this time a “Royal Peculiar”.
To see details of music at the Minster, please see the current Music List.

Choristers

Young people aged 7-18 sing with the Minster Choir at one service a Sunday (either morning Eucharist or evensong) during school terms and at special services (including Christmas and Easter and significant National events). They also sing outside the Minster at high profile local events including the switching on of Wimborne’s Christmas lights and Carols in the Cornmarket.

Choristers usually join the choir as trebles but boys are fully supported in staying in the choir after their voices have changed and there is no impediment to joining the choristers as an alto, tenor or bass. They receive a fabulous education, performing music to an extremely high standard, but also have a lot of fun and form strong friendships. 

The Choristers practise on Tuesdays (4.30-5.45), when they learn upcoming music and receive vocal coaching and other musical training. On Fridays (7.00-8.15) they rehearse with the Lay Clerks.
The Choristers are supported by a team of DBS-checked adults, and operate under the Minster’s safeguarding policy.
If you have a son or daughter who would like to become a chorister, please contact the Organist and Director of Choirs, Colin Davey. 

Lay Clerks
The original charter provided for a group of ‘singing men’ at the Minster, and since then the Gentlemen of the Choir have sung Alto, Tenor and Bass parts. In 2024 we were joined by the Minster’s first female Alto singer, and the group has returned to the name Lay Clerks, originally used to describe singers at the Minster from the time of the Restoration in 1660, though there is evidence that there were at least two Lay Clarkes from 1658. There were three categories of singers at this time: Singing Boys, Singing Men and Lay Clerkes, the latter having other duties apart from singing in the choir. Often Singing Boys would graduate through to being a Lay Clerke as they grew up.
The Lay Clerks sing two services most Sundays in term time, and additional extra services (particularly around Christmas and Easter). They rehearse on Fridays from 7.30 to 9.00.
To express an interest in joining the Lay Clerks, please contact the Organist and Director of Choirs, Colin Davey.

Sopranos
Adult Soprano singers have helped to lead music in the Minster for a long time, and in 2021 a regular soprano group was established for the first time.
The Sopranos sing regular monthly evensongs with the Lay Clerks during choir terms, usually on the first Sunday of each month, and additional services including the Christmas Midnight Mass. At some special services, the Sopranos sing with the Choristers as well as the Lay Clerks.
There is no regular rehearsal; the group practises with the Lay Clerks around an hour before each service.
To express an interest in joining the Minster Sopranos, please contact the Organist and Director of Choirs, Colin Davey.

Minster Voices
Minster Voices is an informal voluntary SATB/SAMen choir which sings mainly at Sunday morning Eucharist services when the Minster Choir is on holiday. Minster Voices is unrobed, and rehearses before each service rather than having a separate practice time.
All enquiries about joining Minster Voices should go to Liz Watson.

Minster Praise Music Group
The Minster Praise Music Group is small group of musicians who lead the sung worship in the family-friendly Minster Praise starting at 11.15 on Sundays. We generally consist of a pianist (on a rota) with occasional accompaniment by flute, recorder, or both. Other musicians are welcome to join us.
We lead all the hymns that are chosen in collaboration with the leaders running the service and have a good repertoire of contemporary hymns and worship songs.
We are currently looking for more singers and people who play a variety of musical instruments. Please come to a service at 11:00 on Sunday mornings and introduce yourself!