On Sunday 18 October, the School and Cathedral community gathered to celebrate the work and achievements of current and past pupils, staff and supporters of The Cathedral Grammar School. The School was founded to educate the Choristers of the Christ Church Cathedral and so we mark this by presenting the Boy Choristers with their scholarships.

This year's service was of particular significance as we officially launched and welcomed the newly founded Girl Choristers of the Cathedral choir. The girls will now play an important role in maintaining and growing the 140 year old tradition of choral music at Christ Church Cathedral, in addition to the Boy Choristers. The Girls had the honour of performing a work composed especially for them by leading international choral conductor and composer, Sarah MacDonald - 'A New Psalme' - with text poeticised by Dr Marcus Tomalin.

Director of Girl Choristers, Alex Goodwin, addressed those in attendance at the celebration. ‘It is an absolute pleasure to be able to get to this point finally, after some cancellations this year, the 12 girls behind me represent an enormous step for the life of the Cathedral, city and country. They are supremely talented, have been working extremely hard for a long time, and I am really, really very proud to have finally got to this moment’.

Dean of Christchurch, The Very Revd Lawrence Kimberley, said ‘there are a number of reasons why the Girls’ School opened, but one of them was to make it possible for Girl Choristers to emerge, you have emerged, and we celebrate this wonderful new development. I want to acknowledge all of you young women, the hard work that you have been doing with Mr Goodwin this year, the choral training you have received, and the growth we have been able to see this year in your musical proficiency’.

A wonderful celebration of pride, community and connection. If you would like to know more about the Girl Choristers, email Mr Alex Goodwin goodwina@cathedralgrammar.school.nz

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