Ely Cathrdral Girls' Choir Release CD For Christmas

ELY Cathedral Girls Choir was established only two years ago but their voices have already attracted the attention of one of the UK s foremost choral recording companies which has just released a CD of their music for Christmas and the new year. Entitle

ELY Cathedral Girls' Choir was established only two years ago but their voices have already attracted the attention of one of the UK's foremost choral recording companies which has just released a CD of their music for Christmas and the new year.

Entitled Sing reign of Fair Maid, the CD was recorded in Ely Cathedral during the spring and features Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols as well as choral works by other 20th Century composers, including Thomas Dunhill, Patrick Hanley and Lennox Berkeley.

The choir also sings an arrangement by their director, Sarah MacDonald, of a 14th Century traditional carol, Gaudete!

Organist Edward Taylor is featured in three organ solos by J S Bach, Johann Pachelbel and 20th Century composer Garth Edmundson. The choir is also accompanied by Danielle Perrett, harp; Rachel Stroud, violin and James Fussey, trumpet.

The CD is released by Regent Records (REGCD284) and more details can be found at www.regent-records.co.uk

Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir was founded in September 2006 under the direction of Louise Reid, former director of the Girls' Choir in both Wakefield and Guildford cathedrals. For the calendar year 2008, the 18 Ely girl choristers - all boarding pupils at the King's School Ely aged 13-18 - have worked under the direction of Sarah MacDonald during Louise's absence on maternity leave. Sarah's 'real' job is that of director of music in Chapel at Selwyn College, Cambridge. She was appointed to this position in 1999 and is the first woman to hold such a post in an Oxbridge chapel.

Pic cap: Ely Cathedral Girl's Choir outside the cathedral.

Photo: MARK EWING.