About our choirs
"If you want to be sure that a lad will mature into a truly redoubtable pillar of the male community, you need to put him in the church choir... If you think choirboys are soft, you obviously never met any.
You certainly didn't call our head boy names, otherwise you wouldn't have such a symmetrical face. As a choirboy, you were required to prove yourself." - James May, presenter of Top Gear and motoring journalist
"The discipline given to choristers and the professional approach
to beautiful music made a wonderful grounding for success in later life." - Peter Boizot, founder of Pizza Express and Peterborough United Football Club
Other well-known former choristers include broadcaster Jon Snow, Gareth Gates, MPs Michael Mates, Robert Key, John Wilkinson and Simon Hughes, wine expert Oz Clarke, Clive Mantle (Mike in Casualty), and Rodney Galpin, chairman of Standard Chartered Bank and a
Bank of England director, who writes that "the qualities of discipline, intelligence and communication help choristers to distinction in later life."
St Peter's runs two junior choirs; the traditional choir of boy trebles and gentlemen, a girls choir which plays
an equal part in the calendar, and a children's choir which provides a much more varied introduction to musical styles from around the world. All groups have the weekly opportunity of working in
small groups and one-to-one with a professional voice coach, and at every moment the promotion of sound vocal technique and preserving vocal health
is at the forefront of our minds whilst seeking as much fun and enjoyment as possible from a thousand years of music of all styles. All choristers receive a termly salary based on attendance, performance and behaviour. There's also an annual choir holiday (2009 to St Davids Cathedral, Wales and 2010 to Peterborough Cathedral), trips to the beach, bowling, adventure parks and more!
Every Wednesday before rehearsals, Choir Club offers a wide range of games and activities, plus a well-balanced hot meal. Parents benefit from a parking permit for our town centre churchyard car park.
We currently have vacancies in all parts! DON'T JUST LOOK - please use the contact form or telephone 01794 522510 to get in touch and find out more.
Boys' Choir
Capacity: 14 boy trebles (including 2 head choristers, 4 senior choristers and Probationers)
Duties: One weekly rehearsal on a Wednesday evening, and every other Sunday (alternating with girls)
Extra duties: Occasional special and combined services, occasional weddings/memorial services (paid extra)
Age at admission: Year 3 upwards (2 in exceptional circumstances)
A boys' choir has been maintained at St Peter's since the church was first built. Growth in 2008 and 2009, and the development of social as well as musical opportunities, has restored the boys' choir to very nearly the membership it had a hundred years ago.
Girls' Choir
Capacity: 14 girl choristers (including head choristers and senior choristers
Duties: One weekly rehearsal on a Wednesday evening, and every other Sunday (alternating with boys)
Extra duties: Occasional special and combined services, occasional weddings/memorial services (paid extra)
Age at admission: Year 3 upwards (year 2 in exceptional circumstances)
A girls' choir for St Peter's is an exciting new venture for 2009. Unlike many parish church girls' choirs, ours is of equal standing to the boys and doesn't just fill in the gaps. The junior choir
occupies the front row of the stalls, and usually sing with the Gentlemen of the Choir.
St Peter's Singers
During holidays and at other occasions in the year, the St Peter's Singers provide music for our services. They consist of volunteers from ours and other congregations, and parents and relatives of other choir members. Membership is open to all.
Please use the contact form to get in touch about any of these groups!
