The Cathedral Choirs of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester have been at the heart of the Festival from its inception in the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, when the first meetings of the Lay Clerks of the three Cathedrals seem to have taken place. In those early years, the ‘Music Meeting’ consisted of two days of services with some secular concerts in the music clubs of the relevant city. The musicians for all of these musical events were primarily members of the Cathedral choirs, a situation which resonates into the present day as the Cathedral Lay Clerks still form part of the Festival Chorus. Services remain central to each yearly event, typically with a large-scale Opening Service, a Festival Eucharist and several Evensongs over the course of the week. For some years now, the Three Cathedral Choirs have also given a concert which, for many, is the highlight of the Festival, whether the programme is a varied one or a performance of a larger scale work.

The Three Cathedral choirs have undoubtedly played, and will continue to play a crucial role in this historic festival. Useful links:

Gloucester Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral

For more on the history of the Festival, see Anthony Boden’s article Three Choirs: A History of the Festival.