Chorister Program
The Boys Cathedral Choir and the Girls Cathedral Choir are among the few cathedral choirs in the United States affiliated with schools, and carry on a cherished tradition of choral worship.
A note from Julie DeBoer
Our magnificent Cathedral has been the musical home to over a century of choristers. We are proud to continue one of the oldest boy chorister programs in the country, as well as the very first girl chorister program in the United States. Washington National Cathedral’s chorister program honors the English choral tradition out of which it grew, while establishing a uniquely American identity.
The choristers inspire me every day with their passion for singing, dedication to the Cathedral, and eagerness to learn. In the chorister program, boys and girls develop the skills to sing for presidents, while never losing the fun and collaborative atmosphere that is imperative in primary and secondary music education.
Few things can move us, inspire us, and bring us together like music; my hope is that choristers will continue to inspire as well as be inspired in this building for centuries to come.
–Julie DeBoer, Chorister Program Director and Associate Director of Music
About the Cathedral Chorister Program
Founded in 1909 as the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and subsequently expanded in 1997 to include the first Girls Cathedral Choir in the United States, the Cathedral Choristers are among the few such ensembles in the nation with an affiliated school in the English tradition.
The boys singing treble are ages 8–14 and attend St. Albans School; the girl trebles, ages 11–18, attend National Cathedral School. The boys and girls usually sing separately with the professional musicians of the Cathedral Choir but occasionally sing together for larger events and services.
The choirs share responsibility to provide support for Cathedral choral services, including weekday Evensong and Sunday services. The choirs have been featured in services of national and ecumenical importance such as the memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II, presidential inaugural prayer services, commemorations for 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, and nationally televised funerals for astronaut Neil Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, Sen. John McCain and President George H. W. Bush.
