Choirs

For centuries, choral music has been at the beating heart of our services. Join us each week where our celebrated choirs add their joyful voices to Sunday worship. Or hear their beautifully accomplished arrangements at holy days throughout the year – from Christmas Eve to Palm Sunday. And for our friends who are further afield, world-class performances are recorded and broadcast around the globe.

How to hear the Bath Abbey choirs

Whether it’s an arrangement that’s rousing or reflective, traditional or modern, listening to the pure tones of a choir within the magnificent acoustics of Bath Abbey is awe-inspiring.

You can hear our Choir perform live at the Abbey every week. The Abbey Lay-Clerks sing at Sunday morning and afternoon worship, alternating with the Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs on a fortnightly pattern.

Our Choirs been incredibly proud to sing at services in iconic cathedrals such as Exeter and Canterbury, and are often invited to perform around the world: in Bath’s twin cities in France, Germany and the Netherlands, and beyond. Closer to home, their fondest memories include sharing the stage with the Three Tenors, a Christmas Day performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and singing for Her Majesty The Queen.

To view the term’s Services & Music List, please click here.

Organ Recitals

Each season brings a programme of recitals on the Abbey's magnificent Klais organ too. These take place on summer lunchtimes, autumn evenings and throughout the spring. Each shines a spotlight on a different performer, including scholars and world-class musicians. See our what's on section for details of our upcoming performances.

Members of Bath Abbey's Boys' Choir perform

Joining the Choir and scholarships

The Bath Abbey Choir is a little like a family - and, as well as learning the art of choral music, our choristers find they forge life-long friendships.

Right now we have scholarships for the following singers:

  • Alto
  • Counter-tenor
  • Tenor
  • Bass

Learn more here or contact us using the details below.

 

Upcoming Bath Abbey Choir Performances

Laudamus Choir

Visiting Choirs

Just as our Abbey Choir performs at holy sites around the world, we welcome visiting choirs to Bath. Join us for the whole weekend, from Saturday Evensong to the Sunday services, rehearsing and dressing in the Choir Vestry before singing within the ancient surrounds of the Abbey.

The beautiful acoustics accompanied by our vibrant Klais organ make the Abbey a popular venue, so we recommend contacting us as early as possibly if you would like to perform here.

At the moment the following dates are available:

2024

  • Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th May
  • Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June
  • Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th July
  • Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st July
  • Saturday 31st August & Sunday 1st September

2025

  • Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th February
  • Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd February
  • Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th April
  • Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th April
  • Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th May
  • Saturday 31st May & Sunday 1st June
  • Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th July
  • Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th July
  • Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd August
  • Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th August
  • Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th August
  • Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th October
  • Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November

Please email Fiona for more information or to make a booking: fhasoon@bathabbey.org

Melody Makers: our children's Choir

A wonderful first chapter for children who love to sing, Melody Makers is made for six to 11-year-olds living in and around Bath. You don’t need to know a crotchet from a quaver to join – just be excited to learn.

Inspiring, lively and above all fun, you’ll enjoy singing in the amazing setting of the Abbey. And we’ll use our experience to ignite that first spark of talent. We'll take you through singing lessons and teach you music theory – covering lots of different music types. And along with your fellow friendly choir members, you’ll make music in the Abbey, including performing in live concerts. It’s a wonderful way to build confidence, and enhance listening and concentration skills.

If all that strikes a chord, you can join us throughout the year. Come along to a relaxed audition where we’ll play piano while you sing us one of your favourite songs. To find out more please contact office@bathabbey.org.

Members of young children's choir performing

My child absolutely loves being part of Melody Makers! She loves the variety of songs and performing in front of live audiences, whether it’s a solo or as part of the group. Her grandparents are equally thrilled and have timed their next visit so they can watch their grandchild singing in the Abbey.

Parent of a Melody Maker.

Contact us

To learn more about music at Bath Abbey, please email office@bathabbey.org or call us on 01225 422462. You can buy recordings by the Choir at the Abbey Shop.

And if you’d like to audition for our Choir or learn more about our scholarships, please contact our Director of Music, Huw Williams, hwilliams@bathabbey.org.

Visiting choirs can write to the Bath Abbey Office, 9 Kingston Buildings, Bath, BA1 1LT, email office@bathabbey.org, or call +44 (0)1225 422462.

Members of Bath Abbey Lay Clerks and Boys' Choirs performing