Ealing Abbey Choir
Ealing Abbey Choir was founded in 1910 by Dom Cyril Rylance (1880–1958), a monk of the monastery, coming into existence as the Catholic Church in England was rediscovering its musical heritage through the works of Renaissance composers and Gregorian chant. The choir’s repertoire of Gregorian chant and Latin polyphony today also includes works by composers such as Jonathan Dove and Eric Whitacre.
The Abbey Choir consists of treble choristers and six professional lay clerks. The choristers are all pupils of St Benedict’s School, Ealing, where they play a prominent musical role. The Choir’s principal commitment revolves around the liturgy in the Abbey Church each week and at Christmas and Easter. Outside of the liturgy the choir is extremely active. The choir has toured across Europe (Italy, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria) and USA (Portland, Seattle, New York, Washington DC). Recent concert performances include Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana at Cadogan Hall and Monteverdi’s Vespers.