Cathedral Festival goes online for first time in 70 year history
Winchester, Chichester and Salisbury combine for a new look 'Covid age' concert
Last updated 16th Jul 2021
An annual event featuring the choirs and music from Winchester, Chichester and Salisbury cathedrals is set to reach even more people than ever thanks to the pandemic.
The Southern Cathedrals Festival, which starts on Friday (July 16th), and runs over the weekend, has moved partly online due to Covid restrictions.
It means the event will be available to viewers across the world.
After a turbulent 15 months, which has seen choral singing brought to an abrupt halt across the country, the annual Southern Cathedrals Festival, hosted this year by Winchester Cathedral, has been digitally transformed for 2021.
Founded in 1905, the Southern Cathedrals Festival has traditionally brought the choirs of Winchester, Salisbury and Chichester under one roof to perform sacred choral and organ music together.
But 2021 sees the long-standing tradition adapted for a COVID age, and allows people, on a global scale, to experience and enjoy a live-streamed forty-minute concert, hosted by Aled Jones this evening (July 16th).
The Dean of Chichester, the Very Reverend Stephen Waine, said:
"This year’s Southern Cathedrals Festival is an opportunity to celebrate the musical lives of our cathedrals by uniting the Choirs of Winchester, Salisbury and Chichester once again.
"The digital offering will also allow those at home, continuing to shield and self-isolate, as well as those further afield, to take part in this momentous occasion."
Alongside this year’s digital offering, two in-person services will be taking place at Winchester Cathedral on Saturday 17th July, including an 11am Festival Eucharist and a 3.30pm Evensong, both of which will be live-streamed
The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester said:
“We hope that as many people as possible will engage with what we have to offer and support the festival at a time when choirs and singing have been particularly affected.
"Whilst the effects of the pandemic are still being felt, we have seized the opportunity to innovate, and to engage with a wider, more diverse audience in a virtual way.
"We are delighted to offer this unique festival”.
WATCH ONLINE
The online concert will premiere at 7pm and will be available to watch on the Winchester Cathedral website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.