Durham Cathedral chorister to sing at St Paul's

Rosie Atkins, 12, will join the 120-strong massed choir of cathedral choristers as part of the concert on April 27 being organised by the Friends of Cathedral Music (FCM).

The event aims to raise money for its £10m Diamond Fund for Choristers, set up to provide funding towards cathedral choristership around the country.

Dr James Lancelot, Master of the Choristers at Durham Cathedral, said: “Rosie joined us in September 2013 and has since developed into a fine member of Durham Cathedral Choir. She comes from a family tradition of choristers; her grandfather, David Briggs, was a Chorister of King’s College, Cambridge in his youth and he is the only Chorister still living who sang at the first Christmas Eve King’s Carol Service to have been broadcast on radio.

“We are delighted that Rosie will be travelling to sing in this wonderful concert at St Paul’s organised by FCM. They have provided many of our choristers with financial assistance and we are always grateful for the support they offer us as a Cathedral Choir as well.”

In recent years, mounting financial pressures on choirs has meant that demand for FCM support now far exceeds the charity’s ability to help.

Chairman of the FCM, Professor Peter Toyne, said: “Unless something is done very soon the difficulties of finance and recruitment for cathedral choirs will threaten the very existence of this unique heritage.”

The concert will be presented by Classic FM’s Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong will speak about the value of a choral education.