For the latest release in Regent’s collectable ‘A Year at...’ series we travelled to Llandaff Cathedral to showcase the choir there under the expert direction of Stephen Moore. There has been a Christian presence in Llandaff from the time of Saint Teilo in the sixth century, making it one of the oldest Christian sites in the UK. Many will have heard the Cathedral’s accomplished choir in their worldwide television broadcast in the presence of King Charles and Queen Camilla following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. This record ing, like others in this series takes us on a journey through the church’s year from Advent to All Saints, reflecting the varied musical moods of each season. This selection of music mainly features works from the twentieth and twenty - first centuries, incl uding recent compositions by Bob Chilcott, Jonathan Dove, and Will Todd . The choir is accompanied on the new Nicholson organ, installed in 2010 - the largest entirely new instrument built in a British cathedral by a British organ builder since the 1960s. Two large - scale organ solos are played by Assistant Organist, Aaron Shilson, and Director of Music, Stephen Moore, and showcasing the full tonal and dynamic range of this impressive instrument. The music department of Llandaff Cathedral is a busy and produc tive one with seven choral services in a typical week. The present incarnation of the Cathedral Choirs began in 1880 when Dean of Llandaff, Henry Vaughan, founded the Cathedral School to educate the Boy Choristers. The Girl Choristers were established separ ately by the Cathedral School in 1996 and, until 2021, had their own director who was a member of staff there. In an historic change, the girls were formally welcomed into the Cathedral music department in 2021 and, from September 2022, parity of opportunit y was realised for girls and boys. The choristers all attend the Cathedral School and take an equal share of weekly duties, usually - as on this recording - singing independently of one another and occasionally together.
