Caian singer makes history at St Paul's

  • 28 February 2017

Former Caius Choral Scholar Carris Jones has become the first woman in a thousand years to be appointed a full adult member of St Paul’s Cathedral Choir.

Carris, who studied History at Caius before moving to the Royal Academy of Music, will be the new Alto Vicar Choral.

Graduating from the Royal Academy in 2008 with the Bennett of Lincoln Scholarship and a DipRam, the Academy’s highest performance award. In 2011-2012 she was a member of English National Opera’s training programme Opera Works, supported by the Kathleen Trust.

 Carris has a wide-ranging career, including solo roles in oratorio and opera, as well as performing with groups such as Stile Antico, the Gabrieli Consort and Tenebrae.

She is expecting her second child at the beginning of May and will start at St Paul’s on 1 September 2017.

St Paul’s Director of Music Andrew Carwood said: ‘We are delighted that Carris is joining the Choir. The final round of auditions was of a very high standard and her appointment was a unanimous decision.’

Carris said: ’I am thrilled to be appointed as a Vicar Choral at St Paul's Cathedral, and feel incredibly lucky to join a group of such friendly and talented musicians.  

‘I have long admired the cathedral as an organisation that manages to combine a venerable historical tradition with a vital place in 21st century London life, and am honoured to become a part of it.’

The Cathedral Choir currently consists of 26 boy treble Choristers, eight probationers and 12 Vicars Choral - the professional adult singers who take the alto, tenor and bass parts.

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