CHORISTERS from a North Yorkshire school have been making a name for themselves in sacred singing after performing professionally at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral in London this summer.

Giggleswick School's chapel choir, Schola Cantorum, sang Eucharist and Evensong in Westminster Abbey, then performed the following day at St Paul’s, fulfilling an ambition held by Giggleswick’s head of music Margie Simper, who is a professional singer as well as a teacher.

Margie said: “We have sung in St Paul’s before, but to sing in both of London’s major cathedrals is a huge honour. It is quite rare for a school choir from the North to sing in these iconic venues. It was an amazing, unforgettable experience for our young choristers.”

Margie has been applying for Schola Cantorum to sing at Westminster Abbey for the past two years.

"It is a rare privilege to sing at the services," she said. "On our cathedral tour, Schola Cantorum takes the place of the professional cathedral choir on its day off, so it is performing at the highest standard.”

She added: “We are lucky at Giggleswick to have our own acoustically exceptional school chapel and we are developing quite a specialism in bringing on young singers when they have finished at a cathedral school, which is when they enter Year Nine.”

Giggleswick's chapel choir has also sung at Durham, Liverpool Anglican, Manchester, Ripon and Gloucester cathedrals.

Headmaster Mark Turnbull said: "To sing at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral is a great honour and indicative of the standards of our music department. We are extremely proud of them all.”