Royston Priory Singers is based in Royston, Hertfordshire in England, the name celebrating the old Priory which used to be a major religious centre until the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century.
There are about 20 of us and we sing Choral Evensong on a freelance basis as well as occasional concerts and other services. We were formed from the choir of Royston Parish Church in 2001 when the organist there, Richard Prince, retired. Some of us still sing in the (now reformed) church choir and Royston Choral Society as well. And there is also an overlap with Choir 18, based near Ware, Herts.
In 1996, while still singing as the Parish Church Choir, we sang for the first time in an English cathedral, performing the evening offices in Lichfield Cathedral for a week in August while the cathedral choir was on holiday. This became our normal practice each August, and since then we've been privileged to sing in many cathedrals, including Canterbury, Winchester, Salisbury, Worcester, Gloucester, Ripon, Exeter and Truro.
We also do occasional weekend services in cathedrals and churches around the country, and in this way have sung in many beautiful buildings, including the cathedrals of St Edmundsbury, Peterborough, Southwark and Coventry, and also Southwell Minster and Binham Priory and Tewkesbury and St Alban's Abbeys. We give occasional concerts, and have sung services in many smaller churches.
We sing music of all ages, from the 16th to 21st centuries, particular favourites being Byrd, Tomkins, Weelkes, Tallis, Palestrina, Stanford, Wood, Parry, Clucas and Joubert, as well as music especially composed for us by Richard himself.
| Here are some clips of a recent Prince composition: "Set me as a seal": | mp3 | ogg |
If you're interested in joining us, please contact Richard Prince.