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Add 'Threads of Gold' to your Christmas stocking

Early release for new CD from York Minster’s ChoirAn Elizabethan musical treat will be available exclusively in York this Christmas, with the local release of the new CD by the choir of York Minster, “Threads of Gold: Music from the Golden Age” on 19 December, before it becomes available nationally in January. The CD, recorded in York Minster by Regent Records earlier this year, features the cathedral’s choir conducted by director of music, Robert Sharpe.  It features compositions by an array of composers who were writing before, during or immediately after Elizabeth I’s reign – a time

Messiah in the Minster: Handel's best known composition returns to York

10 December 2016, 7.00pmThere can be few better known pieces of choral music than the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, and on Saturday 10 December, the people of York can enjoy the famous composition sung by the York Minster Choir and guest soloists. The performance of Handel’s Messiah during Advent has become a recent tradition for the choir, which will welcome Darren Jeffery Bass, Thomas Elwin, Julia Doyle and Michael Chance CBE as guest soloists for this year’s rendition.  Performed within the Nave of the great cathedral, the size and scale of the building serves to amplify

Waxing lyrical for Green Friday: Advent Wreath prepared for 40 days of candle light

Today (25 November), flower arrangers at York Minster have built what is believed to be the UK’s largest suspended Advent Wreath, as the cathedral prepares for the first candle to be lit on Sunday 27 November – the earliest possible date for the start of Advent. The Advent Wreath is four metres across, meaning that the team of York Minster flower arrangers have over 12 metres of decoration to complete on the circular decoration, which holds dozens of blocks of oasis contained within the large channelled metal ring and requires several gallons of water to keep the foliage looking fresh.

Children's choir brings festive music to York Minster's Chapter House

Saturday 26 November 2016, from 10.45amVisitors to the Chapter House at York Minster will enjoy a musical treat this weekend with an informal performance of seasonal music from York Junior Youth Choir. The choir, which runs every Saturday morning in hall of the Minster School, features around 30 children aged between seven and sixteen, led by the Minster School’s head of music, Alison Forster.  Celebrating its 10thanniversary this year, the choir will perform a range of sacred and secular music for visitors in a 45-minute free performance in the Chapter House. “For us, Christmas

York Minster Choir's new CD is a 'Classic' hit!

The new CD by the choir of York Minster, A York Yuletide, is hitting all the right notes with the UK’s most popular classical music station, Classic FM. Tracks from the disc are already being played on air and the whole recording will be the Featured Album on Classic FM Drive next week (21-23 December). “This is a superb accolade at the end of a fantastic year – we’re absolutely delighted that Classic FM has chosen our music to join their Christmas playlist,” comments Robert Sharpe, director of music for York Minster.  “We are very proud of this album, which brings together a fantastic

Christmas comes early with the launch of York Minster Choir's Festive CD

All around the country, people will be sitting down to Christmas dinner this year accompanied by festive music by the York Minster Choir, with the release of “A York Yuletide”, a new CD by one of the country’s top cathedral choirs. “It is six years since the York Minster Choir last recorded a Christmas album, but it is always one of the most popular with visitors to the gift shop.  This new album includes several first recordings of carols recently written for the choir as well as many well-loved classics and Vaughan Williams’ extended Fantasia on Christmas Carols with bass soloist, Matt

Own a piece of York Minster’s history

Friday 14 August at 12.30pmStone, timber and fabric from two momentous events in York Minster’s history will go under the hammer next week at the cathedral’s annual auction. Stone removed as part of a major conservation project will be auctioned alongside digital replicas of stained-glass panels from the cathedral’s Great East Window, the country’s largest, single expanse of medieval stained glass. The items have been involved in the work over the last six years to conserve and restore York Minster’s magnificent East Front, which is one of the largest projects of its kind in Europe.

Could you be the next Adam, Eve, Noah or Satan?

CALLING ALL STAGE PERFORMERS IN YORK AND NORTH YORKSHIRELocal performers are being invited to audition for the York Mystery Plays, when they return to York Minster in summer 2016 for only the second time in their history. The team is kicking off the casting process with a series of briefing events throughout September where community performers can learn more about the production from the director and producer. Leading roles being recruited for the performances, which will run over five weeks from 26 May to 30 June 2016, include Adam, Eve, Noah and Satan, as well as a range of

York Minster’s Chapter Steward receives prestigious appointment

York Minster’s acting Chapter Steward has taken up a leading role in the world’s largest professional body for construction. Rebecca Thompson FCIOB has been appointed Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the country’s leading body for encouraging excellent standards in the construction industry. Having recently taken over as Chapter Steward – York Minster’s equivalent of a Chief Executive – Rebecca was previously the cathedral’s Superintendent of Works, managing the team of 50 people who maintain, restore and conserve York Minster and its properties. She

York Minster apprentice stonemason’s bid to be best in world

A York Minster apprentice will compete to be crowned the best young stonemason in the world at an international competition in Brazil in August. Sam Turner, 20 from Leeds, is competing as part of Team UK at the WorldSkills Competition, the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world. Sam, who joined York Minster in 2012, will be among 1000 young people aged 18-25 from across the globe to take part in the competition in Sao Paulo between 11 and 16 August. He was selected to represent Team UK in the Architectural Stonemasonry category after excelling in

Summer organ recitals at York Minster

Award-winning and internationally acclaimed organists will perform a series of recitals at York Minster this summer, continuing a tradition of musicianship at the cathedral which spans a millennium. The summer organ recitals will take place each Saturday evening from 25 July to 29 August, allowing visitors to hear some of the country’s most talented organists play in the cathedral’s stunning Quire. Guest and resident organists will perform a range of pieces, from Bach to contemporary compositions by Francis Jackson and Francis Pott. Robert Sharpe, Director of Music at York Minster,

Chance to see the world’s fastest animal at York Minster

Visitors to York Minster’s Dean’s Park this summer are being offered the chance to see the world’s fastest animal close-up – with the help of the RSPB. The nature conservation charity is holding two special events on Sunday 19 July and Saturday 8 August to raise awareness about Peregrine Falcons, after a pair took up residence at the Minster earlier this year. Experts believed the two birds were showing signs of nesting and breeding but no chicks have been sighted, so it is thought the birds’ behaviour may just have shown them holding territory or that any eggs laid may not have

Crafty family fun this summer at York Minster

Kids can get crafty at York Minster this summer with arty activities inspired by northern Europe’s largest medieval gothic cathedral. From making your own Minster to decorating a precious treasure box, there’s a different craft activity each Wednesday during the summer holidays to help children get creative and discover what makes York Minster a record breaker. The sessions, which are suitable for children aged five and above, run from 22 July to 2 September and take inspiration from the cathedral’s treasures, history and architecture. In addition to the Wednesday workshops,

Photocall: New musical collaboration at York Minster

South Indian music will meet choral singing at York Minster on Wednesday (15 July) to create a unique, themed anthem for Interfaith Week 2015. York Minster’s Choristers will be joined by artists from Manasamitra, an organisation specialising in South Asian arts and cultural experiences, for a workshop to compose a song combining the two musical traditions. The resulting collaboration will be performed at a special Evensong service at York Minster on Friday 20 November as part of the cathedral’s celebration of national Interfaith Week. Helen Moore, Community Engagement Officer at

York Minster lectures debate the relationship between religion and science

Wednesdays 8, 15 and 22 July 2015The relationship between science and religion will be the subject of a series of lectures at York Minster during July. Professor Tom McLeish FRS will discuss his recent book Faith and Wisdom in Science, examining Biblical and ancient texts alongside modern theories of science to challenge traditional ideas of conflict between the two beliefs. During the three lectures, Professor McLeish, from the Department of Physics at the University of Durham, will make the case for science as a deeply human and ancient activity, embedded in some of the oldest

Work starts on country’s largest medieval jigsaw

600-year old stained glass returned to York MinsterA monumental milestone has today (15 June) been reached in a major conservation and restoration project at York Minster, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The first piece of restored stained glass has been returned to the 600-year-old Great East Window, seven years after the panels were originally removed for conservation. Conservators from the York Glaziers Trust have returned the panel ‘God the Father’ to the apex of the window, which is bigger than a tennis court and the largest single expanse of medieval stained glass in

York Minster welcomes new appointment to Chapter of York

York Minster is preparing to welcome Dr Richard Shephard MBE to its governing body following his appointment on Wednesday (17 June) as a Lay Canon by the Archbishop of York. The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu will appoint Dr Shephard as a Lay Member of the Chapter of York, the executive body responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of York Minster. His role, which is for an initial term of three years, will be to work with Clergy and Lay colleagues on Chapter to devise and implement Minster policies and strategic plans, contributing his substantial

New chapter revealed in history of 1,000 year old manuscript

A new chapter in the history of a 1,000-year-old manuscript on display in York Minster’s Undercroft is being uncovered, thanks to a revolutionary new sampling technique. The York Gospels, which was made in Canterbury and is thought to have been brought to York in around 1020AD, has been analysed using a new biomolecular technique which can help explain how the book was originally put together. The new approach involves analysing the book’s parchment to identify the type of animal skins used in its original construction. The information will provide insight into the manuscript’s

Summer of music at York Minster

A summer of music at York Minster starts on Friday (5 June) with a series of promenades designed to allow visitors to enjoy awe-inspiring music from the Minster’s magnificent organ while exploring the gothic cathedral. The organ promenades will run every Friday at 1.10pm throughout June and feature the cathedral’s resident organists, who will use the instrument’s 5,200 plus pipes to perform a range of enjoyable pieces. The informal sessions will last 45 minutes and visitors can choose either to sit down and watch the performances in the Minster’s vast Nave or wander around the

Half term: Last chance to enter the Orb

VISITORS to York Minster this half term will be among the last people to see at close range restored, 600-year-old stained glass panels from the Great East Window. Five medieval masterpieces are currently on show in the cathedral’s Orb attraction, which permanently closes on 31 May so York Glaziers Trust can start the epic task of returning the glass to the window. The Orb opened in October 2012 to allow visitors to learn about the work to restore and conserve the cathedral’s East End, which is one of the largest projects of its kind in Europe. More than 1.4million people have had

New Curate for York Minster

A young trainee priest has been appointed to the role of Curate at York Minster. Ellie Bangay, who is currently studying for an MA in Theology and Ministry at Cranmer Hall, University of Durham, will take up her position at the Minster in July. Commenting on Ellie’s appointment, The Reverend Canon Michael Smith Pastor at York Minster said:   “We are delighted that part of Ellie’s training for her ordained ministry will be with us here at the Minster.  Whilst the role will be familiar with many parish congregations, it is fairly unusual for a cathedral to have someone in this

York Minster welcomes royal visitor

His Royal Highness, the Duke of York KG visited York Minster today (13 May) to meet the skilled craftsmen and women who are restoring and conserving the cathedral’s East End and Great East Window. The Duke visited York Minster’s Stoneyard and the York Glaziers Trust to speak with the stonemasons, carvers and glaziers working on the conservation and restoration project, which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, before taking a tour of the East End to see the work. The programme to restore the medieval masterpiece is part of the York Minster Revealed (YMR) project, a £20million

Major new BBC drama filmed at York Minster

Broadcast Sunday 17 May 2015TV viewers will see York Minster’s iconic Kings Screen transformed when BBC One’s hotly anticipated new drama Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell airs on Sunday (17 May). Film crews spent a week filming at York Minster in February last year to recreate scenes from the bestselling book by Susanna Clarke for the seven part drama. Set at the beginning of the 19thcentury, the story follows the reclusive Mr Norrell who proves practical magic still exists in England by making statues inside York Minster speak and move. The incident sparks a new enthusiasm for

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