Sheffield choir: Closure over diversity handled 'appallingly'

Kate Caroe has six children, two of whom are members of the choir

The closure of a cathedral choir in a bid to boost diversity has been handled "appallingly", it has been claimed.

Sheffield Cathedral has announced it needs "significant change" in its music department and choir, to better serve its "mixed urban community".

Kate Caroe has two children in the choir, aged 11 and 17, and said they are distraught that it is to close.

Cathedral Dean Peter Bradley said it was part of "a thoughtful long-term approach to our music."

He said there was a meeting with parents of the choristers on Thursday which felt "very constructive".

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"We are stopping the choir in the current form and are starting it again in a year's time, we are hoping that these people will want to join again but it may be a bit different," he said.

He added that some evensong services attracted only one or two people, so the current approach needed to change.

Mrs Caroe, who has six children and serves on the choir parents' committee, said "I feel completely confused, they haven't given us any reason other than to say it is about diversity.

"It has been handled appallingly and I think the cathedral would admit that."

Sheffield Cathedral is based in the increasingly diverse city centre

Nicholas Cox is a former lay clerk at the cathedral who ran an outreach project called Sing, aimed at reaching children from diverse backgrounds.

He said: "I'm not going to sit here and say that cathedral music is not a very male, very white and privileged pursuit, but I truly believe Sheffield Cathedral was at the forefront of trying to change that.

"To me, building upon a choir rather than disbanding it and starting again seems like a better way forward."

The choir, which was suspended over the coronavirus lockdown, is made up of about 18 children and 10 adults, who performed up to eight times each week at the city centre cathedral.

In a statement it said: "Sheffield Cathedral Chapter [its governing body] has decided that a completely fresh start is needed.

"As a result, chapter concluded this is the right time to close the current cathedral choir."

It added: "We believe this is in the best interests of the long-term mission of the cathedral."

Nicholas Cox used to run an outreach project with the cathedral choir

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