Royal School of Church Music secures £400,000 for national youth choir initiative

Delivered in partnership with the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), ‘The Choir Project’ will run over three years and aims to re-establish music as a central pathway to mission and discipleship in local churches. The funding, agreed by the Church of England’s Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board, comes at a time of renewed interest in sacred choral music. Cathedral choirs in England reached a record 207 in 2024, yet 57% of parish church choirs currently include no children. The project seeks to address this imbalance by supporting churches to establish or renew choirs for young people, with a focus on long-term faith formation alongside musical excellence. Hugh Morris, Director of the RSCM, said, ‘We are delighted to be launching this exciting new project. For generations, church choirs have been one of the most natural and joyful ways for young people to encounter faith, learn about worship, and grow in confidence and belonging. ‘As we look to our second century of supporting church music and musicians, the RSCM sees this investment in young people as a vital step to ensuring a bright future of music ministry, and fostering active discipleship across all backgrounds and socio-economic environments, for the rich heritage we inherit today.’ The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, said: ‘The English choral tradition is unique and part of our rich cultural and spiritual heritage. ‘The beauty of church singing speaks directly to people of all generations and from all walks of life. I am delighted to see this investment that will go to church choirs across the country.’ The initiative draws on research suggesting that young people are more likely to remain active within faith communities when given meaningful roles, intergenerational relationships and opportunities for leadership. Through ‘The Choir Project’, the RSCM aims to engage around 2,400 young people, train 300 new choir leaders and mobilise 500 volunteers. Integrated support will be offered to participating parishes, including: \- Training for clergy, ordinands and music leaders \- Discipleship resources embedded within the RSCM’s Young Voices Toolkit and Voice for Life \- One-to-one mentoring and peer networks \- Advocacy and communications support \- Ongoing monitoring and evaluation to inform diocesan planning Examples from existing parish initiatives demonstrate the potential impact. At Loftus Parish near Saltburn, the creation of a church choir has grown participation from two to up to eighteen children on a Sunday. In Hull, investment in Hull Minster has enabled the re-establishment of its chorister division, welcoming 45 young people and their families and prompting neighbouring parishes to revive their own choral traditions. The launch also comes amid wider public discussion about the status of English sacred choral music, including calls for Choral Evensong to receive UNESCO recognition as an element of living cultural heritage. With structured training, faith-centred resources and localised support, ‘The Choir Project’ aims to embed children’s and youth choirs within parish life nationwide, strengthening both musical standards and long-term engagement with church communities.