The Chester Music Society Choir is a vibrant and welcoming choir of around 90 members, bringing beautiful choral classics to life in the stunning setting of Chester Cathedral. We welcome singers from Chester and the surrounding areas, performing four concerts each year. Our main events in November and Spring showcase well-loved choral masterpieces, oratorios, and similar works, featuring professional soloists and a full orchestra to ensure truly high-quality performances. Of course, no season would be complete without a festive celebration! Every December, we host a special Christmas Concert in Chester Cathedral – a wonderful way for the whole family to embrace the holiday spirit through music.
More Than Just Concerts
In addition to our regular performances, we collaborate with other musical societies across the North West, joining forces for grand-scale concerts. The choir has also enjoyed international tours, with past visits to Ghent, Venice, Prague, Budapest, Florence, Krakow, and Lisbon. While these tours have been on pause since the pandemic, we hope to revive them in the future! From time to time, some of our members also take part in summer evensong services at Chester Cathedral, keeping our musical traditions alive all year round.
We also love getting together for social events, and every year we host an Open Day where members of the public and other choirs are warmly invited to join us for a day of music-making and fun. This year, we celebrated with a special focus on Welsh music in honour of St David’s Day!
Director of Music – Graham Jordan Ellis
Graham Jordan Ellis has been the Director of Music for the Chester Music Society Choir since 1996. Graham studied organ and composition in Liverpool and has been a prominent figure in Merseyside’s musical life for many years. He’s an experienced conductor, working with a wide range of choirs and orchestras – from local groups to professionals like the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. He founded the Liverpool Sinfonia and was a long serving Director of Music at Birkenhead School, where he led the Chapel Choir on tours across Europe. Graham also directs the chamber choir Laudes, which regularly sings in cathedrals across the UK.
A published composer and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Graham has a deep love of English music and has conducted a wide variety of major works – from Elgar and Finzi to Bach, Verdi, and Bernstein. He’s collaborated with renowned soloists and performers, and his concerts often support charitable causes.
Choir Accompanist – Graham Eccles
Graham Eccles has had a rich and varied musical career, starting with his organ studies at Worksop College, where he picked up his first diplomas. He went on to train at the Royal Northern College of Music under Ronald Frost, earning top qualifications and prizes, including the prestigious FRCO and the Alice Shawcross Prize for Church Music. He became a familiar sound on BBC Radio 4 as a regular organist for the Daily Service, and also spent over ten years as an ABRSM examiner. His cathedral roles have included Assistant Organist at Chester and Organist and Master of the Choristers at both St Asaph and Bangor.
Since 2004, Graham has enjoyed a busy freelance career, teaching, accompanying, and performing. He taught organ at Bangor University, conducted Colwyn Bay and St Asaph Choral Societies, and now serves as accompanist to both. He’s in regular demand across the North West, including with Chester Music Society Choir and Birkenhead School. He’s also performed with top orchestras like the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Hallé, and is a regular at Chester Cathedral, stepping in for services and taking part in their recital series.