The music ministry at the Cathedral seeks to fill every heart with the sound of God's peace and joy. Through the finest music of several centuries the musicians of the Cathedral provide an ever expanding vocabulary to proclaim God's eternal message.

Careful preparation and rehearsals by the choral musicians of the Cathedral support our commitment to offer our fullest and most enriching praise to God in the highest. The repertoire of the Cathedral choirs ranges from Gregorian chant and masses of Palestrina to works commissioned by the Cathedral from the leading composers of today. The music of composers such as Bach, Britten, Faure, Mozart, Palestrina, Purcell, Tallis and Tavener are characteristic of the high quality of music offered each week in the Cathedral.

Choral Evensong is sung on the first Sunday of the month at 4:00 PM throughout the program year. Choral Eucharists are sung at the 11:00 AM service at least once each month, in addition to all Principal Feasts.


The Cathedral is very fortunate to possess one of the finest organs in the Southwest, built by the Kansas based company of Reuter. Each Sunday the organ is heard not only in congregational singing and accompanying choral works but also in major works of the organ repertoire, played the Cathedral organist. The Sunday preludes and postludes played on the organ are drawn on the vast repertoire of the organ literature. Works of Bach, Couperin, Dupré, Franck, Messiaen, Reger, and Vierne are heard on regular basis.


Through Friends of Cathedral Music the Cathedral also commissions new choral works written for the Cathedral Choir as part of the Cathedral Commissions program. In 2007 new works were commissioned from two composers Judith Bingham and David Arcus. The 2008 commission went to New York based composer Anthony Piccolo and the 2009 commission to two composers Tarik O'Regan and David Briggs (http://www.david-briggs.org.uk/).


The role of the music ministry in the outreach of the Cathedral is considerable. An annual concert series allows parishioners as well as those who cannot attend on a Sunday morning the opportunity to attend superb musical events throughout the year. Although all events have a suggested donation, all are welcome to attend concerts at the Cathedral sponsored by Friends of Cathedral Music. 

 
Cathedral Choir at Washington National Cathedral