Chapel Choir

St John’s Chapel Choir has achieved an enormous amount of success over the last 3 years.  The choir consists of 24 boy choristers and 4 probationers, as well as 18 Choral Scholars singing the lower parts. The positions are always filled and there is a waiting list even to join the reserves.

The choir is a traditional robed choir, and their principal medium is the liturgical performance of sacred music maintaining the English Choral tradition.

The choir have achieved a great deal in the last 3 years. As well as giving many performances at concerts and services in school and around the city of Portsmouth, they have toured widely. The boys undertaking an amazing 13 choir tours in the last three years, including two continental tours.

The choristers have sung in over 25 different cathedrals, and in buildings as notable as Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral London, Canterbury Cathedral, Windsor Castle and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  For a full list of major venues click here

The award winning and highly acclaimed St John’s Chapel Choir now have a reputation for giving highly polished performances, and the excellent discipline of the boys is always remarked upon as much as their singing.

The Chapel Choir is a proud partner of The Portsmouth Music Hub

Choir Dates (.pdf) - please note the Choir's performance at Salisbury Cathedral on 29 March has been cancelled

Choir venues to date (.pdf)

BBC Radio Solent – Sunday 11 March. Members of the Chapel Choir talk to BBC Radio Solent's Tim Daykin

The Girls' Choir

Female pupils who are singers are welcome to join our girls’ choir. New members for this choir are always welcome.  The Girls' Choir sing a rich variety of music and perform at concerts and in School Assemblies.  Last year they also participated in the national Lasallian Festival at St Peter's.

School Orchestra

Our Orchestra at St John’s performs in many concerts each year, and also leads music at school assemblies. It is open to any pupil in the school providing that they have at least an intermediate level of performance on their instrument.

Boarders' Band

For instrumentalists who are boarders at the school there is a Boarders’ Band who lead the music during our weekly boarding service.

Wind Band

Our Wind Band rehearses weekly at lunchtime and annually play at our carol service as well as a number of other concerts throughout the year.

String Ensemble

Pupils who play the violin, viola, cello or double bass are welcome to join our String Ensemble who give several concerts a year.

Corps of Drums

The Corps of Drums forms part of our Sea Cadet organisation, and although still in its infancy, we welcome drummers of any ability to our training sessions.

School of Rock

For pupils who learn the drum kit, electric or bass guitar we have our own School of Rock rehearsing once a week. Pupils can then perform individually at concerts or join together to form a band.