Chapel Choir

List of 2 items.

• Origins

  The institution of a choir school dates back centuries. The first choir school was founded by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597. More followed, including many founded by Henry VIII in the wake of his break with the Catholic Church and the dissolution of the monasteries. There are more than 30 choir schools in the United Kingdom today. Some, like the Westminster Abbey Choir School, are set within church precincts.

  
  

  RSGC was born out of the desire to create an Anglican choir school for Canada. It was founded by three prominent educators and music professionals. Dr. Healey Willan was a prolific composer of both church and secular music, as well as a renowned organist and choirmaster. John Bradley was the music master at St. Andrew’s College, a boys’ school in Aurora. John Cook was the organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario, in 1955, and formerly the organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church, the church where Shakespeare is interred in Stratford-upon-Avon. Together, they developed the idea for the school and then sought to find a location, ultimately establishing it in 1964 where RSGC stands today.

  While RSGC has evolved over the years to offer an impressively broad and diverse range of artistic and sporting pursuits—we’re proud to be a school that doesn’t only focus on its choir—our origins as a Choir School are seen in the central role our choristers play in college life.
  
  

  Choir tours started early on, with the first in 1969 when the Choir of St. George’s College—the “Royal” designation was yet to come—toured the UK and sang Evensong at Westminster Abbey. At home, the choral music program has played an important role in the Anglican community in Toronto. For many years, a scholarship fund at St. James’ Cathedral supported boy trebles who would sing at the Cathedral and attend St. George’s. That relationship was recently renewed, now enriching the training of boys at RSGC with changed voices, providing them a weekly experience singing in the professional ensemble at St. James’.  The choir presents the Festival of Lessons and Carols at St. James’ Cathedral each year, a signature RSGC event. In 1982, the Festival was broadcast nationally by CBC television as part of its holiday programming.

• Leadership

  The Chapel Choir has been led by some of the most notable directors and choirmasters in Canada and beyond. 

  
  

  John Bradley was a co-founder of the college and also served at St. Crispin's Anglican church in Scarborough, St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto, Rosedale United Church in Toronto, and the Diocese Summer Music School in Port Hope. 

  
  

  Dr. Giles Bryant retired from his roles as Choirmaster and Organist in 1997, and he retired fully from RSGC in 1999, subsequently becoming Choirmaster Emeritus, an Honorary Old Boy, and Warden of the College. He remained an indispensable member of our community, continuing to play regularly at weekly Choral Evensongs and the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, and accompanying several memorable choir tours. He received honorary Doctors of Sacred Letters from Wycliffe College and Trinity College. He served as Executive Director of the Kiwanis Music Festival, was National President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and was awarded the Ontario Choral Federation’s Distinguished Service Award. 

  
  

  Douglas Jamieson is Director of Choral Music Emeritus, and led and shaped the school’s choral program for more than three decades. His vision helped establish choir as a high school credit and expand choral opportunities from Grades 3 to 12.

  
  

  At the start of the 2024–25 school year, we welcomed Daniel Webb as the newest steward of this legacy. A Cambridge University organ scholar, Mr. Webb is a seasoned leader of renowned choirs. He taught at four of the United Kingdom’s leading schools before moving to Toronto to start a new chapter of his life with his family. In addition to his talent and experience, he brought an inspiring vision, and an infectious love of choral music. Webb builds upon the work of his predecessor in shaping an inclusive and dynamic program.