Sing for the King at Bristol Cathedral

Six hundred and fifty singers will perform the great coronation anthem Zadok the Priest in a unique special tribute project to Sing for the King in Bristol Cathedral on Monday

The project, a joint event by Bristol Cathedral and the Bristol venue, St George’s, will be filmed, edited and then presented to the new King as Bristol’s tribute to celebrate the city’s 650th birthday and the coronation of King Charles III.

Sing for the King, Bristol Cathedral Monday 1st May, Zadok the Priest.

This free live event will take place in the Cathedral this Monday (May 1) and everyone is welcome to join in either as a singer or as a member of the audience.

Bristol’s Sing for the King will also feature performances from other local choirs including Bristol Choral Society, Bristol Cabot Choir, City Voices Bristol, Fitzhardinge Consort, and UWE Singers.

There will be accompaniment by the City of Bristol Brass Band with other musical involvement including Chepstow Choral Society, Thornbury Choral Society, Worle Community Choir, and Wiltshire Music Centre.

Plus the event will also take place online with over 100 members of digital choir Homechoir joining remotely.

The Dean of Bristol, the Very Revd Mandy Ford said:

“We are delighted to be working with our friends from St George’s Bristol and choirs across the city to bring together singers to perform the great coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest.

“I know the singers will have an extraordinary experience singing together in Bristol Cathedral and it is a real joy to know that the resulting film will convey our prayers and congratulations to His Majesty on his coronation.”

Sing for the King follows the success of a mass participation singing event in 2022 of the Hallelujah! Chorus with 150 singers and musicians for Queen Elizabeth 11’s Platinum Jubilee, .

Sing for the King will feature Zadok the Priest, written by Handel for the Coronation of King George II in 1727. Zadok the Priest has been performed at every British coronation since.

The event will also feature the brand new coronation anthem, The Mountains Shall Bring Peace, written especially for King Charles III by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange – part of a national Sing for the King initiative with the Royal Schools of Church Music.

Singers will meet to rehearse from 1.30pm. The event starts at 3pm.

You can also Ring for the King. Find out more here.

For all our other Coronation news – click here.