Christmas Choir Concerts: Music, Magic and Celebration at Queen Mary’s Girls School
Festive Celebrations and Musical Excellence at Queen Mary’s Day and Boarding School
The festive season at Queen Mary’s School has been filled with beautiful music, heartfelt performances and unforgettable moments that showcase the outstanding school music excellence our pupils achieve all year round. From cathedral stages to cherished chapel traditions, our school choir and talented young performers have once again demonstrated the power of music in schools to inspire, unite and uplift.
Ripon Cathedral: Queen Mary’s School Chapel Choir Singing for a Cause
North Yorkshire Christian School Delights Audiences with Musical Talent at Ripon Cathedral
This week, our Chapel Choir had the honour of performing at the Macmillan Christmas Concert at Ripon Cathedral, sharing the spirit of the season while supporting a truly important cause. Head Girl Rose led the choir with confidence and poise, as they filled the historic cathedral with festive harmonies and shimmering choral sound. The girls rehearsed in the cathedral earlier in the day, full of smiles and excitement as they prepared for an evening performance supporting Macmillan Cancer’s vital work in the local community. Opportunities like these highlight the impressive standard of music in schools here at Queen Mary’s, where pupils not only perform beautifully but also understand the value of using their talents to help others.
Christingle Service & Nativity – Young Voices Shine Brightly at Christian School
Queen Mary’s Prep School in Yorkshire Delights Parents with Wonderful Christingle Service and Nativity Production
Back on our school grounds, pupils from across the Prep School brought joy to our Chapel in two magical celebrations. Our youngest children charmed families with a traditional Nativity play, lovingly written by Mr Cowey, complete with starry-eyed shepherds, shining angels and wonderful storytelling through song.
This was followed by a moving Christingle service, where older pupils lit up the chapel – both literally and metaphorically – symbolising love, hope and togetherness. Events like these show the importance of nurturing vocal confidence and creativity from the earliest stages of education. As the candlelit service took place, the Great Hall looked fabulously festive.
A Ceremony of Carols – A Cherished School Musical Tradition
The season reached one of its most treasured moments with a breath-taking performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. Accompanied by a harpist, our All Girls Chapel Choir delivered an exquisite and emotionally rich recital that left the audience spellbound. 2025 marks the forty-fifth performance of this iconic choral celebration at Queen Mary’s, reflecting decades of tradition, excellence and devotion to the performing arts.
See a highlight of the Christmas Carol performance.
A Celebration of Faith and Community: Nine Lessons and Carols 2025 at Ripon Cathedral
A glorious end to the term, Queen Mary’s School’s Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at Ripon Cathedral remains one of the most beloved moments in our calendar. As a school with performing arts at its heart, the service beautifully showcased the musical talent, confidence, and creativity of our pupils. Music plays a central role in life at Queen Mary’s, reflecting our ethos as a leading northern performing arts school, where choral singing and many opportunities to perform help our pupils to grow spiritually, emotionally, and artistically.
Our Christian school once was again incredibly proud of our Chapel Choir and lesson speakers who helped make this year’s Nine Lessons and Carols a truly moving service for pupils, staff, families, and the local community. It was a wonderful celebration of faith, tradition, and community in the inspiring setting of the cathedral, with Headmistress, Fe Beadnall, also gracing the pulpit with a reading.
Queen Mary’s is proud to continue a long-standing tradition of worship, reflection, and excellence in music and performance. The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols captured the warmth and unity of our community and reflected the nurturing principles that defines our Christian private school and the whole Goddard School ethos. It was a joyful reminder of how music and faith enrich school life, creating meaningful experiences that stay with our pupils long after the final carol has been sung. We are grateful to everyone who joined us for this special occasion and wish all our families a peaceful, joyful, and happy Christmas.
See a highlight reel of the Nine Lessons and Carols Event, listen to our Prep School Choir perform ‘Love Is’ by Len Young or watch our Senior Choir’s enchanting performance of The Lamb by H. Walford-Davies.
Merry Christmas from Queen Mary’s School
Everyone at Queen Mary’s School would like to wish our pupils, families, staff, and wider community a very Merry Christmas. We hope you are enjoying a peaceful and joyful day filled with warmth, celebration, and time with loved ones. As part of our festive celebrations, we are delighted to share a beautiful performance from our Chapel Choir of ‘Angel’s Carol’ by John Rutter. The soaring harmonies and joyful spirit of the piece perfectly capture the wonder and hope of the Christmas season, showcasing the exceptional talent and dedication of our young musicians.
Music in Schools: Queen Mary’s Renowned Music Programme as a Goddard School
At Queen Mary’s, music is an essential part of school life. From theatre productions and formal concerts to cathedral services and BBC radio recordings, our pupils benefit from exceptional opportunities to perform, grow and shine. Whether they are taking their first steps on stage or delivering professional-standard choral works, every girl is supported to find her voice.
This festive season has shown once again that when young people sing together, something truly magical happens. Here’s to more music, more celebrations and more unforgettable performances next year.
A huge well done to all the school girls that performed so brilliantly this Pre-Christmas period.
Find out more about Music Excellence at Queen Mary’s or read the latest Music at Queen Mary’s news.
