CHRISTMAS AT CHRIST CHURCH 2

This concert is currently sold out. Please e-mail info@musicatoxford.com if you would like to be added to the waiting list.

Our Christmas at Christ Church events have been providing Oxford audiences with a popular mix of festive cheer and nostalgia since 1985. Revel in the glorious sounds of the Cathedral Choir of Christ Church, enjoy seasonal readings and join in with audience carols, all in wonderfully atmospheric surroundings.

Early booking is essential.

Seating Information

Band A – £47 Full price | £23.50 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Reserved seating. Front-on view of the stage
Front North Transept

Band B – £32 Full price | £16 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Reserved seating. Front on view of the stage, behind the Front North Transept seating.
Rear North Transept

Band C – £24 Full price | £12 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Unreserved seating. A side-on view of the stage.
Nave 
Chancel and Sanctuary

Band D – £17 Full price | £8.50 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. These seating zones do not provide visibility of the performers even though the quality of sound is unaffected. These zones have a live TV screen relay so that audience members can see the performers on a screen and at close quarters. Christ Church Cathedral staff oversee the relay. All efforts will be made to ensure the relay is live, but it is possible that some delay will occur due to the historic nature of the building.
Chapel of Remembrance
Lady Chapel
Latin Chapel
North Aisle
North Transept Aisle – SOLD OUT
South Aisle- SOLD OUT
South Transept- SOLD OUT

Band E – £12 Full price | £6 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Unreserved seating. This seating zone does not provide visibility of the performers even though the quality of sound is unaffected. For anyone who would prefer to enjoy the concert without a screen, this seating area will be screenless.
Lucy Chapel

Christmas at Christ Church 2

A popular mix of festive cheer and nostalgia. 

Audiences have flocked to our annual celebration of Christmas music and carols each and every year since 1985, each time revelling in the glorious sounds of the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral and their renditions of seasonal music in the wonderful surroundings of Christ Church Cathedral. As well as the choir’s performance, enjoy seasonal readings and the chance for everyone to join in with the audience carols under the expert direction of new Director Peter Holder. Early booking is essential as these concerts always sell out.

New this year – buy your programme in advance
No need to tap your card or scramble for change, simply purchase your programme in advance when you buy your tickets online.

Seating Information

Band A – £46 Full price | £23 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Reserved seating. Front-on view of the stage
Front North Transept  

Band B – £31 Full price | £15.50 Standard concession- SOLD OUT
Reserved seating. Front on view of the stage, behind the Front North Transept seating.
Rear North Transept

Band C – £23 Full price | £11.50 Standard concession – SOLD OUT
Unreserved seating. A side-on view of the stage.
Nave 
Chancel and Sanctuary 

Band D – £16 Full price | £8 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. These seating zones do not provide visibility of the performers even though the quality of sound is unaffected. These zones have a live TV screen relay so that audience members can see the performers on a screen and at close quarters. Christ Church Cathedral staff oversee the relay. All efforts will be made to ensure the relay is live, but it is possible that some delay will occur due to the historic nature of the building.
Chapel of Remembrance
Lady Chapel
Latin Chapel
North Aisle
North Transept Aisle- SOLD OUT
South Aisle 
South Transept- SOLD OUT

Band E – £11 Full price | £5.50 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. This seating zone does not provide visibility of the performers even though the quality of sound is unaffected. For anyone who would prefer to enjoy the concert without a screen, this seating area will be screenless.
Lucy Chapel

About the Artists

The choir is revered for the vibrancy of its sound and its artistic flexibility, performing early and contemporary music with equal skill. Over the years the choir has provided a perfect platform for singers to progress to other award-winning choral groups such as the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, The King’s Singers, The Tallis Scholars and The Cardinall’s Musick as well as to solo careers in oratorio, opera and musical theatre.

The choir is regularly involved in broadcasts of Evensong and other key services and concerts, and is often heard performing theme tunes and incidental music for TV dramas and films.

Peter Holder is the new Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral starting in September 2024. He was previously Sub-Organist at St Paul’s Cathedral. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he took BMus (1st class) and MA.  As a highly sought-after organ soloist, Peter has given recitals around the globe, including in Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the First Night of the 2019 Proms, and he is also active as a continuo player.

Photo credit: Ian Wallman

Christmas at Christ Church 2

Music at Oxford’s famous annual celebration of Christmas music and carols dates back, as far as we can tell, to Christmas 1985. Since then, the world-class choir has enchanted audiences with their renditions of seasonal music in the wonderful surroundings of Christ Church Cathedral. As always, this event combines a popular mix of festive cheer and seasonal nostalgia, with readings from the creators of theatre company Box Tale Soup, Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne, and the chance for us all to join in with the audience carols under the expert direction of Steven Grahl. Early booking is essential as these concerts always sell out! 

‘To hear a choir like this is to hear a quality of musicianship with no equal anywhere in the world.‘ Sunday Independent

About the artists

The choir is revered for the vibrancy of its sound and its artistic flexibility, performing early and contemporary music with equal skill. Over the years the choir has provided a perfect platform for singers to progress to other award-winning choral groups such as the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, The King’s Singers, The Tallis Scholars and The Cardinall’s Musick as well as to solo careers in oratorio, opera and musical theatre.

The choir is regularly involved in broadcasts of Evensong and other key services and concerts, and is often heard performing theme tunes and incidental music for TV dramas and films.

Steven Grahl is a sought-after conductor and keyboard player. Alongside his role at Christ Church and in the Faculty of Music, he is Conductor of Schola Cantorum of Oxford. Steven served as Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral from 2014-2018, where he was responsible for training the Cathedral Choir, and for the re-pitching of the Hill Organ. He has recently recorded a solo CD on this instrument. Peterborough Cathedral Choir’s recording of Cheryl Frances Hoad’s EvenYouSong, made under Steven’s direction, was released to critical acclaim in December 2017. Read Steven’s full biography here.

Ticket Area Descriptions

Band A – £46 Full price | £23 Standard concession
Reserved seating. Front on view of the stage
Front North Transept

Please note tickets in this band are sold out- please contact us if you would like to be put on the waiting list for this area.

Band B – £31 Full price | £15.50 Standard concession
Reserved seating. Front on view of the stage, behind the Front North Transept seating.
Rear North Transept

Please note tickets in this band are sold out- please contact us if you would like to be put on the waiting list for this area.

Band C – £23 Full price | £11.50 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. A side-on view of the stage.
Nave 
Chancel and Sanctuary

Please note tickets in this band are sold out- please contact us if you would like to be put on the waiting list for this area.

Band D – £16 Full price | £8 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. These seating zones do not provide visibility of the performers even thought the quality of sound is unaffected. These zones have a live TV screen relay so that audience members can see the performers on a screen and at close quarters. Christ Church Cathedral staff oversee the relay. All best efforts will be made to ensure the relay is live, but it is possible that some latency will occur due to the historic nature of the building.
Chapel of Remembrance
Lady Chapel
Latin Chapel
North Aisle
North Transept Aisle (Sold out)
South Aisle
South Transept (Sold out)

Band E – £11 Full price | £5.50 Standard concession
Unreserved seating. This seating zone does not provide visibility of the performers even thought the quality of sound is unaffected. For anyone who would prefer to enjoy the concert without a screen, this seating area will be screenless.
Lucy Chapel

Christmas at Christ Church 2

Music at Oxford’s famous annual celebration of Christmas in this iconic Cathedral returns after last year’s enforced break. Christmas at Christ Church celebrates the festive period with a selection of Christmas music and carols, and combines a popular mix of festive cheer and seasonal nostalgia. Christ Church’s world-renowned choir sings a range of music centred on the Christmas message, under the expert direction of Steven Grahl. Please note that due to the shortened format of the concerts this year, there will be no readers.

In light of Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant, we strongly suggest that you do a lateral flow test before arriving at the concert.
 
All audience members must wear a mask for the duration of the concert and at all times whilst inside the Cathedral, as this is now compulsory unless you are exempt. Hand sanitiser stations will be located at various points in the building.
 
The audience capacity has been reduced to just 40%, and all seating is socially distanced and numbered. You will be seated within your household bubbles; please respect others by giving them as much space as possible. The performance will last for one hour, without an interval. As each event will have less than 500 people attending (including audience, staff and artists), you will not be required to show a vaccine passport.

The Cathedral will be very well ventilated as both the West Door and the South Door will be opened fully before and after the performance; please do dress warmly. 

Programmes will be on sale at £1; please have cash ready if you would like to buy a programme in order to sing the audience carols.

These concerts are socially distanced for your safety. Please book the appropriate seating group according to the size of your household/friend bubble e.g. if there are three of you, please book a group of 3 seats, not 3 seats in a group of 4. If you have any questions, please phone the box office on 01865 244806.

Visit Christ Church Cathedral Choir’s website.