The Impact of Cathedral Music on Educational Outcomes
Drapers’ Hall, Coventry
CONTEXT
Cathedral music in England represents one of the country’s most enduring and distinctive cultural traditions. Sustained through daily practice, education and performance, it functions not only as an artistic and liturgical practice but also as a powerful educational ecosystem, spanning early childhood and family music-making, school-age learning, adolescence, adulthood and lifelong participation. Within and beyond the cathedral building, this ecosystem encompasses choristers and choral scholars, professional and voluntary adult musicians, organ and keyboard programmes, outreach and school partnerships, and a wide range of formal, informal and non-formal learning contexts.
This conference responds to a growing need to articulate, evidence and critically examine the educational impacts of cathedral music in contemporary contexts. At a time when English sacred choral music is being considered for recognition within the UNESCO Living Heritage (Intangible Cultural Heritage) framework, there is a timely opportunity to explore how cathedral music operates as living heritage as it is being transmitted, renewed and sustained through education, training and participation across generations. Framed in this way, cathedral music is understood not only as inherited repertoire or institutional tradition, but as a living tradition whose continuity depends upon teaching, learning and active engagement.
The conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, educators, musicians and policymakers to examine how cathedral music contributes to educational outcomes, in their broadest sense, across the lifespan. These outcomes include cognitive development and learning behaviours; academic attainment and educational progression; socio-emotional development and wellbeing; cultural, aesthetic and spiritual formation; personal development, identity and aspiration; and sustained participation in learning beyond compulsory education. In doing so, the conference seeks not only to demonstrate impact, but also to interrogate assumptions, address tensions (such as excellence and access), and consider the future sustainability of cathedral music as an educational practice in a changing social and educational landscape.
Keynote Speakers
The conference will be framed by four keynote addresses which will address core dimensions of cathedral music’s educational impact. Keynote presenters include:
- From St Paul’s Cathedral, Andrew Carwood MBE, Director of Music and William Bruce, Artistic Director of Choral Partnerships
- From the University of Reading, Dr Rebecca Berkley, Associate Professor in Music Education, SFHEA
- From the David Ross Education Trust, Simon Toyne, Executive Director of Music
SUB-THEMES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS
We invite proposals for contributions that engage critically, empirically or reflectively with the conference theme. Contributions may address (but are not limited to) the following interrelated areas:
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Submissions may explore the relationship between choristership and cognitive development, including attention, memory and executive function, as well as broader questions of music learning, listening and learning-to-learn. Contributions might also examine the role of singing in language development, literacy and auditory processing across different educational stages.
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Proposals are welcomed that consider relationships between musical training and academic attainment, including the role of choristerships and choral scholarships in shaping aspiration and educational progression. Contributions may also examine music education as a stabilising or re-engaging force within formal education, particularly at points of transition or challenge.
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This theme invites contributions that address excellence as an educational value in its own right, including the development of aesthetic judgement, musical perception and artistic seriousness. Submissions may explore how high standards are taught, sustained and transmitted, and how excellence is negotiated alongside widening access and participation.
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Proposals may investigate choirs and musical communities as sites of belonging, identity formation and pastoral care. Contributions might address singing and mental health across the lifespan, as well as the development of leadership, teamwork and socio-emotional skills through choral participation.
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This area invites exploration of cathedral music as a resource for meaning-making, reflection and spiritual literacy within educational contexts. Contributions may consider the role of sacred music and ritual in plural, secular and interfaith environments, and the formation of values, orientation and depth through musical practice.
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Submissions may focus on strategies for broadening participation in cathedral music, including school–cathedral partnerships, early intervention and alternative entry routes. Contributions are also welcomed that critically examine the ethics of selection, inclusion, excellence and sustainability within cathedral music education.
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This theme welcomes work that frames cathedral music as living, transmitted heritage, sustained through education and practice. Proposals may examine education’s role in maintaining cultural ecosystems, as well as questions of heritage, identity and intergenerational transmission in contemporary contexts.
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Contributions may address pedagogical models in cathedral settings. Submissions are also invited that consider institutional responsibility, governance and the use of evidence to articulate and sustain the educational impact of cathedral music.
PARTICIPATION FORMATS
We welcome proposals in a range of formats, including:
- Individual papers (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Q&A)
- Lecture-recitals (20 minutes presentation/performance + 10 minutes Q&A)
- Poster presentations (details to be confirmed)
- Practice-based workshops (30 minutes)
HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
Please submit your proposal via the online form linked below. You will be asked to provide:
- Title
- Abstract (250 words)
- Proposed format
- Presenter information
- Submission deadline: Friday, 10 April 2026
Submissions will be reviewed by the conference steering committee. Notifications of acceptance will be issued by late April 2026.
ABOUT CATHEDRAL MUSIC TRUST
Cathedral Music Trust is a national charity supporting the cathedral music sector through grants, educational programmes, research and advocacy. The Trust commissions and conducts research to inform programme development and to support learning across the sector. This conference offers an opportunity to share recent research alongside examples of good practice from within and beyond cathedral music.
For enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Further details regarding registration, fees, catering, conference dinner, travel, accommodation and the full programme will be published on the Cathedral Music Trust website.
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