with a choral workshop of spiritual music which ends with a concert tomorrow evening.

The workshop will feature Andrew Lucas, Organist and Choir Master of St.

Albans Abbey and Organists Lloyd Matthew and Alan Bascome.

The history of St. Albans Cathedral Choir only stretches back 120 years, although the Benedictine monastery of St. Albans Abbey had a distinguished musical history stretching back before 1539 when the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VII.

In those days the boys were press ganged from all over the country, but today they are all local schoolboys who are committed to sing services and attend rehearsal every day of the week during term time, except one.

Unlike many ancient English Cathedrals, there is not a residential choir school.

Instead, the boys go to their local schools and the rehearsals and services are fitted in around a normal school week.

The day begins at 7.40 a.m. and ends after evensong at 5.45 p.m. on three weekdays.

Friday nights are taken up with two hours of rehearsal and the services on Saturday and Sunday - usually three but sometimes four in all -- take up a major proportion of the weekend.

The dedication of the boys and their parents is tremendous and the high standard of the choir and its international reputation has been hard won.

The boys themselves receive in return an unparalleled free musical education.

For the weekends, greater Feast days, and concerts and tours, the 24 boys are joined by the 12 Lay Clerks to make up the full Cathedral Choir.

The Lay Clerks are themselves a dedicated and highly skilled group of musicians who nevertheless, in the main, earn their living outside the music profession.

The choir has made several recordings and six tours of the US in the 1990's.

More recently the choir toured Sweden and is embarking on more recordings with Priory Records including a CD of music by Stanford.

Andrew Lucas has been Master of Music of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St.

Alban since February 1998, after eight years as the Sub-Organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

He is also conductor of the St. Albans Bach Choir.

Andrew's career at St. Paul's Cathedral began in 1980 as an organ student, and then as Assistant Sub-Organist (1985) and Sub-Organist and Assistant Director of Music (1990).

His accompaniment of the St. Paul choir in concerts and recordings has received critical acclaim and he has made two solo recordings on the world famous organ of St. Paul's.

As a soloist, he plays concerts throughout the UK, and has given recitals in Norway, Sweden, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Bermuda and the US.

In 1997 he spent three months as Master of the Choristers at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney Australia.

The Choral workshop started yesterday and will continue with a rehearsal today from 1 to 5 p.m.

Tomorrow there will be participation in Communion Service at 10.30 p.m. and a final concert from 4 to 5.30 p.m.

There is a $15 participation fee that includes refreshments.

And all who enjoy singing are invited to join, and for more details contact Fr. Andrew Doughty (236 5744) or Dr. Robbie Smith (236-4970) or e-mail srsmith y northrock.nm.