Teenage chorister from Portsmouth Cathedral chosen to sing at St Paul's Cathedral

Chorister Eleanor Matthews will sing with Aled Jones at St Pauls Cathedral

Eleanor Matthews is a student at Portsmouth Grammar School and also a chorister with Portsmouth’s St Thomas’ Cathedral Youth Choir, Cantate.

She is one of 60 choristers from across the country to be chosen to join the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral for a one-off concert in support of Friends of Cathedral Music.

The 14-year-old, from Southsea, will be part of a concert performing some of Britain’s most-loved choral music tomorrow.

It will be hosted by classical superstar Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong.

Eleanor, who has been singing with Cantate for three years, said: ‘I received an email asking me if I’d like to go up and sing at St Paul’s.

‘It’s a really exciting opportunity so I replied “yes” straight away.’

‘Singing with so many other people from around the country is going to be a really great experience, we are singing quite a few different pieces which will be a bit of a challenge but I’m really looking forward to it.’

Among the works being performed are Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Tippett’s Five Spirituals and the world premiere of a specially commissioned work by Philip Stopford.

According to Friends of Cathedral Music, it costs £250,000 on average to run a cathedral choir for a year.

These costs are rising while financial support is shrinking.

The Friends of Cathedral Music have been supporting cathedral choirs for the last 60 years.

The concert is sponsored by the Genesis Foundation, which aims to nurture and develop the careers of outstanding young artists, and Classic FM.

Dr David Price, the director of music at Portsmouth Cathedral, said: ‘This is an extraordinary opportunity for Eleanor to sing in this special concert in such an amazing setting.

‘It is wonderful that Portsmouth Cathedral will be represented, but most of all that this concert will support choristers and their families.’

The concert will take place in the  presence of HRH The Duchess of Gloucester.

It also launches the Friends of Cathedral Music’s new Diamond Fund for Choristers in this, the organisation’s diamond jubilee year.