Music at St. Paul's
Music is an integral part of worship at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Music of the Anglican tradition spans the ages from the Renaissance and Tudor masters to today’s most innovative composers. The beauty of the finest sacred choral and organ music in the cathedral setting enriches worship and provides inspiration for all who enter the Cathedral whether as a first-time visitor or long-time member.
Choirs at St. Paul's
Under the direction of Organist and Choirmaster Martin Green, the Choral Music program consists of the Cathedral Choir (adults, mixed voices who sing morning services) which has been in existence since the late 1800s; the Cathedral Schola (a professional-level auxiliary group to the Cathedral Choir who sing Evensongs), and the Cathedral Choristers (youth choristers). We are currently in the process of revitalizing our youth chorister program which has traditionally been divided amongst boys and girls (St. Cecilia Choir) who would sing alternating evensongs.
Meet Martin Green
Organist and Choirmaster Martin Green, a lifelong San Diegan, has built a distinguished career preparing choirs and performing with renowned conductors like Sir David Willcocks and John Rutter. He has played across North America and England, earned awards from the American Guild of Organists, and appeared on NPR’s “Pipedreams Live!” Martin also serves as Associate Music Director of the San Diego Master Chorale.
Cathedral Organ
The Cathedral’s organ has the longest history of any in San Diego — in 2012 it was completely rebuilt by Quimby Pipe Organs. It contains nearly 5000 pipes and is considered one of the finest instruments in the area. Free organ recitals are offered every Friday at 1 pm.
Now Enrolling Youth Choristers
Our youth choir programs offer opportunities for children to build lifelong friendships, receive a world class musical education, participate in off-campus field trips, learn team-communication skills, and perform regularly with professional institutions like the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera. Previous choristers have gone on to have successful international music careers and have graduated from Ivy League universities.
- Boys ages 6+ with unchanged voices
- Girls ages 6 to senior year of high school
Summer Choir Camp August 4-8, 2025
Sign up for the Chorister Experience:
Weekly Music Offerings
Evensong - Sunday's at 5 pm
Our Choral Evensong is a 45-minute contemplative and peaceful service that includes choral music, chants, hymns, and prayers. We do not offer communion during this service. Evensong is a beautiful and traditional service whose origins date back approximately 470 years. This service is perfect for anyone who is looking for some respite from our busy, modern lives.
Organ Recital- Friday's at 1 pm
Join Cathedral organists Martin Green (or an occasional guest organist) each week in the Cathedral as they share a free recital on our landmark organ. If you are unable to attend in person this offering is streamed live on our YouTube channel. All are welcome.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
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Cathedral Choirs
The Choral Music program is wide ranging and consists of the Cathedral Choir (adults, mixed voices), which has been in existence since the late 1800s; the Cathedral Choristers (boys and men), which includes the only boys’ choir in San Diego; the St Cecilia Choir (girls and men); and the Cathedral Schola (a professional-level auxiliary group to the Cathedral Choir).
Cathedral Choir
The Cathedral Choir has existed since the late 1800’s at the original St Paul’s Parish church. It was one of the first vested choirs in San Diego County and continues to support worship services to this day. This choir, which consists of paid professional singers and dedicated volunteers is primarily heard at the 10.30 a.m. Mass every Sunday offering a wide variety of choral mass setting, motets, and anthems throughout the year.
Cathedral Schola
This group is made up of the core singers of the cathedral choir, and other professional singers, choral directors and students from throughout San Diego County. Its members are those professional-level musicians who are dedicated to the Anglican choral tradition. It operates as an auxiliary to the cathedral choir, as well as the boy and girl choristers when they are on break. This ensemble is most frequently heard at 5PM Choral Evensong during the summer break for the choristers as well as special services and concerts from time to time throughout the year.
St Cecilia Choir
A choir for girls was founded in the 1960s. In 1977 the Girls Choir was reconstituted as the St. Cecilia Choir of girls and men, allowing it to rightly be a full counterpart to the Choristers. The treble section of girls aged seven through eighteen (or their Senior year in High School) creates a sound distinctly different from the boy trebles. The St Cecilia Choir sings 5PM Choral Evensong on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, and for Advent Procession, Easter Day, Easter Lessons and Carols, occasional Sunday Morning services, and other concerts and outside appearances. A number of our boy and girl choristers appear in annual productions with the San Diego Opera, and also at times with the San Diego Symphony. The choirs have also been featured in the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego and Tijuana. Both choirs are affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music.
Cathedral Choristers
This choir of men and boys was originally founded in 1885 at the original St Paul’s church. However, this choir did not prove to be sustainable at this time and was replaced by the choir of mixed voices a few years later. In 1963 the choir of boys and men was re-started by then-Organist & Choirmaster Larry King. Since then, the choir has flourished, and remains the only boys’ choir in San Diego, and one of only a handful in the United States. The Cathedral Choristers sing 5PM Choral Evensong on the first and third Sunday of the month, as well as Christmas Lessons and Carols, Easter Day, the St. George Festal Evensong, occasional Sunday Morning services, and other concerts and outside appearances. The choir is open to enrollment for boys with unchanged voices, age 7 and up.
Music is an integral part of worship at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Music of the Anglican tradition spans the ages from the Renaissance and Tudor masters to today’s most innovative composers. The beauty of the finest sacred choral and organ music in the cathedral setting enriches worship and provides inspiration for all who enter the Cathedral whether as a first-time visitor or long-time member.
Upcoming Events
Choristers
Staff
Concert Series
Organ
Friends of Music
Contact
What makes music at St. Paul's special?
Accomplished musicians. Organist and Choirmaster Martin Green is a native San Diegan who has trained and spent his entire musical career here. He has prepared choirs and accompanied for such notable conductors as Sir David Wilcocks, John Rutter, David Flood, Martin Neary, and Duiane Wolfe. As an organist, Martin has played as both solo performer and accompanist. throughout the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, and England. He has won several awards from the American Guild of Organists and appeared on NPR’s “Pipedreams Live!” He also serves as the Associate Music Director of the San Diego Master Chorale. Sub-Organist and Assistant Choirmaster, Gabriel Arregui, has appeared in recital with sopranos Julianne Baird and Rosa Lamoreaux, has taught 18th-century counterpoint, and has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Archbishop of Canterbury. He has served as an instrumentalist in the Baroque Music Festival since 1994.
Stunning choirs. The Choral Music program is wide ranging and consists of the Cathedral Choir (adults, mixed voices), which has been in existence since the late 1800s; the Cathedral Choristers (boys and men), which includes the only boys’ choir in San Diego; the St Cecilia Choir (girls and men); and the Cathedral Schola (a professional-level auxiliary group to the Cathedral Choir).
An exquisite organ. The Cathedral’s organ has the longest history of any in San Diego — in 2012 it was completely rebuilt by Quimby Pipe Organs. It contains nearly 5000 pipes and is considered one of the finest instruments in the area. Free organ recitals are offered every Friday at 1 pm.
