Choral Evensong at Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle

FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH, OCTOBER–JUNE, 4:30 P.M., in person in the cathedral nave, and livestreamed

The ancient practice of singing evening prayers is a longstanding practice in many Christian traditions. In English cathedrals, this practice developed, through the centuries, into a special sung service, and today Choral Evensong is a treasure among Christian liturgies and a jewel of the Anglican choral tradition.

The Saint Mark’s Evensong Choir, an intergenerational choir of children, teenagers, and adults, offers this beautiful service once a month. All are welcome.

About the Evensong Choir

This intergenerational ensemble consists of the most advanced Senior Choristers and members of the Schola of the Choir School, select auditioned adult singers. (The adult singers of the Evensong Choir are required to be members of Saint Mark’s Cathedral Choir or Compline Choir, unless they are professionally engaged as singers or directors in other churches on Sunday mornings.)

In addition to their monthly offering of Choral Evensong in the English Cathedral tradition, they also sing occasional special liturgies, including The Pageant of the Nativity, the 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service, and Tenebrae on Wednesday in Holy Week.

Evensong Services, 2023–24

OCTOBER 1, 2023 – The Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels (transferred)

NOVEMBER 5, 2023The Feast of All Saints (transferred)

[On December 3, 2023, Evensong is replaced by the annual “O” Antiphons Advent liturgy]

JANUARY 7, 2024The First Sunday after the Epiphany

FEBRUARY 4, 2024The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (transferred)

MARCH 3The Third Sunday in Lent

APRIL 2The Second Sunday of Easter

MAY 7The Sixth Sunday of Easter

JUNE 4Second Sunday after Pentecost (special Evensong offered by the Compline Choir)

Evensong Choir Pilgrimage

In the summer of 2018, The Evensong Choir served as Choir-in-Residence at Ely Cathedral, and at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. During these residencies, the choir sang the daily evensong service, in addition to the Sunday service of Holy Communion. On a day off from singing at Saint Paul's, they were honored to sing one service of evensong in Canterbury Cathedral, in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Just Welby (pictured).

The choir then made its second trip to England in August of 2022, serving residencies in the cathedrals of Chichester and Bristol. (A significant portion of the funds for this trip came from everyone in our cathedral community who participated in the Hymnathon, Cabaret, and Psalmathon fundraisers held within the past eight months, for which the choir expresses its more sincere thanks.) This experience was transformative both musically and spiritually for all the members of the choir—
children, youth, and adults—and we look forward to repeating the experience approximately every three years.

Photos from the 2022 pilgrimage are below. Click to enlarge.

Choral Evensong Video Archive