A lunchtime May Bank Holiday treat is in store for visitors to St Albans Cathedral on Monday, May 1.

The acclaimed St Albans Cathedral Choir will be giving a rare concert outside of a service concert on May 1 in order to fundraise for their upcoming tour to Spain.

The concert begins at 1pm and will last about 45 minutes.

It includes unaccompanied music by Byrd, Parsons, Taverner, and Tippett.

Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music, said: “Do come and hear the choir sing some of the familiar music from our services, especially the recent ones of Holy Week and Easter as well as music intended for our coming tour to Spain at the end of May.”

Admission is free, with a retiring collection in aid of the Cathedral Choir’s Tour to Spain.

Not suitable for small children.

For further information call the Cathedral Reception on 01727 890210 or visit www.stalbanscathedral.org/whatson/music

St Albans Cathedral Choir was based in an ancient Benedictine monastery, which had a distinguished musical history, before its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1539.

When it became a cathedral in 1877, a choir was again formed, after 338 years, of local schoolboys.

Under its current director, Andrew Lucas, St Albans Cathedral Choir maintains a reputation as one of the best Cathedral Choirs in the United Kingdom.

The choir performs a variety of repertoire, which consists of both traditional choral music, as well as more modern genres and new compositions.