Blog posts





Keep an eye out here for updates on progress with our current Gregorian Chant Course this Spring 2026 at Portsmouth RC Cathedral 


Check out our home page for latest updates


Click the location link below for directions to the RC Cathedral, St John's (not to be confused with the Anglican Portsmouth Cathedral which is located in Old Portsmouth near the dockyard)















< Home page

Location: Portsmouth St John's RC Cathedral, Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3HG, UK

Note - click arrow or 3 lines on top left to toggle for contact form and links

Gregorian Chant Day Portsmouth & Quarr Abbey – Saturday 6 June 2026

Gregorian Chant Day Portsmouth & Quarr Abbey – Saturday 6 June 2026 Following the successful completion of the three-part Gregorian Chant Course earlier this year, participants and others with an interest in Gregorian Chant are warmly invited to take part in a full day of chant singing on Saturday 6 June . This special one-day event offers the opportunity to sing Gregorian Chant in both parish and monastic settings, with practical, hands-on coaching and the chance to sing together as a large group. Attendance at either part of the day, or both, is welcome. Charges for the whole day (to help cover costs) Former Course Participants: Adults : £5 Children : £2.50 Newcomers: Adults : £10 Children : £5 This day is intended both as a continuation for those who attended the Portsmouth Chant Course and as a welcoming opportunity for new singers who wish to experience Gregorian Chant in a supportive and prayerful setting. To sign up for the morning and/or afternoon chant experience please...
Read more

PRESS RELEASE - Portsmouth and Quarr Abbey Chant Day Saturday 6 June 2026

Portsmouth and Quarr Abbey Invite Singers to an Inspiring Day of Gregorian Chant PORTSMOUTH, June 2026 — Following the success of the Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course earlier this year, singers, choir members and lovers of sacred music are warmly invited to take part in a special Day of Chant on Saturday 6 June 2026, combining Mass at St Joseph’s Church, Portsmouth, and Vespers at Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight in a rich and uplifting celebration of the Church’s ancient musical tradition. This special one-day event offers a distinctive opportunity to experience Gregorian Chant in both parish and monastic settings, guided by experienced leaders and shaped by prayer, beauty and shared music-making. Open to former participants and complete newcomers alike, it is designed to be welcoming, practical and deeply enriching. The morning session at St Joseph’s in Portsmouth will focus on chant for Mass, while the afternoon at Quarr Abbey will culminate in the singing of Saturday Evening Vesp...
Read more

Breaking news...

  Link to PDF of above flyer Breaking news... For all Gregorian chant lovers:  A treat is in store! Listen this Sunday morning, third Sunday in Lent, at 08:30 BBC Radio Berkshire – 95.4 FM, 104.1 FM BBC Radio Oxford – 95.2 FM BBC Radio Solent – 96.1 FM, 103.8 FM On Sunday 8 March at 8.35am, Neville McNally, our Portsmouth Gregorian chant course organiser, will be in a live interview with BBC presenters from their Oxfordshire studios on BBC South. The programme will be going out live on all three of the following frequencies on this Sunday morning, third Sunday in Lent, at 08:35 BBC Radio Berkshire – 95.4 FM, 104.1 FM BBC Radio Oxford – 95.2 FM BBC Radio Solent – 96.1 FM, 103.8 FM The producer reached out to ask if Neville might talk about what the course wishes to achieve, the history of the chant and to give live instructions on air to the presenters on how to sing chant. Neville is delighted to have this opportunity to share what our Portsmouth Gregorian chant course is all ...
Read more

Press release: Major Gregorian Chant Course is flourishing at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth

  For immediate release Once again over 60 are due to gather for Major Gregorian Chant Course continuing at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth Portsmouth, UK – St John’s Cathedral is hosting the Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course, a three-part workshop series drawing more than 60 participants from across the country. Launched on 10 January 2026, the course welcomes both beginners and experienced singers, offering expert instruction in the art and practice of Gregorian chant. Led by Music Director Dominic Bevan, a distinguished graduate of the Royal College of Music, the course provides a rare opportunity to explore the historical and liturgical significance of chant. Participants are grouped by experience and receive hands-on coaching in both performance and leadership skills. The workshops culminate in a public Mass at 3pm on 14 February and 14 March, where the newly-formed choir will perform the chants learned during the course. Organisers report a vibrant and enthusiastic response f...
Read more

Renowned Liturgist and Chant Scholar to Lead Participants into the Heart of Gregorian Chant

  Abbot Xavier Perrin OSB Joins Teaching Team for Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course 2026 Renowned Liturgist and Chant Scholar to Lead Participants into the Heart of Gregorian Chant FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Portsmouth, UK – The Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course 2026 is delighted to announce that Abbot Xavier Perrin OSB, the esteemed Abbot of Our Lady of Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight, will be joining its team of teaching experts. Abbot Xavier brings a wealth of experience and spiritual depth to the programme, deepening the course’s commitment to nurturing both musical skill and spiritual understanding in Gregorian Chant. With a lifelong familiarity with Gregorian Chant, Abbot Xavier is not only a distinguished liturgist and scholar, but also an accomplished teacher of theology. His years as a monk have seen him pray Gregorian Chant daily, making it his spiritual sustenance and infusing his teaching with authenticity and devotion. As a result, he is uniquely equipped to guide particip...
Read more

Dominican Prior Joins Expert Team for Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course 2026

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dominican Prior Joins Expert Team for Portsmouth Gregorian Chant  Course 2026 Portsmouth, UK – The Portsmouth Gregorian Chant Course 2026 is proud to announce the addition of Father Matthew Jarvis OP, Prior of St Dominic’s Priory (the Rosary Shrine), London, to its distinguished teaching team. As a preacher and author, Father Matthew brings exceptional expertise in both Gregorian and Dominican Chant, enriching the course’s unique blend of musical mastery and spiritual depth. Joining forces with Benedictine liturgist Abbot Xavier Perrin OSB and Course Director Dominic Bevin, Father Matthew will participate in the 3 rd  workshop of the 3-part course to guide participants through the theory, history, and expressive practice of Chant. The course, held at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth, features three one-day workshops on the second Saturdays of January (10th), February (14th), and March (14th) 2026. Open to all— beginners and experienced singers alike...
Read more

Antonia Moffat of EWTNGreatBritain interviews Dominic Bevan at mid-point of the course

Filled with enthusiasm...   What is it with Gregorian Chant! Dominic Bevan's enthusiasm  @EWTNGreatBritain https://www.youtube.com/@EWTNGreatBritain/shorts Subscribe 📱 Has Modern Life Made Us Blind to Beauty? 🎶 Is Ancient Church Music Popular Again? Here is Antonia's article with more details on the EWTN website Don't forget to tune in with BBC South on Sunday for more on all things chant 08:30 Sunday 8 March 2026 BBC Radio Berkshire – 95.4 FM, 104.1 FM BBC Radio Oxford – 95.2 FM BBC Radio Solent – 96.1 FM, 103.8 FM and come and hear us sing the chant on part III of our III part course ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 15:00 Saturday 14 March 2026 live at the  Dominican Rite Mass in St John's RC Cathedral Bishop Crispian Way Portsmouth PO1 3HG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read more