The Choir of boy Choristers and male and female Academical Clerks at Magdalen College, Oxford is one of the three choral foundations within the University of Oxford. The College was founded in 1458, and in the statutes, provision was made for the eight singing-men (clerks), four chaplains and sixteen choristers of Magdalen College Choir. More recently, an additional four Academical Clerks and two Organ Scholars were added to the complement, and the tradition has been maintained to this day.
The Choristers are part of the College Foundation, receiving their academic education at Magdalen College School. The Academical Clerks and Organ Scholars are ordinarily undergraduates at the College, reading for degrees in a variety of subjects.
There are eight sung services in the Chapel each week during Full Term. Out of term, and away from the Chapel, the Choir has toured Japan, USA, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain and France, and has appeared at the BBC Proms. ln the past, the Choir was involved with a number of soundtracks, including Richard Attenborough’s movie, Shadowlands, and also the award-winning BBCTV series, Blue Planet.