A Magdalen May 1 Chorus, Male and Female

                       

Two years ago I wrote about a May 1st tradition in Oxford, England, where the Magdalen College Choir climbs high atop the city and sings to the crowd gathered below. The tradition is more than 500 years old but it seems that everything old is new again, In 2014 about 14,000 cheerful early-birds gathered and last year 16,500. This year is was 18,500. 

I noted that in many places in Europe May1st is May Day, acknowledged as the first day of Summer, which is hard to grasp. This year we were still freezing our tushes off on May 1 across much of Canada. 

Wildflowers are gathered, dancing around a maypole takes place, and bonfires are lit. The origins of these festivals are ancient and pre-Christian but we could argue that Europe is now post-Christian in many respects. The choir was created centuries ago to sing the daily church services in Magdalen College Chapel yet much of the crowd below looks pleasantly pagan. 

                                                       Oxford at the crack of dawn, May 1, 2026

The front row of the choir will look different next year as for the first time in five centuries girls will be included in the choir. Here is an article about the change: 

For the first time in its history, the world-renowned choir of Magdalen College is admitting girls to sing alongside boys as choristers.

Founded in 1480, the choir has become one of the most highly regarded ensembles in the UK and is best known for singing to welcome the dawn from the Great Tower of Magdalen College each year on May Morning. The Choir has appeared at the BBC Proms and toured the USA, France, Sweden, Holland, Portugal, and Spain in recent years. Having previously recorded for the Harmonia Mundi and Opus Arte labels, the Choir released its first album on the CORO label in 2023.

The choir’s 16 young choristers are drawn from Magdalen College School, originally founded as the Song School for the College, which on 2 February announced its plans to become co-educational from 2027. The College subsequently took the opportunity to consider how best to integrate girls into the musical life of the Chapel and has now decided to offer choristerships on an equal basis to both girls and boys aged between eight and 13.

Sure they have their 500 year old Spring tradition, but do they have trilliums? 

Saints and heavenly choirs preserve us, girls alongside the boys. What will be next? 

Joana Texeira and Pax Butchart on May Morning. 2026

(Image: Newsquest)