About The English Choir Berlin
The English Choir Berlin was originally formed in the summer of 2013 to accompany Evening Prayers at the Berliner Dom. It sings both organ-accompanied and a cappella works.
Since Advent 2015, the choir has been singing Choral Evensong on at least one Saturday of each month. In fact, the Choir’s whole musical focus is on the repertoire commonly used in English cathedrals around the world. Not only does this include musical settings specifically for Anglican liturgies such as Choral Evensong, Choral Mattins, Choral Eucharist, or Lessons & Carols, it also takes in the huge scope of other choral music designed for use in churches and, nowadays, increasingly in concert halls: anthems, motets, masses and more. It also sings regularly in services at the Gedächtniskirche Berlin and the Schlosskirche Wittenberg.
During the 2015 – 2016 season The English Choir Berlin also performed in concert the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, Requiem by W.A. Mozart and Messiah by G.F. Handel. During the 2017-2018 season, The English Choir Berlin performed in concert the Requiem by Maurice Duruflé and sang High Mass at Notre Dame de Paris and Evensong and Holy Eucharist at the American Cathedral during its Paris tour in May.
During the 2018-2019 season, The English Choir Berlin travelled to Rome to sing Evensong at Santo Stefano Rotondo and High Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in Laterano. During the 2021-2022 season, The English Choir Berlin sang Mass on Ascension Day at the Altenberger Dom, Evensong at St Andreas in Düsseldorf, and High Mass at the Kölner Dom. Also, it sang four Evensongs and Sunday High Mass at Westminster Abbey.
During the 2022-2023 season, The English Choir Berlin sang Evensongs at St. Ludwig in München and at Kloster Ettal, and Sunday High Mass at the Dom zu Freising. During the 2023-2024 season, The English Choir Berlin sang Evensongs for one week and Sunday High Mass at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.
The English Choir Berlin is currently made up of some three dozen SATB adult singers of all ages, many of whom have sung in cathedrals or colleges, all of whom are skilled choristers, and some of whom have sung professionally.
Since its inception the choir has been very international. Roughly one-quarter have come from, respectively, the UK, the USA, and Germany, while the remaining quarter have come from a broad range of countries including, over the past few years, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, Netherlands, Cameroon, Thailand, Hong Kong, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Weekly rehearsals take place in the Berliner Dom on Thursdays, 18:30-20:45.
Max Carsley
Choir Director
Max grew up in Edinburgh as a chorister at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral where he also attended St Mary’s Music School.
He currently studies Church Music with Prof. Henry Fairs at the Universität der Künste Berlin and, alongside his duties as director of the English Choir Berlin, he accompanies the university choirs and directs the Kammerchor Vocalkreis Potsdam.
Max has held positions as Director of Music at Morningside United Church and more recently as Acting Assistant Organist at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. He is an Associate of the Royal College of Organists and has performed in venues including the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh and Paderborn Cathedral. Max will take up the organ scholarship at Salisbury Cathedral in September 2025.
Kathleen Bird
Founder of the English Choir
Director from 2013 to 2024
Kathleen was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in a large family of church musicians. She studied piano and organ at Towson State University, Baltimore, and at the University of Marburg and conducting at the Akademie für Tonkunst Darmstadt. She has worked as Music director at the Episcopal Church of Christ the King in Frankfurt am Main, as Organist and Choirmaster at the Anglo-Catholic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Illinois and as music teacher.
Kathleen works regularly as an accompanist and coach for soloists and choirs. She has extensive experience as a choral singer and director and has played keyboard and assisted conductors in musical productions. After living in Germany from 1982- 2001 she took a career break sailing around the Pacific ocean and came to Berlin in 2011. She is also active in coaching opera singers as a Korrepetitorin and accompanying recitalists.
