We are often asked about our name.

‘Cathedra’ is the name for a bishop’s throne – a cathedral is the building that houses the bishop’s throne.

When Jeffrey Skidmore and one of the founding members of the choir were choosing a name for the group in 1969, they chose Ex Cathedra because it literally means ‘from the throne’ or in English usage ‘with authority’.

At the time, Jeffrey and several members of the choir sang at Birmingham Cathedral. The pun was attractive, and researching and understanding the repertoire so that it can be performed with authority, style and passion has been a guiding principle since those first performances.

The ‘ex cathedra’ pronunciation is Ex Ca-thay-dra.