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It contains details of the previous and forthcoming Festivals, reports on any Federation events and tours, news from individual Cathedral Associations, general articles on former choristers and Cathedral music, news of forthcoming events and much more. Also included is a full list of Association Secretaries and Representatives, with their contact details. The Federation has had an official publication since 1931. It has changed in title and style, but has remained an important way of keeping Old Choristers in touch with events and each other.
Originally the magazine was called The Old Chorister. First published in 1931 it was edited by Frank Hewitt (Chester) until 1973 when Ross Hickling (Durham) became editor. However, between 1974 and 1977no magazines were printed, but typewritten notes were produced. In 1978 Graham Woodmansterne (Westminster Abbey) took over as editor and for ten years produced a professional magazine with good quality photographs and reports. He also introduced a binder in which to keep the magazines. In 1987 the editorship was taken over by David Horner (York).
As one of his first tasks as new editor, David Horner circulated a questionnaire to all members, inviting comments on the way forward for a more modern and restructured magazine. From this the magazine was renamed Once-A-Chorister, the cover was redesigned, in colour, and the layout of the magazine was restyled. The distribution was restructured and the magazine published annually in May for collection at the AGMs. The new format proved successful with an immediate circulation of 2500.
2010 Edition Vol 7 number 3The magazine costs £4.00 (£3.00 to members of affiliated associations) and can be obtained via your Association of direct from the Publications Editor. To obtain your copy now or place your name on the mailing list, please email Michael Barry (Editor) using the following link mailto:self.mrb@tesco.net or Tel 01753 646481. Click on the buttons below for examples of articles that have appeared in previous magazines
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The FEDERATION'S official magazine is 'ONCE-A-CHORISTER' and is published annually in May. 
In 1998 Alan Wheeler (Lincoln) took over the editorship together with the able assistance of his son Toby Wheeler (Canterbury). It was time for a further change in the design of the front cover, and with record sales they produced a quality magazine. Alan and Toby continued until the Millennium year before handing the editorship over to Michael Barry (Guildford) in 2001. 
Michael has continued to produce a high quality magazine, introducing a series of articles entitled ‘It shouldn’t work but it does’, looking at different Cathedrals that despite not having Choir Schools, manage to recruit and run a very successful choir. One of these articles has appeared in each edition for the past few years. 2008 saw the greatest change to the magazine for many years, altering the size from A5 to A4. This now allows better use of space and more photographs to be included, combined with far more colour than in previous editions. 
