The foundation stone of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral was laid 150 years ago, in 1874, and the building was dedicated in 1879. Choral music has been at its heart ever since, with the tradition of singing regular weekday and Sunday services continuing to this day (uniquely in Scotland). St Mary’s Music School, where all the choristers (aged 9-14) attend, is Scotland’s only choir school. In 1978 the Cathedral admitted girls alongside boys as choristers - the first cathedral in the UK with a similar pattern of services to do so.

In addition to singing services at St Mary’s, the choir is well known for its recording work, concerts, and broadcasts. The choir regularly records with Delphian Records, with their most recent disc of Stainer’s The Crucifixion released in April 2024. Other recent recordings have included single-composer discs from Tudor England, Bruckner, Gabriel Jackson, Stravinsky, and Kenneth Leighton, which all gained outstanding reviews from the press, including three Gramophone ‘Editor’s Choice’ recordings. Music by contemporary composers is an important part of the choir’s repertoire and many leading composers have written for the choir including James MacMillan, Arvo Pӓrt, Cecilia McDowall, and most recently, Joanna Marsh.