Cathedrals are famed for their excellent acoustics, ideal places to hear organ or choral music and Carlisle’s is a regular venue for concerts.

But step into the Fratry building opposite, any Tuesday evening, and you’ll immediately notice what a good setting it is for live music too.

A blend of young voices fills the high-ceilinged room. Their singing is a pleasing sound. But there’s also a certain exuberant, energetic quality about it – as if they’re really having a good time.

They’re equally exuberant talking about it afterwards.

“I just really like singing out loud,” enthuses Luke Moss, aged 10

“I love the feeling of singing in unison,” says 12-year-old Daisy Roberts.

“I find it really fun,” adds Beth Robins also 12. The choir sings all manner of music – but she can’t choose a favourite style. “I love all of it.”

They’re are all members of Cantate youth choir. The choir currently has 20 young singers, all aged between seven and 13, who get together once a week to experience the joy of making music together.

But they have room for at least 40. Twice as many youngsters could be experiencing that same joy – if only they knew about it. Cantate could qualify for the description “best band you’ve never heard of”.

It’s not just director and co-founder Ed Taylor who thinks more children should come along. It’s the singers themselves.

Daisy is in year eight at Caldew School and says: “I’ve been talking to people at school, suggesting they should come here.

“Everybody should have the chance to join a choir.”

And Luke, a pupil at Rockcliffe Primary School, has also recommended it to schoolfriends. “They should try it, because they’ll never know – even if they don’t think they’re good at singing.”

Beth says: “You make friends here so quickly. We’re like a big family really.”

So they’re all hoping that more young singers will come along to the open rehearsal on Thursday evening and find out if it’s for them.

There’s something for everything, they add. The genres they cover range from classical to pop. No experience is necessary – nor is the ability to read music. Some are absolute beginners while others had already encountered music and wanted to learn more.

Luke, Daisy and Beth had all done music before, but find that Cantate has widened their musical horizons. Luke’s favourite pieces include Mozart and songs from the musicals, and he’s also learning the piano. He admits he’d like to be a professional musician.

A pianist or a singer? “Both!” he replies.

Daisy is another who’s been musical since a young age.

“I’ve always loved singing and I’ve always loved music, so I heard about the choir and came along.

“I play the violin and a bit of guitar. I’ve learnt some new pieces, which is really good because I like learning new music.

“I like the classical, the pop, everything we do.

“And I’ve made lots of really good friends as well. I think I’m going to stick with it.”

Those who enjoy drama, she reckons, should definitely give it a go. “You are in front of a big audience, you are performing. It’s kind of similar.”

Is she someone else who’d like to turn it into a profession? “I’d consider it,” she says.

Beth is at Trinity School but first started singing four years ago at Caldew Lea Primary. “Ed came to school to do some work and said to some of us: ‘Maybe you could join Cantate.’ I came along and I really enjoy it. Ed makes it really fun.”

Ed, 33, is assistant organist at Carlisle Cathedral and part of his job involves running a musical outreach programme, going to different schools, introducing the pupils to music and then staging a concert at the end of term.

Many of the pupils, having discovered music that way, wanted to go on making it afterwards, “That was what Cantate was born out of,” he says.

The emphasis is very much on having fun, and he adds: “The repertoire we sing aims to please as many people as possible. So there’s children’s classical music, some jazz, or pop songs by people like The Beatles, Elton John or Queen – stuff that’s singable.”

They don’t just sing on Tuesday nights. “Sometimes we are asked to join in with other choirs in the cathedral. We normally do one big concert a term. And we sing in The Lanes and at Pennine Lodge care home every Christmas.”

They’re to perform alongside Dumfries Choral Society next month, they’ve also been heard at La’al Ratty Railway and on Friday, March 11 they’ll be at St Cuthbert’s Church in Carlisle. And Ed points out that there are educational benefits to singing, beyond just expanding a knowledge of music.

“It develops skills you need throughout school – reading ability and even maths, with counting and rhythm. There’s being able to work together, listening and following instructions.

“All of that is what music is about. I feel it’s a very, very important part of the curriculum, but there’s not enough emphasis put on it in some schools.”

And being up on stage and singing in public takes a certain amount of nerve. “We aim build up their confidence. The children who come here at the age of eight and are very timid and quiet have blossomed as singers.”

Luke is one of only two boys in Cantate at the moment. And one of the challenges Ed faces in recruiting new members is overcoming that notion that singing is just for girls.

There’s always a feeling among some boys that it’s rather cissy, and Ed finds: “It’s a street cred thing. They think they should be on the football pitch or in the gym.”

But singing on Tuesdays doesn’t necessarily rule out kick-boxing on other nights. “It’s perfectly possible to do both.

“I think singing is cool,” he adds.

Thursday’s open rehearsal is from 6.15pm to 7.30pm and all are welcome. For more details go to www.carlislecathedral.org.uk or phone 01228 547916.