The exquisite sound of a lone chorister singing Once in Royal Davidâ??s City amid the candlelit chapel of Kingâ??s College, Cambridge, marks the start of the Christmas festivities for millions of people round the globe.

Alexandra Coghlan is a music journalist and critic. She has written for publications including the Spectator, New Statesman, the Independent, Gramophone and Opera magazines, and for ensembles including the BBC Proms, Salzburg Festival, The Academy of Ancient Music and The Sixteen. Alexandra was a choral scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, and it was during her time there that she first discovered the beauty of King's College Chapel and the unique sound of the King's College Choir.