Choristers

[Ciwirocks]

Not sure if this is the right place for this or not. I am considering applying for a vocal trial for ds to be a cathedral chorister and would like to hear from people who have been there/ done that. Would you recommend and what are the pro’s/ cons? They usually have open days to discuss all of this but it’s not happening this year obviously, just an audition over zoom. Would be grateful for any tips/ advice. It’s not in London if that matters and ds loves to sing and has a lovely voice although I don’t know if he is chorister material or not - I suppose that is what they will decide based on the vocal trial.

Hi OP. Haven't been through this with my boys yet although planning to next year and have many family members who are in the cathedral choir biz!
From what I've seen it's a wonderful life for them if they're the right child. The master of choristers/ organist will recognise the potential in your son if it's there so don't worry that they need to be polished. It is a big undertaking to take the plunge without at least spending the day though. Is it a boarding chorister place?

No, not a boarding place but it would mean a change of school. One of my worries is what if he starts and doesn’t like it? It’s hard for him to properly grasp what is involved when he can’t go and see the choir rehearse this year. From what I understand if he is selected we would have to make our minds up and he would change schools in September. I don’t know if the restrictions will be eased then or not.

Has he ever been to the cathedral and seen/ heard the choir perform?

Usually they hold a chorister experience day at least a full year before they'd start. Could he defer for a year? How old is he?

Then if they pass voice trials they usually have assessments for the school and spend a day experiencing the routine.

They had the chorister for the day experience last year but this year due to the restrictions it isn’t happening. He can’t defer as they only do voice trials for year 2 & 3 boys and he is in year 3 now. He has heard the choir perform in the cathedral and we have watched lots of videos of the choir together. I wonder if he passed the voice trials he would still attend the school for a day and experience the routine if they are back before September? If not I don’t know what they will do. I suppose I can ask all these questions if he is successful. Are there any downsides or aspects that you have seen people struggle with?

Personally I think seeing the choir "at work" and having a positive response to that is the most important thing. Children who see others singing and want to do it too are likely to thrive in a choirschool environment.

I would have thought that as well as the actual voice trial they should be able to schedule Q&A over zoom for you, with relevant school staff even if not directly with the choirmaster.

Possible questions that occur to me:

What do you know about the daily timetables? Drop off and collection times, what's the traffic like on your route? How are probationers integrated in their first year, when do they start attending services / how often? Is it always a full year of probation or do they sometimes promote them early?

It's worth trying to get a steer on the academic level of the school and whether it seems to fit your child. Good choirschools can and do support areas of weakness and nurture the high flyers.

Good luck with it, it's such an awkward time at the moment when life has to go on with so much on hold. We were just discussing yesterday how sad the current situation is for year 8 boys in their last term. (we're 2 years out now, having had a day boy and boarding girl chorister - the latter is missing out on oxbridge choral open days she'd hoped to attend this term)

I hope you can get the information to reassure you and that he gets a place, or that if he doesn't you can pursue other more suitable opportunities to keep enjoying music making!

Op does the school have initials RSE, then SEC at secondary?

If so, ex-choir parent here and can thoroughly recommend. Our only gripe was the Christmas & Easter holiday timetable was a bit frantic, but we obviously knew this before signing up. The cathedral staff are amazing, especially the Director of Music, such a good bloke. And the bonus of a secured place at SEC was hugely valued.

If not, then as you were

Thanks pythonesque some good points to consider. My ds is an enthusiastic singer and I am certain he will continue to sing whether he gets a place or not, I am very keen to support his love for music.

DD considered it, went for a pre audition but then decided not to pursue it. The commitment was going to be too great for her and when she got another scholarship that put the final nail in the coffin - she didn't want to spread herself too thinly.

Points to consider...
•where do they exit to? It’s a good indication of the academic level of the school.
•do you have you have younger children as they might get fed up of the ferrying around.
•the working day? Are you expected to supervise music practice at home or is it all in house, inc practice time?

I think if it's not a boarding place you have got very little to lose - except part of your Christmas and Easter holidays.

Go for it. If he doesn't like it, he can always go back to his old school.

@Fifthtimelucky and @Ciwirocks re boarding vs dayplace, it very much depends on the logistics. How near is the school, will you have to take along younger dcs or can they stay at home? Working over Easter and Christmas usually means holiday after- lovely if you have a sahp in the household, less so if you’re looking at having to take a month’s leave...

The OP has already said it would not be a boarding place.

@Fifthtimelucky, yep, I'd got that, just pointing out that boarding or not there are factors to consider.

Its a massive, massive commitment. Not just for your DS and you, but other siblings too. Amazing community if it works out.

In our case it wasn't school linked - but this meant taking him straight from school to rehearsals and entertaining other siblings and then taking him at weekends and Sunday all day. He really felt he missed out if we did anything as a family on a Sunday then.

In the end our shy DS was hating it. Partly because of the lack of supervision and the behaviour of other children. Chiormasters aren't trained like teachers in the modern ways of getting kids to behave and they can be quite old fashioned (even though I know they had safeguarding training). They also didn't have a chaperone until the last few months of his time there - and the aged choirmaster was interested in music, not making sure shy kids get on with each other, or swear under their breath and bully.

I think it depends on the child.

Thanks for your honest opinion girlwhowearsglasses ds isn’t shy but he is sensitive. I suppose there is no way of knowing if he will fit in or not in advance. Lots of points to consider and the commitment is a big one. Lots to think about.

girlwhowearsglasses I've now got an image of a decrepit nonagenerian hunched over a music stand barking out orders!

OP if the lock down goes on much longer,cathedrals will have to be more flexible than yrs 2/3 for recruitment. Cathedral choirs are fragile things at the best of times and an interruption such as we are in could be potentially devastating for the future of some of them. Such a break hasn't happened since the Restoration.

Check that the school is financially sound and offers the sort of education you want if your son is obliged to go there. You should also talk to the Cathedral director of music and ask him/her as many questions about what is actually involved. You should also get an impression of their interest in your son's musical development and what sort of pastoral care is given. Ask how bullying is dealt with - the answer to that ought to reassure you. If it doesn't, that's a concern.

Lots of good advice already from pp. A (good)voice trial looks not just at musical potential but whether a child is likely to benefit from what is on offer. It's a potentially life changing experience for those chosen...and I mean that in a good way!

How much do you and the rest of the family like church services? You will spend a lot of times on pews - what can be very lovely, of course, but it will restrict the social life/hobbies/even careers of the rest of the family.
There is also the pressure to keep up music practice on two more instruments with the expectation of one or ideally 2 good grade 8s at end of choir school as it will be mainly on the basis of the instrumental performances that music scholarships will be awarded. And there is the pretty disappointing moment when a boy's voice breaks and they will have to leave the choir.

My DS was a Chorister at a non-school based Cathedral and loved it. Yes, it was a huge commitment for all of us. For the right child it is an amazing opportunity.

He has continued sing in the attached Youth Choir and occasionally as a deputy lay clerk. It's been a very strange Easter with no choir this year.

There have always been chaperones at his choir, two if it's a big event.

I would check out the PPs comment about 2 instruments, one to Grade 8. As it happens, DS would have fitted that criteria, not that he needed to, but I know of other Choristers where it didn't apply.

Agree, although my two both did first grade 8s in yr 8 it was relatively uncommon in their schools and both were instruments they'd started earlier. My impression is only a small number of choirschools really get them that high on instruments though it is usual to be strong on two. Depends on a combination of schedule, space and school commitment. (practice rooms, supervision etc)

If it is my local Cathedral (school starts with L). Then I can highly recommend it.
As unlike other schools the boys can do sport, all do other instruments etc. It's a commitment and they learn a lot at a young age about time management but they are also allowed to be boys.
My DD was a girl Chorister and it was a great experience.
It is better if you live closer to school/cathedral (but it doesn't have to be that close).