CHOIR SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION
CHOIR SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION
Committee:
Chair: David Morton, The King’s School, Gloucester
Vice-Chair: Yvette Day, King’s College School, Cambridge
Simon Larter-Evans
Richard Murray, Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford
John Attwater, King’s School, Ely
Ben Charles, King’s School, Worcester
Susan Hannam, Lichfield Cathedral School
Ben Collingwood, Producer, BBC Radio 3
Staff
Executive Director: Rachel Hicks
Membership & Communications Officer: Claire Card
Finance and Bursaries Administrator: Kathryn Young
CSA Full and Associate Members
Ampleforth College | The King’s School, Worcester | St Paul’s Cathedral School, London |
Bristol Cathedral Choir School | Lichfield Cathedral School | St Peter’s School York |
Chapel Royal, Hampton Court | Lincoln Cathedral | St. Cedd’s School, Essex |
Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester | Magdalen College School, Oxford | The Cathedral School, Cardiff |
Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford | Merton College Oxford | The King’s (The Cathedral) School, Peterborough |
City of London School | New College School, Oxford | The King’s School, Gloucester |
Croydon | Minster Norwich School The Minster School, Southwell |
Dean Close Preparatory School, Cheltenham | Reigate St Mary’s Preparatory and Choir School | The Pilgrims’ School, Winchester |
Downside School | RGS Prep, Guildford | The Portsmouth Grammar School |
Durham Cathedral Schools | Foundation Ripon Cathedral | The Prebendal School, Chichester |
Exeter Cathedral School | Runnymede St Edward’s School, Liverpool | Truro School |
Framlingham College | Salisbury Cathedral School | Warwick Schools Foundation |
Frideswide Voices, Oxford | Saint Thomas Choir School, New York, USA | Wells Cathedral School |
Hereford Cathedral School | St George’s School, Windsor | Westminster Abbey Choir School, London |
King’s Ely | St John’s College, Cardiff | Westminster Cathedral Choir School, London |
King’s College School, Cambridge | St John’s College School, Cambridge | Whitgift School, Croydon |
King’s Rochester Preparatory School, Kent | St Mary’s Music School, Edinburgh |
The Choir Schools’ Association exists to promote and support the education and wellbeing of choristers – the young people at the heart of the UK’s world-class choral tradition.
We have three main roles:
• We are a Membership Association for schools, cathedrals and churches who wish to support the young people in their choirs through networking, support and sharing best practice
• We are a Grant Making organisation providing bursaries to families to assist with school fees and supporting our members with initiatives to enhance their choristers’ experience
• We are an Information Hub for families wishing to find out more about becoming a chorister, for the media, for government and for partner organisations working in the worlds of choral music and education
Choir schools offer a very special opportunity for children who enjoy singing. They receive a first-class academic and all-round education combined with excellent music training. The experience and self-discipline choristers acquire remain with them for life. There is a wide range of schools: some cater for children aged 7–13, others are junior schools with senior schools to 18; most are Church of England but the Roman Catholic, Scottish and Welsh churches are also represented.
Most CSA members are fee-paying schools. Deans and Chapters may provide fee assistance, while Government support comes in the shape of the Choir Schools’ Scholarship Scheme. Under the umbrella of the Music and Dance Scheme, means-tested support is available to help those who need additional help to make choristership affordable. Government funding through the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS), along with other monies in its Bursary Trust Fund, is administered by the CSA. Applications are means-tested in partnership with Bursary Administration Ltd; awards are only made once a child has secured a place at a choir school.
Every year, choir schools are looking for children to join their various foundations as probationer (trainee) choristers. Each CSA member school has its own particular admissions procedure for choristers, including musical and academic assessments. A number of foundations offer informal voice tests which enable the organist or director of music to judge whether a child has the potential to become a chorister even before the more formal process might begin. A good chorister-applicant will show potential, a keen musical ear and an eagerness to sing. A clutch of music examination certificates is not vital – good reading skills, alertness and enthusiasm are! At the same time, school staff must be satisfied that a potential chorister would be able to cope with their school work and with the many other activities on offer, as well as the demanding choir workload.
Or make an enquiry via email: info@choirschools.org.uk