St. Albans Chorister Program?

[Anonymous]

I know little about this apart from the snippet on the STA website. Can someone answer some (or all!) of the below listed questions?

1. How and when does one try out?

2. How talented do you have to be (I know it's a tough one to answer, but I coud not think of another way to ask)?

3. How difficult is it to get into the program?

4. If you get in, what are the time commitments?

5. If you get in, how much tuition remission do you get?

6. Does it end when your voice changes?

7. Is is worth it?

[Anonymous]

1. Get in contact with STA. Your son would need to join the Junior Choristers program during his third grade year to try out.

2. You have to be pretty talented and also fairly smart. The application for the chorister program is, in my opinion, more intense than for STA in general. There are lots of pactices, a series of cuts you have to make, and both vocal and paper tests you have to take. There's homework, too. The Junior Choristers program last for several months.

3. It's not too terribly easy. I know if you're a Beauvoir third grader, you have a much better chance of making it into STA than you do the chorister program. Last year I think one out of either four or five Beauvoir kids made it.

4. The time commitments are significant, but they wax and wane as well. During evensong season, there are many days during the week when your son won't be finished with "school" until 6:00 or so. There are weekend rehearsals and performances. During religious holiday times (chiefly Easter and Christmas), the chorister program more or less consumes your life. Choristers also miss some class time during the school day (which also means that they sometimes have additional homework).

5. The chorister head was trying to get the tuition remission up to 50%, but I think it's 45% right now.

6. It ends with your son's voice changes, yes... and not before. You actually have to sign a contract saying you won't quit/leave until then.

7. If your son really, really loves singing, it's worth it. If not, then no way. I don't at all recommend this avenue as a way to try to gain an advantages in STA admissions; nor do I recommend it as a way to get a private education on the cheap. You could work part time given the time commitment (on behalf of parents!) for the program and earn a lot more than the tuition remission is worth. Also, making the Chorister cut does not guarantee admissions into STA. All Chorister acceptances are contingent on acceptance to STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Get in contact with STA. Your son would need to join the Junior Choristers program during his third grade year to try out.

Dear OP, thank you for posting, and PP, thank for your very detailed and knowledgeable response.

My question is "What is the Junior Choristers program"? It actually starts at third grade rather than fourth grade (the entry year for STA)?! I have been unable to find anything about what it is, the timing of applications, etc. on the internet. Is it also absolutely true that you must be a "Junior Chorister" to be able to apply to the STA Chorister Program for 4th Grade?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I mis"spoke" earlier. Most of the parents call it the Junior Chorister program, but it's actually called the Novice program... and, yes, I think you pretty much have to do it. Here's some more detailed online information:

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/music/choristers.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I mis"spoke" earlier. Most of the parents call it the Junior Chorister program, but it's actually called the Novice program... and, yes, I think you pretty much have to do it. Here's some more detailed online information:

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/music/choristers.shtml

God I love this board and such helpful and quickly responsive people like PP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Get in contact with STA. Your son would need to join the Junior Choristers program during his third grade year to try out.

2. You have to be pretty talented and also fairly smart. The application for the chorister program is, in my opinion, more intense than for STA in general. There are lots of pactices, a series of cuts you have to make, and both vocal and paper tests you have to take. There's homework, too. The Junior Choristers program last for several months.

3. It's not too terribly easy. I know if you're a Beauvoir third grader, you have a much better chance of making it into STA than you do the chorister program. Last year I think one out of either four or five Beauvoir kids made it.

4. The time commitments are significant, but they wax and wane as well. During evensong season, there are many days during the week when your son won't be finished with "school" until 6:00 or so. There are weekend rehearsals and performances. During religious holiday times (chiefly Easter and Christmas), the chorister program more or less consumes your life. Choristers also miss some class time during the school day (which also means that they sometimes have additional homework).

5. The chorister head was trying to get the tuition remission up to 50%, but I think it's 45% right now.

6. It ends with your son's voice changes, yes... and not before. You actually have to sign a contract saying you won't quit/leave until then.

7. If your son really, really loves singing, it's worth it. If not, then no way. I don't at all recommend this avenue as a way to try to gain an advantages in STA admissions; nor do I recommend it as a way to get a private education on the cheap. You could work part time given the time commitment (on behalf of parents!) for the program and earn a lot more than the tuition remission is worth. Also, making the Chorister cut does not guarantee admissions into STA. All Chorister acceptances are contingent on acceptance to STA.

Does anyone know how many boys are currently in the Jr. Chorister's program?