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Boy Choristers The St. Thomas-on-The Bourne Parish Choir of Boys and Gentlemen has existed continually since the 1860s, has a long tradtition of excellence and continues to provide music in worship in the way it has done for nearly one hundred and fifty years. The Parish Choir sing one service each week; either the 10.00am Sung Eucharist or 6.30pm Choral Evensong and have one Sunday off per month. St. Thomas-on-The Bourne is the only parish church in the Diocese of Guildford to maintain a traditional choir of Boys and Men. Recruitment We are always pleased to hear from potential new members. The Director of Music visits local schools during September and October to lead assemblies and singing workshops to encourage recruitment of new choristers, but we welcome enquries and new members at any time. Why should my son join? ● He will receive a free musical training from professionally trained musicians that is second to none, based on a regular cycle of rehearsals and services. He will be taught to read music, to sing well and will be encouraged to foster a love of music that lasts a lifetime. ● There are many educational benefits which can enhance overall academic achievement, including: advancements in reading age; improved presentation and performance skills; increased concentration levels; the ability to work together in a team and take pride in a common endeavour; improved social and communication skills; commitment and reliability; self-control and self-discipline (because music done well requires discipline); motivation; sensitivity and understanding of great texts and great music; an introduction to an international musical and cultural heritage. Self confidence is built, each boy is valued as an individual and his own ability is nurtured. ● He will be paid some pocket money for attendance at rehearsals and services at the end of each term (Michaelmas, Lent and Trinity) according to seniority from Probationer to Head Chorister. Far from just being another perk that the boys enjoy, it helps them take responsibility for their own attendance, encourages them to be punctual, reliable and organised (useful life skills for the future) and means that they are appropriately rewarded for their endeavours. ● In addition to singing at the major festivals of the Church, he will get to sing at weddings and unique performances in concerts and at other venues. ● To date, the Parish Choir has made three professional recordings, has broadcast on BBC radio and has appeared on stage. ● He will be invited to attend the annual choir tour. The choir tours are both within in the UK and overseas. Overseas tours have included Salzburg, Northern France, the USA and Bermuda. ● He will have the opportunity to take part in choir activities and outings, such as the chorister fireworks party, Laserquest, ice skating and the cinema as well as play football or other games in the short break during rehearsals. ● Choristers and their families build lasting local friendships through their membership. What does being a chorister at St. Thomas-on-The Bourne involve? Commitment, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn! Being in the choir at St. Thomas-on-The Bourne is hard work, but is also very beneficial and a lot of fun. We pride ourselves on our tradition of musical excellence and work hard to maintain this through regular rehearsals. The boys rehearse after school on a Tuesday evening between 6.10pm and 7.30pm. On Friday evenings there is a combined rehearsal with the Choir Gentlemen between 6.30pm and 8pm. Each rehearsal includes a short break for football or other games. The boys sing only one Sunday Service each week (either at 10am or 6.30pm), have a Sunday off each month in addition to Sundays off after Christmas and Easter. No rehearsals or sung services occur in August. Experience suggests that boys take this routine in their stride and benefit and enjoy the pattern it creates in their lives. We have had very few conflicts with homework and other such potential problems. Our Child Protection Policy is taken very seriously. For example, all the Gentlemen of the Choir and those in positions of responsibility involving the choristers at St. Thomas are CRB checked and a choir parent or some other suitable adult is present at rehearsals. A full description of the policy can be provided on request. Training The Choir of St. Thomas-on-The Bourne offers its choristers a solid and practical musical training; singing in a church choir is considered to be one of the finest musical educations. Choristers at St. Thomas-on-The Bourne follow a graded training programme and are regularly prepared and entered for the Royal School of Church Music chorister exams. Our chorister training encourages all to achieve their potential and enjoy their time with the choir. Is there any reward? Yes. In addition to the free musical education, the boys are paid according to seniority. They receive their earnings at the end of each term. There is also an opportunity to earn extra fees from weddings. Will it cost anything? No. There is no subscription for being in the choir. The boys wear cassocks (blue), ruffs and surplices (white) which are provided by the church. We usually ask parents to wash the surplices and ruffs once a term. Can my son join the choir if I don’t attend St. Thomas’? Yes, anyone is eligible: Membership of the choir at St. Thomas is not restricted to children of church members. What do the parents do? The choir of St. Thomas couldn’t function without the support of the parents. Parents are involved in all sorts of ways, from lift-shares to chaperoning on tours. Many of the Choir Gentlemen are past or present parents of choristers. How many choristers are there and what ages are they? Places are limited to about 22 boy choristers at any one time. Boys usually enter the choir around Year 5 (age 8/9), but can enter as young as age 6/7. Boys stay until their voice changes at which point many stay on and join the Choir Gentlemen. Who’s in charge? St. Thomas-on-The Bourne appoints a professionally trained musician to train and recruit the choir. Philip Viveash joined us as Director of Music in September 2008. Philip is a music graduate of New College, Oxford University, where he was a choral scholar, trained on the Baylis Programme at English National Opera and completed his studies at the Royal College of Music. He founded and conducts prize-winning children’s choirs and has much experience in choral conducting and choir training. Julian Cooper became our Assistant Director of Music and Organist in 2007 and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. Julian has given recitals in churches and cathedrals all over the UK and overseas. I am interested. What is the next step? Please contact the Director of Music, Philip Viveash, for any further information: Tel: 07785 574259 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it If you wish to see the choir in operation, you are very welcome to join us at any of our practices where you will have the opportunity to speak to other choir parents. What happens then? We will invite your son to attend a practice to get a feel for the choir. At the end of the practice there is a short, straight-forward, audition for which he doesn’t need to prepare anything (he will be asked to sing back some notes and clap a rhythm back). Subsequently he is invited to become a member of the choir as a probationer. After a short time developing his vocal skills, he is made a full chorister at a short ceremony during a service when he receives his surplice. |