Choral Scholarships
Founded in the fifteenth century, the Choir of King’s College is known for its many concerts, television and radio broadcasts, the varied repertoire it performs, and the distinguished soloists and ensembles with which it regularly performs.
On Christmas Eve millions of people worldwide tune into A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and nearly three million in this country watch Carols from King’s. While the Choir exists primarily to sing the daily services in King’s College Chapel (Tuesday-Sunday Evensongs and Sunday morning Eucharist or Matins), its global fame and reputation, enhanced by its many recordings, leads to invitations to perform throughout the world.
Choral candidates
Singing services in the Chapel
Despite the Choir’s renown, its singers come from many different backgrounds, and it is always worth making an enquiry or application, whatever you (or your school!) think of your own ability. You do not, for example, have to be an ace sight-reader, nor do you have to have had a chorister training. We are more interested in vocal potential – with the emphasis on potential.
We are not looking for any particular ‘type’ of voice any more than we are looking for candidates from a particular school. Recent choral scholars have had many different strengths; some have perfect pitch and excellent musicianship skills, while others have big voices which are clearly going to go on to fill opera houses.
Nearly every year King’s choral scholars leave Cambridge to take up scholarships on opera courses at the Guildhall, the Royal Academy and the Royal College. The professional music world is full of ex King’s choral scholars.
Among recent graduates, Edward Gardner is Music Director of ENO, and Andrew Kennedy won the Lieder Prize in the Cardiff Singer of the Year competition. Others have maintained lives as instrumentalists: Joe Crouch is principal cellist of the Academy of Ancient Music and Julian Perkins is harpsichordist/director of Sounds Baroque.
‘Perks’
King’s offers free singing lessons and consultations with professional teachers from many of the conservatoires, as well as language coaching. Fees for ‘extras’ represent a significant bonus for King’s choral scholars, and all associated expenses for concerts and tours, e.g. travel and subsistence, are covered. Additionally the College provides lessons in Alexander Technique.
Choral scholars have a piano in their rooms and there is a grant to assist in the purchase of sheet music. Masterclasses are given on many aspects of solo and choral performance: recent instances have included James Bowman on performing to audiences, Bob Chilcott and Paul Phoenix (of the King’s Singers) on close harmony, the Hilliard Ensemble on renaissance repertoire, Geoffrey Mitchell on declamation in recitative, Berty Rice on strategies for dealing with nerves in performance, and Stephen Varcoe on French and German pronunciation.
A number of leading voice teachers visit the College: these include Sue McCulloch, Justin Lavender, Russell Smythe and Ashley Stafford. The College Chaplain, Richard Lloyd Morgan, himself a professional singer, is always on hand for further help and advice.
Life in the University music scene
King’s choral scholars have a high profile in the Cambridge music scene. They have recently taken leads in performances ranging from Don Giovanni to Guys and Dolls; they direct shows and put on concerts in a wide variety of musical styles. Some have even been known to collect sporting blues!
They are a close-knit group who enjoy a good social life. Under the name ‘Collegium Regale’, they have a concert and touring programme of their own, which they manage themselves, additionally making recordings for the Signum label (albums of de Wert and Lassus), and providing close harmony entertainments at dinners and parties, à la King’s Singers.
A number of their performances are given to support charitable causes, notably the annual visit to Addenbrooke’s Hospital to sing carols. In the past year, ‘Coll. Reg.’ has performed alongside high-profile artists from Rapper, Dizzee Rascal to the King’s Singers. See the Collegium Regale page.
Concerts and tours
Rehearsing in Hong Kong, 2009
King’s offers many unique and exciting choral opportunities and the last year has been no exception: the Choir toured Singapore, Hong Kong and Tapai; with the Academy of Ancient Music it gave the first ever live transmission of a concert (Messiah) direct into cinemas across the UK, Europe and North America; and it gave a performance in Chapel of Fauré Requiem with Bryn Terfel and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The Choir performs its own concert annually at the Albert Hall, appears at all the main festivals in the UK (Cheltenham, York Early Music, Lufthansa, Newbury, and three recent performances at the Proms) and makes regular appearances at venues such as Symphony Hall, Birmingham and Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. There is a huge discography; we have received a Classic Brit Award and the latest recording, England my England (EMI) was the UK official Classical Artist Chart No.1 best-seller.
Stephen Cleobury, Organist and Director of Music, welcomes all potential choral scholars to come to see him at any time before making a UCAS application in October and strongly encourages all applicants to attend a September Open Event. There are four countertenors, four tenors and six basses/baritones in the Choir and vacancies usually arise in each section on an annual basis. When you visit, Stephen will hear you sing, talk to you in detail about the Choir and its work, and advise you on how to approach the audition and interview process.
How to apply
A step-by-step guide to the admissions process for Choral Scholars and details of the September Open Event are given in the Study at King's section of this website. Applicants are advised to read this thoroughly.
Although a number of choral scholars read for the music tripos, we encourage applications from those wishing to read any of the other subjects. Please note that is now possible for Choral Scholars to read Law, Engineering and Natural Sciences at King’s. Medicine and Architecture are the only subjects with which a choral scholarship cannot be combined.
You can find more details and how to apply for choral awards on the University's Admissions site. Female students interested in a Choral Award at King's should see the King's Voices page.
