Becoming a Chorister
Becoming a Cathedral Chorister
Becoming a chorister begins with applying for enrollment in the Novice Program, which offers a holistic framework for aspiring choristers to prepare for musical training within the Anglican choral tradition.
Download the booklets below for updated information about the program and application:
The Novice Chorister Program is a two month long educational course for aspiring choristers that takes place in January and February each year. Novice choristers engage with the fundamentals of music theory, sight-reading, healthy and sustainable singing practices, and the time management of competing extracurricular engagements.
We encourage students with a passion and aptitude for music to apply for the novice program at the beginning of their third grade year for boys and their sixth grade year for girls. Interested applicants should email Julie DeBoer by November 1 to set up a meeting in which the student’s eligibility for the Novice Program will be assessed.
Positions in the Chorister Program will be offered to Novice Choristers on the same day as St. Albans and National Cathedral School admissions decisions. Students who accept positions in the program will return after spring break to complete their chorister training. Incoming choristers will assume a greater involvement with the Chorister Program and participate in selected services through the end of the academic year. We induct the Novices accepted into the Chorister Program during the Valediction Evensong, the last service of the year. Continued membership in the choirs is contingent upon continuous and satisfactory academic enrollment at the Cathedral schools.