Blackburn Cathedral Choir

JOIN A 500 YEAR-OLD TRADITION IN AN INSPIRATIONAL BUILDINGBlackburn Cathedral ChoirA BOYS’ CHOIR WITH AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION

WHY IS BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL CHOIR SO SPECIAL?At Blackburn Cathedral we seek to champion excellence through thearts, and especially music. The tradition of boys singing at BlackburnCathedral stretches back at least 500 years. Being a chorister providesa unique education and opens up a world of new experiences.Boys who join Blackburn Cathedral Choir:• enjoy making music, form new friendships and learn important lifeskills• are inspired by professional musicians and sing with world classorchestras• receive free musical education within a structured system oftraining• join a team that is welcoming and fun• take part in foreign tours, social events and outings• meet famous people• appear on TV and Radio and make CD Recordings• enjoy a musical challenge second to noneHOW DOES THE CHOIR WORK?Boys start their time in the choir as probationers, initially attendingchoir just once a week. From the moment they join, boys are givenindividual singing tuition and musicianship lessons. When the Directorof Music decides that they are ready to take the next step, the Deanformally admits boys into the choir as full choristers. Eventually therewill be opportunities to take on responsibilities as a Prefect or evenas Head Chorister.HOW ARE THE CHORISTERS TRAINED?We use a number of one-to-one sessions to complement the traininggiven in the full-choir rehearsals, to help the choristers develop:• vocal production• theory of music• aural skills• sight-singingWe use formal training systems to develop and assess boys’ skills,including:• RSCM Voice for Life• Associated Board Singing ExamsWHAT DOES A CHORISTER SING?Boys in the choir learn great choral works from a broad range of styles,from plainchant to the present day, including music by:Palestrina, Byrd, Gibbons, Handel, Bach, Purcell, Haydn, Mozart,Schubert, Brahms, Stanford, Mendelssohn, Vaughan Williams, Parry,Elgar, Fauré, Vierne, Duruflé, Howells, Leighton, Britten and music byother 20th and 21st Century Composers.WHAT SKILLS DOES A CHORISTER GAIN, APART FROMMUSICAL ONES?Aside from their musical training, there are opportunities for boys toacquire and develop life skills:• self-discipline and responsibility• commitment to others as part of a professional team• time management• high standards and a sense of achievementDO CHORISTERS ONLY SING IN BLACKBURN CATHEDRAL?Far from it! Although the majority of the choir’s singing time is spentin the beautiful setting of Blackburn Cathedral, trips are made toother parts of Lancashire, the United Kingdom and around the world.Recent foreign tours have been to:• Germany• USA• France• MaltaNo boy is excluded from tours for financial reasons thanks to thegenerosity of several local charities and sponsors. Parents and friendsalso enjoy getting together to raise money to keep the cost of touringlow.IS THERE A COST TO MEMBERSHIP?No. Unlike most hobbies and extra-curricular training, the CathedralChoir is free to join. In fact, choristers receive a termly payment andthe longer they stay in the choir, the more they receive. The freetraining is worth over £1000 a year.We also provide bursaries to enable some choristers to study musicalinstruments.

IS IT ALL WORK?No! The boys also enjoy regular outings and social events, including:• 10 pin bowling• cinema trips• visits to theme parks• playing football matches• partiesWHAT MAKES A GOOD CHORISTER?• a keen musical ear• an eagerness to sing• alertness• enthusiasmA clutch of music examination certificates is not necessary to jointhe choir. Boys gain these as part of their on-going training.WHAT DO CHORISTERS DO IN LATER LIFE?As mentioned earlier, being a chorister gives you all sorts of skillsthat will help you in different walks life, and some famous formerCathedral choristers include:• Ivor BoltonInternational Conductor, Blackburn Cathedral• Alastair CookEngland Cricketer, St Paul’s Cathedral• Gareth GatesPop star, Bradford Cathedral• Jon SnowChannel 4 News, Winchester Cathedral• David Lammy MPFormer Government Minister, Peterborough CathedralDOES MY SON NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCHOF ENGLAND?The Choir provides the opportunity to develop in the Christianfaith, though it is not obligatory to be a member of the Church ofEngland.WILL MY WHOLE FAMILY BE WELCOME AT THECATHEDRAL?Everybody is welcome at Blackburn Cathedral, whether they have abackground in the church or not. At the Cathedral we are delightedto engage with people of all Christian denominations, of all faiths andworld views.Choir families are encouraged to share in their sons’ achievementsby attending worship. Siblings are welcome to attend our excellentSunday School too.MY FAMILY ALREADY ATTENDS ANOTHER CHURCH. ISIT POSSIBLE TO BE COMMITTED TO THE CATHEDRAL ASWELL?Yes! Many families are committed to other Parish Churches andcontinue to be so whilst their sons sing at the Cathedral. Some choirparents are even on the staff of other Churches in the Diocese.IS IT ONLY BOYS THAT SING AT THE CATHEDRAL?No! There are opportunities at the Cathedral for other familymembers to sing through our separate Girls’ Choir, Young People’sChoir, Lantern Voices and Renaissance Singers. Sometimes all thechoirs sing together, such as at Gala Concerts. Full details are availableon our website.We are always keen to hear from experienced male altos, tenors andbasses who are interested in joining the Cathedral Choir.HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY SON WILL BE WELL LOOKEDAFTER?We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously and have createda safe and welcoming environment for our choristers. Everybodyat the Cathedral who has regular contact with children and youngpeople is cleared to do so.Outside visits are well-planned, staffed and risk-assessed. There is anunder-18s co-ordinator who assists the Director of Music in ensuringthe continued welfare of the choristers.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?• At Blackburn there is no ‘choir school’ as such. Choristers are drawnfrom a variety of different local schools.• Boys are normally between 7 and 10 years old when they join thechoir.• The high standards which boys reach help with school work andimprove levels of concentration.• Former choristers have won choral and organ scholarships to Oxford,Cambridge and other prestigious colleges and universities.• Having a son in the choir provides the opportunity for you to getto know other choir parents. There are good social opportunitiesas well as ways of getting involved with the choir and the widerCathedral community.• Parents feel reassured that their child’s leisure time is not wasted butis thoroughly constructive as well as fun.If you would like to find out more about music at Blackburn Cathedralplease visit www.blackburncathedral.com. You will see manyphotographs and find out about our choirs and music staff.HOW CAN I ARRANGE FOR MY SON TO COME AND TRYTHE CHOIR?You and your son are welcome to come and see what is involved andto meet the music staff.Please contact Linda Bruce, Music Administrator, on 01254 503082to find a time to try singing in the choir. Alternatively send an emailto: linda.bruce@blackburn.anglican.org.WHAT HAVE OTHERS SAID ABOUT THE CATHEDRALCHOIR?“We know that families testify to the life-changing experienceof music making, and are grateful for the enjoyment and sense ofpurpose it offers their children.”The Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong, Dean of Blackburn“Our son has travelled the world, met celebrities and dignitaries andhas keenly sung for the well known and the humble. He still wantsto do more. We, together with our son, have a deep sense that themusic he sings and the purpose of that music is far greater and farmore reaching than can be expressed through words. We are trulyin awe of the musical director, his team and all the choirs. May thejourney last!”Bill and Guilaine Woodburn, parents“Being a member of Blackburn Cathedral choir helped our son tomature and develop as a person. It has been a most rewarding partof our lives too.”Stuart and Dawn Forshaw, parents“I’m new and I’m loving it because everybody is really friendly andyou get to learn great music.”Oliver Fulwell, probationer“Through the choir I met VIPs including Condoleezza Rice andPrincess Anne. I have been on Radio 2, 3 and 4, made CD recordingsand have also taken part in Songs of Praise on TV. I enjoy taking partin concerts every year, such as Christmas Spectacular, Messiah andLast Night of the Proms.”Michael Carr, former chorister“The choir offers a young boy friendship, musical training andexperience, and the development of reliability and responsibilities.Without this involvement I do not think Aidan would have picked upso much, so young, so quickly. “Graham Halsall, parent“With Blackburn’s great, old choral tradition backing it, little lessthan a magnificent performance of Handel’s Messiah could beexpected at the Manoel earlier this week. Members of the MaltaPhilharmonic Orchestra performed the oratorio together withthe choir of Blackburn Cathedral. They made a fine blend of reallylovely crisp, well-articulated voices whose impeccable phrasing anddiction were an utter delight. They sang with an apparent ease whichmade difficult runs seem like mere trifles, and with a nigh pure toneresulting in great satisfactory amalgamation of texture. There was noway one could single out which of the choruses sounded best forthey all came across very well, fugues and all.”The Times of Malta, February 28 2009This brochure has been made in memory of Harold Thornber

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