The Chorister Experience:
Sunday 1st March 2025
On Sunday 1 March 2026, Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge, will be hosting The Chorister Experience, an event for children aged 6 to 8 to find out more about singing opportunities at the University Church.
The children will take part in a workshop with the Great St Mary’s choristers, do some fun warm-ups and musical games with our Voice Coach, Helen Groves. At the end of the afternoon, they will sing as part of a service of choral evensong, conducted by Director of Music, Alexander Berry.
As the children are rehearsing, parents will observe a chorister singing lesson and attend various talks about the choir. There will be plenty of chances to ask questions!
After the event, participants will have the opportunity to sign up to voice trials, which will take place on Saturday 29 March and Saturday 19 April.
The event is targeted at children currently in Year 2, but we also have places available for children currently in Year 4. Please note that we have no places available for children currently in Years 3 and 5. To sign up, click the button below and fill in the online form.
Chorister Voice Trials:
14th & 21st March 2026
Chorister Voice Trials (for children currently in Year 2 and Year 4)
Great St Mary's is recruiting the next generation of choristers. We have places available to children currently in Year 2 and Year 4. Please note that while we don't have places available to children in Year 3 and Year 5, we always welcome expressions of interest!
Voice trials will take place on 14 and 21 March 2026. Click the button to sign up:
THE COMMITMENT (from September 2026)
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Year 3 Probationers: Tuesdays (1630-1815) after school
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Year 4 Probationers: Tuesdays (1630-1815), Thursdays (1630-1830), and eventually Sundays (either morning or afternoon)
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Years 5-6 Choristers: Tuesdays (1630-1815), Thursdays (1700-1830), and Sundays (either morning or afternoon)
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Years 7-9 Choristers: Wednesday (1630-1745), Thursdays (1700-1830), and Sundays (either morning or afternoon)
WHAT TO EXPECT
Voice trials will take place at Great St Mary's Church (14 March) or Michaelhouse (21 March).
We'll start with an informal singing audition with Alexander Berry (Director of Music) and Helen Groves (Vocal Coach). The audition will be followed by an informal meeting with our Associate Vicar, the Revd Ally Barrett.
WHAT TO PREPARE
For an audition, we ask children to sing a piece of their own choice. If there's nothing that they would especially like to sing for an audition, please prepare the first verse of Away in a manger.
After that, we'll then do some aural and range tests, and some reading aloud.
RESULTS OF AUDITION
We hope to let parents know whether their children have been successful by Sunday 29 March 2026.