The ten boy choristers (Children of the Chapel) are educated at City of London School, where they hold generous scholarships. Boys are normally auditioned for places at the age of 7 or 8, although occasionally it is possible for applications from older children to be considered.

Becoming a chorister is a two-stage process. First, an audition is held with the Organist, Dr Andrew Gant. If that is successful and a chorister place is offered the applicant then goes for an academic test at City of London School. If passed, this guarantees a place at the school for the year in which the child reaches the age of ten, bypassing the need to pass the open entrance exam held at the school in January of that year. Once the two stages are passed the successful applicant will join the choir as a probationer, attending two practices each week during school term.

Probationers do not sing in services unless one of the ten choristers is prevented from attending by illness. Probationers proceed to full choristerships when places become available through a senior chorister’s voice breaking. At this stage they attend four practices each week during term and one each week outside term, and sing at all services and other events. The boys do not sing on the Sunday after Christmas or the Sunday after Easter, and there are no choir events between the last Sunday in July and the beginning of school term in early September unless commanded by Her Majesty.

The scholarship, equal to two-thirds of fees, is payable during the time a boy sings as a chorister. Because boys join the choir as probationers at age 8 or 9, usually proceeding to full choristerships after about a year, there is often a period when they are members of the choir while still attending their previous schools. Because choristers stay at City of London School after they have stopped singing treble, they can hold their choristerships until their voices break: there is no fixed age for leaving the choir.

Andrew Gant is always extremely happy to talk to potential applicants for chorister places and to arrange auditions when vacancies exist or informal consultations. To contact him, please click here.