Portsmouth Cathedral Choir

Gap Year CHORAL & ORGAN SCHOLARSHIPS

Opportunities 2014/15

ALL PLACES FOR 2013/2014 NOW FILLED

THINKING ABOUT A GAP YEAR FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR SEPTEMBER 2014 - JULY 2015? It's not too early to plan........

2013 AUDITION DATE - To be published soon...

CLICK HERE FOR SCHOLARSHIP FLYER NEW

Portsmouth Cathedral Choir is made up of twenty-four boy choristers and twelve gentlemen who contribute to the pattern of daily cathedral worship. Opportunities exist for counter-tenor, tenor or basses who, having completed their school or university education, are looking for the chance to sing and work within a cathedral foundation for a year. The choir has played a prominent role in a number of national occasions in recent years, including the D-Day Remembrance Services in 1994, and the Royal Maundy Service in 1998 - both services in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen. We were at the heart of the national commemorations of the 60th anniversary of D-Day in 2004, as well as a tour of Belgium and Holland and the 200th of The Battle of Trafalgar in 2005. The choir broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 'Choral Evensong' every year and the choir frequently appears on television - the most recent project being the recording of two special Songs of Praise editions for BBCTV.

Portsmouth Grammar School can be found at the other end of Old Portsmouth’s High Street.  It is one of the country’s leading independent co-educational day schools and enjoys a national reputation for the fine quality of its educational provision. The cathedral and school enjoy a close relationship – not least because most of the cathedral choristers are educated at the school.  The Portsmouth Grammar School is a member of the Choir Schools’ Association.  The London Mozart Players are Associate Musicians of the school and there would be opportunities for successful candidates to liaise with them. Previous gap year students have been part of a team managing the annual Portsmouth Festivities.

In this initiative, the Cathedral and the Grammar School are seeking to appoint a number of gap-year students each September to the posts of Choral Scholars in the cathedral choir and Departmental Assistants at the Grammar School as well as an Organ Scholarship.  The scholarships run from the beginning of September until the Sunday after school term ends in the summer (usually around 15th July) and include Christmas and Easter. Over the last few years, choral scholars have moved on to places such as St John’s, Girton & Jesus Colleges, Cambridge, Christ Church & New Colleges, Oxford and Durham University. Former scholars include the likes of Gabriel Vick (recently appearing in the musicals AvenueQ and Cabaret in the West End and most recently in the film Les Miserables).

The choral work involves singing at the six choral services each week as well as their associated rehearsals.  A Choral Scholar will be expected to be a good sight-reader, as the repertoire of the choir is wide and varied and rehearsal time is limited.  The work at the Grammar School can be tailored to the strengths of the successful candidate, although it is likely that some knowledge of Information Technology (or an ability to acquire such) would be particularly valued. The cathedral choral scholarships is worth £1,400 and the school post c £7,000. We provide accommodation in cathedral property at below commercial rent.

Michael James Organ Scholarship The post is held jointly between Portsmouth Cathedral and Portsmouth Grammar School. There are at least two cathedral services for the organ scholar to play every week - usually Monday Men's Voices Evensong and Sunday 0930 Eucharist. Often there will be more. We involve the organ scholar in the training of the boy choristers too. At school there are a number of services to play for - at John Pounds Church in the High Street and at the cathedral. The organ scholar normally works in the school music department office too.   The cathedral organ scholarship is worth £1,400 and the school post c £7,000. We provide accommodation in cathedral property at below commercial rent.

The Portsmouth experience involved the opportunity to be part of a small community of broad music-making which in addition to the Cathedral includes Portsmouth Grammar School, Portsmouth Music Service and a good deal of free-lance work, particularly as part of StopGap - the scholars' close harmony group. The 'class of 2004/5 recorded an excellent CD as part of our charity fundraising for 2005.

In addition - the City of Portsmouth is a place of life and diversity - there is plenty here to ensure a Gap Year full of variety and fun!

This year's scholars are moving on to opportunities at York Minster, Gloucester Cathedral, Trinity College of Music , London and Warwick University.

If you would like further details about these posts for 2014– 2015 or later, please contact the Cathedral Organist at the address below.  You may wish to send a full CV with the names of two referees at this stage to support your application. 

David Price – Organist and Master of the Choristers

The Music Office,

Portsmouth Cathedral,

St Thomas’s Street,

Old Portsmouth  PO1  2HA

Tel: 023 9282 3300   e-mail : david.price@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk

Think about the things that are true and honourable and right and
pure and beautiful and respected…And the God who gives peace will be with you.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9