If you are aged between 16 and 20, love singing and want to share that love with like-minded people, then the week-long Eton Choral Course, to be held at Trinity College in August, ticks all the boxes.

The Eton Choral Courses were launched over 30 years ago to offer training for prospective Oxbridge choral and organ scholars, but are now open to any youngsters with an enthusiasm for singing.

“We do get the aspiring professionals as well as those who just love to come along and have a sing,” explains conductor Ralph Allwood, who set the courses up in 1980.

“The mission is to give every boy and girl who comes on the course a very big lift in their singing, to let them learn things that they didn’t think they would be able to learn, get them to do things they didn’t think they’d be able to do, and help people who are going for choral scholarships or going for singing in the next stage of their education, a chance to really shine and find their potential.”

The Oxford course is one of a series of seven courses running at various locations throughout the summer, all providing intense but fun and lively choral training as well as performance opportunities and individual tuition.

The repertoire ranges from early composers such as Purcell, Monteverdi and Wesley to Britten and other more recent composers including Judith Bingham, John Tavener and Jonathan Harvey.

Leading the Oxford course is Simon Toyne, Director of Music at Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames, with distinguished vocal teachers including Bronwell Mills, Giles Underwood and Sophie Daneman.

A typical day starts at 8am with breakfast, with a vocal warm-up at 8.45, followed by choir practices, masterclasses and group singing for the rest of the day. “They’ll also sing Choral Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral, Compline in Trinity College Chapel and a recital at the end,” Ralph says.

“It’s very packed, but we really want them to sing to the highest level they possibly can. It’s not a jolly sing in which we sing all manner of things in a mediocre way – we want them to sing to their very best ability. We’re very fussy!”

That fussiness has paid off, because since the launch of the courses many of the participants have turned professional with many more forming lasting friendships – much to Ralph’s immense satisfaction.

“They come on these courses and they find lots of other people who have the same enthusiasm.

“There are schools where there are loads of people who love choral music and singing, but there are schools where there are very few, so it’s great for them to gather together in the holidays with friends, and often these friends stay with them for life. “It’s lovely. It’s such a marvellous thing to do. We generate so much enthusiasm among these boys and girls.”

Anyone wanting to take part will be relieved to know that there are no auditions, with places being allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis. For more information, visit etonchoralcourses.co.uk

 

Trinity College, Oxford
August 16-24
 Contact 01753 671124 or
m.prokesova@etoncollege.org.uk