‘An excellent body of sound and extraordinarily agile voices’ — Neue Zürcher Zeitung

‘Impressively well–trained choir and skilled organists … crack Cambridge choristers.’ — The Independent

Caius Choir is made up of twenty-three student members of the College who have been made a Choral Award following a rigorous musical audition at point of application to the College. A Choral Award can only be held in conjunction with an academic place at the College. Occasionally, volunteers from other Colleges supplement the Choir. If you are interested in applying for a Choral Award at Caius more details are available here. The Choir is directed by Dr Geoffrey Webber. All choir members holding Choral Awards receive the same financial support, as detailed below under finances. Some Choral Awards are supported by the generosity of a number of benefactors, to whom the College is very grateful. The current holders of named awards are:

Sir Keith Stuart Choral Scholar Nick Crawford
John Chumrow Choral Scholar Catherine Harrison
James Pitman Choral Scholar James Robinson
Caius Fund 2008 Choral Scholar Felicity McDermott
Caius Fund 2009 Choral Scholar Robin Morton
Caius Fund 2010 Choral Scholar Matilda McAleenan
Caius Fund 2011 Choral Scholars Susannah Bagnall and Malachy Frame

Choral award-holders are required to sing in the Caius Chapel Choir, attending regular rehearsals and services. We also expect choral award-holders to play an active role in College music-making in general. Caius choir sings three services each week during the University term: Choral Evensong on Sunday and Tuesdays, and Choral Eucharist on Thursdays. The normal weekly timetable in term is as follows:

Weekly schedule

In addition, the choir usually sings one Sunday morning service each term, and participates in a variety of College functions, including College feasts, which give an opportunity for singing some lighter, secular repertoire, as well as participating in the feast itself. The aim of the choir’s schedule is to work to the highest choral standards, whilst leaving Friday and Saturday evenings free, in order to allow choir members time to pursue other musical or non–musical activities. Several choir members perform in orchestral concerts and operatic productions, for example, and manage to combine this successfully with their choir commitments. Choir members are strongly encouraged to develop their solo singing whilst at Caius, and many members have gone on to become professional musicians, studying singing as post–graduates at the London Conservatoires, and working as soloists or members of professional choirs such as The Sixteen, The Monteverdi Choir and Polyphony.

Finances

The value of the Choral Exhibition is £100 per year, with a supplement for the two Librarians who manage the Choir's music collection. In addition, a fund is available to help choir members with specific financial needs in relation to their vocal activities. Weekly singing lessons are provided free of charge to all choir members with one of the three College Voice Trainers: Charles Brett, David Lowe and Elaine Pearce. The College has a fine library of solo vocal music for use in lessons. Choir members also receive occasional fees throughout the year for singing at events such as weddings, conference dinners, concerts and recordings. The Choir undertakes at least one foreign tour each year, at no cost to its members.

Admissions

The College offers around seven choral awards every year as a result of choral trials held in Cambridge each September. Details of the choral trials are available here. Choral awards are open to all voices (including both male and female altos), and are offered to those who, in addition to being able to gain an academic place at Cambridge, demonstrate high levels of vocal potential, sight-reading ability and commitment.

Choral awards are compatible with reading any subject, and there is no general preference about whether or not applicants are intending to take a gap year before coming up or not. Prospective applicants are welcome to attend any of the choral services in Chapel, and to make an appointment to sing to Dr Webber, the Precentor and Director of Music, at any time of the year. An Open Day for Choral Awards organised by the University is normally held in May, and details are given in the University Prospectus.