Cambridge choral scholarships, Advice please Options

[Scooby Doo]

My daughter is thinking of applying for a choral scholarship.

Any advice as to useful things to do in preparation, please?

[Susie]

Attend any choral information days that they offer. You do get useful information about applying. - such as putting a long string of colleges that you'd be prepared to go to as a choral scholar.

If your daughter has any particular college in mind see whether they will offer a pre-audition interview.

[FullofWind]

Has she done the Eton Choral Courses or applied for NYCGB? A lot of it is about who you know but these would stand her in good stead.the RSCM also runs singing holidays that are set in famous cathedrals.

[Listener]

Be prepared: I believe the deadline for scholarship applications is before the normal Oxbridge deadline; if that's still so, personal statement, refs, etc., that need or benefit from school input are best sorted as far as possible this term rather than come September.

EDIT: sorry, just realised this is in the 'voice' forum - you probably didn't need this earnest parent's input! Good luck though

[BerkshireMum]

Be prepared: I believe the deadline for scholarship applications is before the normal Oxbridge deadline; if that's still so, personal statement, refs, etc., that need or benefit from school input are best sorted as far as possible this term rather than come September.

Yes, I think you have to apply by mid-September, whereas the deadline for other applications is mid-October. The choral scholarships open day this year is 3 May, so if your daughter will be applying this Autumn it might be worth going to that and finding out more about it.

[ELLAonthepiano]

I was just about to post a very similar thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
I'm thinking of applying too. There's an open day next Thursday which should be useful.
I haven't done NYCGB or any of the Eton courses, purely because dates have never worked out. However, I am in my eighth year in a church choir, singing 2-3 services a week and I've done all of the RSCM exams.
From what I've heard from friends who have gone through the process, sight singing is essential, and so are good aural skills. They don't necessarily look for trained voices, but I suppose it varies from college to college. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FullofWind]

Can you apply for more than one college or do you have to pick one in the way you do with academic subjects?

[Scooby Doo]

I think you can apply for 10 (?) colleges for choral scholarships - I know of several people who have choral scholarships at different colleges to their academic/home college.

[FullofWind]

I think you can apply for 10 (?) colleges for choral scholarships - I know of several people who have choral scholarships at different colleges to their academic/home college.

I had no idea that was possible. I assumed you could apply for multiple coal scholarships but you had to sing for the college you eventually attended.

[Listener]

I think you can apply for 10 (?) colleges for choral scholarships - I know of several people who have choral scholarships at different colleges to their academic/home college.

I had no idea that was possible. I assumed you could apply for multiple coal scholarships but you had to sing for the college you eventually attended.

Coal scholarships... for descendants of miners? Yippee - opportunity knocks

Oh - and I don't think so. As far as I understand it (?) you can be 'at' one and sing at another - no idea how common it is and whether it's less/more common with the 'high-profile' college choirs. Met a delightful young man some years ago on an open day who was offered a choral scholarship at a certain college, but was then turned down for an academic place - but kept the scholarship and ended up at another college where, when we met him, he was President of the JCR. The energy of these young people leaves me humbled. There will be ways of finding out more.

[Susie]

Can you apply for more than one college or do you have to pick one in the way you do with academic subjects?

You are advised to apply for more than one college - I'm not sure how many spaces there are on the form. This is the kind of thing you are advised on the choral open days.

My daughter applied first to Trinity, who didn't want her for a choral scholar. So she went and sang in front of a lot of the choral directors (or whatever they are called) or their representatives for other colleges. She was offered a choral place at Selwyn which is where she had her academic interview. However, Selwyn passed her on to the next place on her list (Queens') where she was offered an academic place. So, nothing daunted, she asked them whether she could have a choral scholarship as well, please, and they said yes.

It is a tough process (or at least she found it so). One of her friends only put one college down on the "choral" list and in the end was refused on academic grounds. So he waited a year, applied for a different subject and got in. But there are always places available in colleges for choral scholars and you can apply in the second year, once you've settled in and know what's what (and not necessarily to your own college). There are also spaces for good singers in different college choirs, and you don't have to be a choral scholar for that. Then there are all sorts of other choirs to join if you like (the mind boggles, but it's a lot of fun). Daughter is in her last year now, and being in the college choir has been a very sociable activity.

[Cyrilla]

One of my former students read music at Pembroke but sang at Trinity.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Listener]

One of my former students read music at Pembroke but sang at Trinity.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Blimey, amazing combination, well done him

Susie: purely out of interest, was the transfer from Selwyn to Queens' done via the choral scholarship network, or through the winter pool, or something else? Makes the simple (HA!) academic interview process seem a walk in the park (I wish)

[Susie]

One of my former students read music at Pembroke but sang at Trinity.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Blimey, amazing combination, well done him

Susie: purely out of interest, was the transfer from Selwyn to Queens' done via the choral scholarship network, or through the winter pool, or something else? Makes the simple (HA!) academic interview process seem a walk in the park (I wish)

Winter pool I think. Daughter felt the academic interview process was rather a walk in the park compared with the choral awards process. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Dulcet]

I have a recording from Clare college in the Christopher Robinson days which is stunning and really makes the most of its lady sopranos and altos. If they're still that broadminded I would plump for that one (if you could stand the Rutter connection - he's not for everyone, like marmite it seems)! Also if it would help I have a copy of the December BBC Music magazine which has an article about the choirs in Cambridge and their current Ds of M.