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Voice for Life Singing Awards


Bronze, Silver & Gold awards

In order to support the choir trainer and affirm the levels achieved within the choir while working on the Voice for Life training scheme, the RSCM provides a parallel system of awards designed to be assessed through a formal examination: these are called the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. (In some local RSCM Areas the Bronze and Silver Awards are called Dean’s and Bishop’s Awards.)

Each award has its own syllabus and regulations. These come complete with guidelines to fully prepare the candidate and the choir trainer for the standard expected during the examination.

Successful candidates are entitled to wear a prestigious medal cast in the appropriately coloured metal (bronze, silver or gold) and these are worn on distinctive ribbons. Bronze awards are worn with a Green ribbon, Silver awards with a Purple ribbon and the Gold award with a Dark Red ribbon.

Where do these awards fit into the Voice for Life scheme?

The Voice for Life scheme and the Bronze, Silver & Gold awards are designed to fit together. They should be attempted in the following order:

  • White
  • Light Blue
  • Dark Blue
    • Bronze
  • Red
    • Silver
  • Yellow
    • Gold

In effect, the Voice for Life scheme provides training and preparation for the Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards; Light Blue and Dark Blue help a candidate prepare for their Bronze Award, Red level helps a candidate prepare for the Silver award, and Yellow level helps a candidate prepare for the Gold award.

Likewise, the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards affirm each of the Voice for Life levels that have been awarded informally by the choir trainer.

What if I have a singer who does not want to take the external (Bronze, Silver and Gold) awards?

This is no problem. The Voice for Life training scheme can be used on its own to provide training and motivation to singers within a choir. There is no need to take the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards if your singer is unhappy about undertaking such formal assessments.

Where can I obtain the syllabus for the Bronze, Silver or Gold awards?

In the UK, the Bronze and Silver awards are administered and examined on a local basis by a voluntary network of RSCM committees. Every local RSCM committee has its own syllabus for the Bronze and Silver awards. Although the syllabuses differ from area to area, the RSCM has validated all Bronze and Silver award syllabuses to ensure an even standard across the country. All examiners for the Bronze and Silver awards have also been validated by the RSCM to ensure consistency of marking.

Following a conference in 2007 to review RSCM Silver standard singing awards, a number of changes are being introduced by Areas during 2008 or early in 2009. The content of the new syllabus will remain in force for at least 4 years, though entry fees may possibly have to rise again during that time.

Always make sure you obtain a copy of your latest Area syllabus before entering our awards. These can be found on the webpages for local RSCM Areas or on their own websites here.

Gold award

In the UK, the Gold award is administered centrally by the RSCM. The examinations are arranged for June and November each year with entry deadlines of 1 May and 1 October respectively. Details of examination venues, and other information can be found here.

For details of Bronze, Silver and Gold awards outside the UK, please contact the RSCM on +44 (0)1722 424843 or voiceforlife(at)rscm.com.

Who should I contact if I have any further questions about Voice for Life or the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards?

Further advice and information can be obtained from the Administrator, Education programmes:
T: +44 (0)1722 424843, F 01722 424849, E: voiceforlife(at)rscm.com

Preparing for Bronze, Silver and Gold

In three articles from Church Music Quarterly, John Wardle, RSCM Awards Co-ordinator and Chief Examiner, offers advice about the awards to singers and choir trainers considering some of the following issues: ‘Why take the awards?’ ‘How to prepare for your exam’ and ‘Hitting the mark!’

Frequently-asked questions about Bronze and Silver awards

Candidates for Bronze and Silver awards should find answers to most of their questions here:

Help for Silver award candidates with Section E of the examination

Those preparing for the Silver award may find this helpful:

Results of the latest RSCM validated singing award examinations

Congratulations to all the successful candidates! These results are published in the December 2011 edition of Church Music Quarterly.

Results are listed under RSCM Areas and Countries.
‡indicates that a Diocesan award has been validated for local RSCM members.
IM = RSCM Individual Member

♦ Honours 90%+ (Gold)
** Distinction 85%+ (Bronze/Silver)
* Merit 75%+ (Bronze/Silver)

GOLD AWARD   
Rochester: Isabelle Orford♦ (Bromley, St Mark). St Albans: Christopher Limbert, Jessica Malcolm (Gt Berkhamsted, St Peter). USA: Michael Caraher (Burlingame, CA, St Paul).    

SILVER STANDARD   
Birmingham: Rebecca Hare* (Gt Barr, St Margaret), Bethany Everett (Moseley, St Mary), Jenny Galvin* (Olten, St Margaret), Imogen Vining** (Solihull, St Alphege), Alyssia Cooke*, Charlotte Durham*, Wendy Jones** (Tanworth in Arden, St Mary Magdalene). Chester: Kathryn Auld (Hoylake, St Hildeburgh), Antonia Heijbroek** (Mellor, St Thomas). Coventry: Paul Ahearne*, Owain Davies-McCrorie, Harry Guest*, Oliver Hatton*, William Taylor* (Warwick, St Mary). Cumbria: Sarah Lunn** (Appleby, St Lawrence), Sam Ling* (Carlisle Cathedral), Thomas Dyer (Kendal, Holy Trinity), Christopher Essenhigh, Alistair Harper* (Penrith, St Andrew). Devon: Philip Henry*, Olivia Segal (Topsham, St Margaret). Dyfed: Jurgen Brand**, Mary Evans*, Jill Rimell**, Mark Turtle (Canticum Novum). Gloucestershire: Timothy Andrews*, Robert Shurmer*, Tara Turner (Winchcombe, St Peter). Guildford: Cameron Barnett, Angela Cowdry*, Mark North* (Farnham, St Thomas-on-the-Bourne), Alice Field* (West Byfleet, St John), Katherine Furness-Read*, Regan Ring* (Weybridge, St James). Hereford: Katie Masefield (Hereford, Holy Trinity), Norman Wallace** (Hope Bowdler, St Andrew), Francesca Flynn* (Much Wenlock, Holy Trinity). Ireland: Cliona Beattie*, Saoirse Flood* (Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral), Isobel Howard-Cordone**, Gavin Jones**, Catherine Neenan, Cliona Regan*, Kiah Ronaldson (Dublin, St Bartholomew). Lincoln: Leah Norton** (Lincoln, St Nicholas), Laura Maple**, Emily Watt* (Welton, St Mary). London: Agnes Agyeman, Rosemary Brown, Rachel Okrafo-Smart*, Glynis Rudge (Childs Hill, All Saints), Philip Hobbs*, Joseph Weddell** (Oakwood, St Thomas), Benjamin Schrodel** (Pinner, St John Baptist). Manchester: Nicola Foster (Edenfield PC). Morgannwg: Lucy Fletcher* (Canton, St Catherine), Joseph Cavalli-Price, Elinor Parker (Neath, St David). New Zealand: Helen Baker* (Nelson Cathedral). NE Yorkshire: Tobias Dad, Tommy Finney*, Charlie Leeson**, Bradley Walkington (Bridlington Priory), Pauline Bravey, Maureen Monks (Flamborough, St Oswald), James Nash* (Guisborough, St Nicholas), Ruth Battersby* (Howden Minster), Benjamin Amies-King**, Joseph Armitage-Foster*, Karleena Watling (Selby Abbey), Laurence Eyre*, Jennifer King* (York, St Olave). Northumbria: Sarah Davenport*, Poppy Weatherspoon** (Ovingham, St Mary Virgin). Oxford: Anna Murphy*, Chantal Olavesen**, Philippa Sayers (Cumnor, St Michael), Alexandra Scott (Radley, St James the Great), Catherine Hill (Rotherfield Peppard, All Saints), Georgia Affonso, Emma Brown*, Mary Di Pasquale*, Gemma Gothard, Catherine Lidbetter*, Charlotte Stanton, Emily Streets, Emma Trotman, Alice Walker, Lucy Walker (Wallingford, St Mary le More), Ellie Godfrey*, Elspeth Martin* (Wantage, Ss Peter & Paul). Peterborough & Northampton: Susan Fincham*, Ann Knight*, Richard Oberman**, Patricia Rockley, Jessica Walker** (Higham Ferrers, St Mary Virgin), Sophie Woodhead** (Towcester, St Lawrence). Portsmouth: Genevieve Norris**, Emma Williams* (Alverstoke, St Mary), Sarah Jamieson** (Portsea, St Mary). St Albans: Felicity Massingberd-Mundy*, Ciara Perrott  (Leighton Buzzard, All Saints), Charlie Apsey (St Albans, St Peter). Southwell & Notts: Clive Marner**, Emily Scothern*, Victoria Yeomans** (Wollaton, St Leonard). USA: James Scott** (Beaufort, SC, St Helena), Joseph Blundell* (Burlingame, CA, St Paul), Annie Smith (Charlotte, NC, St John).

BRONZE STANDARD
Birmingham: Letitia Treacy**, Nathan White (Harborne, Ss Faith & Laurence), Jonathan Vining** (Solihull, St Alphege), Eve Collyer (Tanworth in Arden, St Mary Magdalene). Chester: Ben Collyer**, Emily Howling** (Mellor, St Thomas), Jessica Battle*, Joel Kirk* (Sale, St Anne), Joy Coulbeck** (Sandiway, St John Evangelist). Cumbria: Ella Crook*, Robert Henderson**, Megan Hunter*, Joshua Jackson*, Hannah Ord*, Henry Taylor* (Carlisle Cathedral). Dyfed: Tristam Barker, Ruth Grant**, Fergus Turtle* (Canticum Novum). Gloucestershire: Georgia Wray* (Lechlade, St Lawrence), Harriet Davies, Gregory Guyll (Winchcombe, St Peter). Guildford: Thomas Dixon, Jasmine Goffe*, Charlotte Hutton*, Daisy Mardel*, George Pilgrim*, Simon Rutherford*, Natasha Wiskin* (Farnham, St Thomas-on-the-Bourne), Madeleine Bruff*, Bethany Wood**, Lucy Wood** (West Byfleet, St John). Ireland: Bairbre Glynn*, Colleen Heavey**, Holly Meade* (Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral), Alexander Coughlan*, Andrew Jones**, Luke O’Reilly (Dublin, St Bartholomew), Emily Howes** (Limerick, St Mary’s Cathedral). Lincoln: Heather Walker* (Grantham, St Wulfram ), Naomi Parker* (Lincoln, St Nicholas ), Sophie Grant** (Waltham, All Saints). London: Dominic Carrington** (Ealing, St Barnabas), Alexander Law** (Highgate School), Eleanor Brown*, Noemi Stepan-Sarkissian* (Ruislip, St Martin), Thomas Harrison*, Amber Knowles* (Sutton Court, St Michael), Charley Parr, Amelia Tanner*, Emily Varney* (Whitton, St Augustine). Manchester: Gill Dean-Lofthouse*, Marcia Hollis*, June Kenyon* (Edenfield PC). New Zealand: Liam Fitzsimon* (Nelson Cathedral). NE Yorkshire: Chandler Davies*, Reece-Jack Rex* (Bridlington Priory), Eve Battersby* (Howden Minster), Margaret Makins, Carolyn Richardson*, Heather Williams* (Malton, St Michael), Jordan Bennett**, Alice Exley*, Harry Saunders*, Heidi Watling (Selby Abbey), Finlay Robson* (Welton, St Helen), Elizabeth Nightingale*, Joshua Toulmin (York, St Olave). Northumbria: Rachel Lewis**, Faye Robinson** (Corbridge, St Andrew). Oxford: Christopher Davis*, Jonathan Davis** (Aylesbury, St Mary), Yvonne Belcher*, Jeffrey Slater (Faringdon, All Saints), Ian Heriot**, Nia Hudson*, Alexander Humm**, Christopher Humm**, Laurence Martin, Lily Shanagher (Rotherfield Peppard, All Saints), Imogen Martin (Wantage, Ss Peter & Paul). Peterborough & Northampton: Hannah Gurney*, Graham Newell, David Rockley*, Christina Walker (Higham Ferrers, St Mary Virgin), Heidi Scotting*, Elly Yeatman* (Warmington, St Mary Virgin). Portsmouth: Nastassja Kirwan* (Alverstoke, St Mary), Alexander Millin**, Alan Rutter** (Emsworth, St James), Emilie Duda*, Louise Norris*, Gemma Thorne, Christyna Thorne**, Sara Weston** (Portsea, St Mary). St Albans: Lucy Pollard*, Andy Richardson* (Goldington, St Mary Virgin), Olivia Beadle*, Jacob Groet*, Madeline Harper, Madeleine Marsh (Gt Berkhamsted, St Peter), Heather Fuller*, Benjamin Watson** (Hitchin, St Mary), Charlotte Lay*, Naomi Marrone, Lucy Sharman (Leighton Buzzard, All Saints). Scotland: Jennifer McEvoy (Oban, St John’s Cathedral). Southwell & Notts: Georgia Robinson*, Holly Townsend*, Amy Williams* (Wollaton, St Leonard). USA: Charles Fox (Charlotte, NC, St John), Janelle Wigal* (Lookout Mountain, TN, Good Shepherd), Lauren Petrosh** (Shreveport, LA, St Mark’s Cathedral), Emerson Miller* (Signal Mountain, TN, St Timothy), Thomas Alexander, James Cockrell*, Sarah Spurlin** (Tuscon, AZ, St Philip’s in the Hills), Caroline Erickson** (Wichita, KS, St James).