RSCM Southern Cathedral Singers
RSCM Southern Cathedral Singers (SCS) is a training choir which sings services to a high musical standard in Cathedrals and major churches across the southern half of England. On this page you can find out about events for 2008, application details, membership fees, and information about auditions and obtaining required music.
Application details
How do we obtain the music we need?
Dates of events and music diary
SCS has three main component groups:
- SCS Boys & Men
– boy trebles (under 15), with adult & young adult counter tenors, tenors & basses - SCS Girls & Adults
– girls (under 16) singing soprano, with adult & young adult contraltos, tenors and basses - Cathedral Singers Chamber Consort
– Students, and invited adult SATB voices, aged 16+
Events for the first two groups take place on Saturdays and bank holidays.
Events for the Chamber Consort group take place, often on weekdays in vacation, and at occasional
weekends.
There will also be occasional opportunities for all singers, including adult soprano voices,
to take part.
Application details
Who can apply?
We welcome applications during the season from new, interested singers who have already some experience in their choirs and good vocal quality to offer. They should be either:
- members of RSCM affiliated churches and schools, with the signed support of the choir trainer, or
- subscribing Friends and Members (Individual, or Junior/Student) of the RSCM.
Young singers should be at least nine years old, if the voice is promising and they are able to cope physically with a full day’s music-making. Those beginning to prepare seriously for RSCM Bronze standard assessment are likely to be at the right level to begin singing with SCS.
Invitations to under-18 singers can only be offered after signed parental support has been received.
All older singers must first comply with the RSCM’s Child Protection procedures, and may then be offered invitations to sing with any of the SCS groups, as appropriate.
We try to issue most singers with a minimum of three event invitations to sing during the season. We cannot guarantee that any individual applicant will be accepted, or offered any invitations during the season. The RSCM reserves the right to refuse membership without stating a reason.
How do we apply?
Fill in this form (having created a copy for each singer applying) and return it to John Wardle, as soon as possible. A group of singers applying from the same RSCM affiliation must use the same SCS Contact email address (so fill this in before copying the form). All correspondence and invitations will be sent to this SCS Contact email address during the season. There will be no SCS training days this January.
Successful applicants will receive a date form, asking for availability details to be returned. These data will be important as we plan the invitations. You will be expected to have your own copies of the music at the events you attend. The Music Diary will accompany your invitations.
Is there a membership fee?
Applicants are asked to pay a small annual enrolment fee (currently, £8) to help cover our
costs.
All our applicants are offered the alternative of Junior/Student/Individual RSCM membership,
including their SCS membership at no additional fee (please ask for details).
Fees due must be enclosed with the application form.
What happens at the audition?
During the season, an informal audition can be arranged at an SCS event. You should obtain and bring along the full music programme for the day, as advertised, and be prepared to join in all rehearsals and the final service, so bring your choir robes as usually worn. Your short audition will usually happen at the lunchtime break.
We also ask you to sing part of a psalm to Anglican chant, as a quick study, so that we can listen for a good flow, sensible expression and clear diction. You will also sight-sing part of an anthem that you see for the first time 'on the day'.
For boys and girls we are not looking for perfection first time, but the ability to learn quickly.
For SCATB singers, we do expect fluent sight singing ability, and some experience of performing different styles of music.
You may also be given some aural tests and vocal exercises.
In all applicants, of all ages, we expect to see the ability to work together as a team and represent the highest standards of the RSCM. A sense of humour helps too!
Results of auditions are emailed (usually to your choir trainer) soon after the audition day. The singer categories are as follows:
- An experienced singer who might benefit from a future RSCM Cathedral course;
- A full singing member of SCS;
- A probationer member of SCS this season, but please re-audition soon.
- We regret that no invitations can be issued this season, but you are welcome to re-apply.
Remember that all SCS singers have to file a new application form for each new season, starting in September, in order to continue as members.
How do we obtain the music we need?
You can order all the pieces you need now from RSCM Music Direct.
T: 0845 021 7726 (our qualified sales advisor is Matthew Wright on extn 206)
E: musicdirect(at)rscm.com
W: www.rscm.com/shop
Dates of events and music diary
Please note this selection of SCS forthcoming dates. Music details, if not yet shown, will follow soon. Singers should have copies of the RSCM Bronze Collection (BC, order ref D0091), RSCM Silver Collection (SC, order ref B0111), and Tudor Responses (TR, order ref C0140). The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems (OBTA, order ref B0009) is also a useful resource. Singers must arrive at each event with their own copy of each of the music items shown below.
Saturday 5 January 2008
SCS Girls and Adults sing Evensong at St Albans Abbey, 4.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
responses: Ebdon - order ref C0138
canticles: Brewer in D - order ref C0079
anthem: Here is the little door (Howells) - order ref A0325
Saturday 26 January, 2008
SCS Girls, Boys and Adults sing Evensong at Norwich Cathedral, 3.30pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
responses: Ebdon
canticles: Sumsion in A - order ref C0087
anthem: Cantique de Jean Racine (Fauré) - order ref E0035
Saturday 23 February, 2008
SCS Boys and Men sing Evensong at Rochester Cathedral, 3.15pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
introit: Hide not thou thy face (Farrant) - BC
responses: William Smith - TR, p.11
canticles: Sumsion in A
anthem: O for a closer walk (Stanford) - BC
Easter Monday, 24 March, 2008
SCS Girls and Adults sing Evensong at Chichester Cathedral, 5.30pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
responses: William Smith
canticles: Aston in F - order ref C0077
anthem: Sing joyfully (Byrd) - order ref A1125
Saturday 12 April, 2008
SCS Boys and Men sing Evensong at Chelmsford Cathedral, 5.15pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
responses: William Smith
canticles: Wood in D - order ref C0066
anthem: Angel voices (Shephard) - SC
Saturday 3 May, 2008
SCS Girls and Adults sing Evensong at Portsmouth Cathedral, 5.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
responses: Tomkins - TR, p.16
canticles: Aston in F
anthem: King of glory (Walford Davies) - SC
Saturday 31 May, 2008
SCS Boys and Men sing Evensong at Peterborough Cathedral, 3.30pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am in St John's church in the Market Square.
responses: William Smith
canticles: Gibbons Short service - order ref C0047
anthem: Listen sweet dove (Ives) - SC
Saturday 7 June, 2008
SCS Girls, Boys and Adults sing Evensong at Coventry Cathedral, 4.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
introit: Locus iste (Bruckner) - order ref A0197
responses: Tomkins
canticles: Murrill in E - order ref C0070
anthem: King of glory (Walford Davies) - SC
Saturday 21 June, 2008
SCS Girls and Adults sing Evensong at Arundel Cathedral, 5.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
Music details will follow soon.
Saturday 2 August, 2008
SCS Girls, Boys and Adults sing Evensong at Southwark Cathedral, 4.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 11am.
Music details will follow.
Thursday 28 August, 2008
Cathedral Singers Chamber Consort sing Evensong at Portsmouth Cathedral, 5.00pm.
Rehearsal starts 1.30pm.
Music details will follow.