and to educate the eighteen boys between the ages of 7 and 13 years who sing
in the choir.
It is a wonderful educational opportunity for the right sort of boys who regularly win awards to their next schools when they stop singing in the Cathedral choir.
Substantial scholarships are awarded by the Cathedral to cover 50% of the tuition fees at Polwhele. There is also considerable help with boarding fees and instrumental tuition fees. Further means tested funds are available to parents who may need extra funding.
There
can be few greater privileges – or better preparations for life in
general – than to sing in a Cathedral Choir. Truro Cathedral Choir
is acknowledged as one of the world’s finest. Its quality is recognised
with nationwide radio and TV broadcasts, CD recordings and prestigious
overseas tours (United States, France, Italy and Germany in recent years).
Boys aged 7, 8 or 9 are eligible for entry and do not need to be proficient
singers at the outset. Potential, rather than performance is the key first
requirement. However, a prospective chorister does need to impress as
alert, industrious and committed. And he must be enthusiastic. 
The support of parents is an essential ingredient – but he should not be applying just because they think it’s a good idea! Three or four boys join Truro Cathedral Choir each September, following voice trials in January. The trials can seem daunting, so the Organist is delighted to meet applicants, and parents, in advance to ‘smooth the way’ and help form the most reliable impression of overall suitability, and with no obligation.
Being a Cathedral Chorister is not a soft option! Your son will be required to attend, during the school term, two practices and two services on Sundays, together with daily practices and Evensong on most weekdays. There are a few duties outside school terms, for example, Christmas and Easter, and there are occasional Saturday duties, but these are kept to a minimum. After completing their time as Choristers, boys have usually become impressively self-disciplined and responsible and are exceptionally well equipped for the leadership roles which they are likely to assume in later life. Nationally, two out of three Cathedral Choristers win music scholarships to independent schools.
Being a Chorister – “I’ve been in the choir for six years. When I joined I thought ‘Wow! this is great’. It’s really good fun. Polwhele is great, I’m not sure why, but it’s really friendly. One of the things you notice is that if they weren’t in the choir, quite a few people wouldn’t be at Polwhele. In the choir you get to sing lots of good music like: ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’ by Parry, ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’ by Britten and ‘Miserere Mei’ by Allegri. When you are in the choir the thing I really have learnt is how to use time more effectively, you can do more work in 40 minutes than anyone else. Discipline is also good, you are part of a team.
“ Every other year we go on tour. I’ve been to Germany, America and this year I’m going to Sweden. I would really recommend Truro Cathedral Choir to anyone who is musical, it’s been the best six years of my life.”
For more information please contact the school or
The
Cathedral Organist
The Cathedral Office
14 St. Mary’s Street
Truro
TR1 2AF
Tel: 01872 276782 email info@trurocathedral.org.uk
