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Choral Scholarships
What is a Choral Scholarship?
A Choral Scholarship is a university award for which singers who want to be in a chapel choir can audition before they arrive. The Choral Scholarship lasts for the duration of the undergraduate degree, during which time the scholar sings in the chapel choir and takes an active role in musical life. As at other Cambridge colleges, the scholarship is worth £100 per annum, though Girton provides an extra £150 per annum in expenses for music lessons. Girton College Chapel Choir is made of about twenty Choral Scholars and Choral Exhibitioners (College awards, see end) and volunteers.
Why would I want a Choral Scholarship at Girton?
- Hopefully you will have read the other pages of the choir section, detailing the broad range of singing experiences on offer: our exciting programme of services, recordings, concerts and international tours. What sets Girton apart from other colleges is that it achieves all these things to such a high standard on a moderate time commitment, while maintaining a sense of fun. There is certainly little sense of the routine which afflicts some of the Cambridge choirs with more frequent commitments. With many demands on your time in Cambridge, it is perfectly possible to fit choir membership in with other activities, whether they be further musical commitments, or something completely different. It is a choir particularly suited to talented musicians who have chosen the more onerous Tripos subjects, such as Natural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.
- As well as the remuneration described above, all Girton choir members receive perks within college such as invitations to feasts and dinners. The college is also very supportive of choir activities: domestic tours are free, and international tours heavily subsidised.
- Girton as a college is an attractive prospect for any musician, with an active music society. Please see Music at Girton for more details.
- Come and judge for yourself! You are always welcome at a Girton service or a rehearsal and the Director of Music is happy to meet with you in advance of the application process and hear you sing. You can also get in touch with current Choral Scholars to ask their opinion. Please see Choir Personnel for contact details.
How do I apply?
- The application process for Choral Awards occurs after academic places have been awarded by the Colleges. Offer holders are asked if they wish to apply for a Choral Award and should submit a Choral Award Application Form by 15th February 2013 at the latest; however the deadline for Choral Award applicants to Girton may change. Please keep checking this page for updates.
- Applicants can list as many or as few Colleges as they wish in their order of preference. They should consider the different requirements of the choirs and they must list their first choice College as the one which has made them an academic offer of a place.
- Applicants may be called for audition any time between the 15th February deadline and mid-March. Applicants who have not received an offer of a Choral Award may be invited to audition by their other preferred Colleges later in March. All applicants will have received a decision by the end of March
- More information on the application process and the different requirements of the Colleges is available in the Choral Awards section of the Cambridge University Undergraduate Admissions website.
What is a Choral Exhibition?
Girton College offers Jill Vlasto Choral Exhibition to students already in residence who sing in Girton College Chapel Choir, but who do not hold a university choral scholarship. Auditions are held each November, and students can apply at any stage in their degree. A Choral Exhibition entitles the holder to £150 in singing lessons, and £100 in spending money per annum.