Singing

College Chapel Choir was described by Richard Morrison in the Times on 12th June 2001 as “A staggeringly good school choir: 50-strong, beautifully balanced, alert, intelligent, well-tuned, passionate and sensitive . . . I was elated by hearing this highly motivated bunch of teenage boys singing Brahms, Taverner and Vaughan Williams”. It sings in College Chapel on average three times a week, and there are seven rehearsals. Entry is by audition, and members are either ex-cathedral choristers or very experienced singers. Sixty percent of current members are ex-cathedral choristers.

The choir tours each Easter (click here for details of the most recent tours). In 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2009 the choir and various chamber ensembles gave a full concert in London in aid of Fairbridge, having shared previous concerts in 1997 and 1999 with the Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square. The choir also took part in a concert with Maxim Vengerov and the English Chamber Orchestra in aid of Music in Country Churches in November 2000. A concert for a local Multiple Sclerosis support group in 2003 raised nearly £10,000 and in 2004 the choir helped to raise funds for the restoration of the twelfth-century Boveney church with the Friends of Friendless Churches. In 2005 and 2008 they joined in a Christmas Carol Service at St Luke’s Chelsea for the Alice Martineau Appeal for Cystic Fibrosis. In 2007 they were invited to perform in the Grosvenor Chapel to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the drugs and alcohol charity Addaction.

Since Eton's first Music Scholar, Francis Grier - now a professional composer, organist and pianist - reached the top of the school in 1972, more than 138 choral, organ, instrumental and music awards have been won by Eton boys, several to conservatoires and many to Oxford and Cambridge.

The choir has made several CDs which are on sale in the Music Schools (click here for details) and the Eton Gift Shop.

 

Lower Chapel Choir

Sings once a week in Lower Chapel. Entry is by audition for trebles, altos, tenors and basses. They have also sung Evensongs outside the school at St. George's Chapel Windsor, Merton College, Oxford and Winchester Cathedral.

The ECMS Chorus

Sings one big choral work a year (Dream of Gerontius, Elijah, Belshazzar’s Feast, Verdi’s Requiem, Bach’s St John Passion and Orff’s Carmina Burana recently) with full professional orchestra and soloists. Trebles and altos are always augmented by a girls’ school choir. There are no auditions – masters, boys and staff just join in.

The Incognitos

A small close-harmony group who sing for functions inside and outside the school. Entry is by invitation. Click here for details of their CD.

Competitions for Solo Singing and Inter-House Unison and Harmony Choirs are held in the Michaelmas and Lent Halves, with professional musicians or Directors of Music from other schools adjudicating, which all attract very large entries.

Choral Courses, open to talented singers aged 16–20, are held at Eton each summer.