A Scholar Reflects...

Charles Collins writes:

I joined the cathedral choir in my 1st year as a chemistry student after hearing about it from a friend who was a scholar at the Cathedral. I auditioned and, after having been offered a choral scholarship, was at once warmly welcomed by the choir. Singing at the cathedral provided me with incredible opportunities to further my singing career, including workshops with accomplished singing teachers and professional vocalists, whilst the inclusion of subsidised singing lessons provided me with indispensable one-to-one tuition. Another fantastic opportunity was an unforgettable and thoroughly enjoyable tour to Barcelona, singing in breathtaking locations including Girona Cathedral and the Sagrada Familia.

On a week to week basis, the rapid rotation of music and the singing of regular services vastly improved my sight reading as well as expanding my knowledge of, and increasing my appreciation for, a wide range of choral music. Above all though, I am eternally grateful for the friends I have made. I have had the opportunity to develop on a personal level as well as a musician, thanks to the people of the choir and the strong, shared sense of camaraderie, which is evidenced by the strong alumni involvement.

I would heartily encourage any prospective student who has had some previous experience of choral singing to audition for this choir, there is so much to get out of it.

Charles Collins joined the Cathedral Choir as a Choral Scholar in May 2013. He graduated in July 2016 from the University of Nottingham with a 2:1 MSc in Chemistry. He is pictured above with our other departing Choral Scholars who graduated from with BA (Hons) in Music - Emma Kennedy (2:1) and Emma Hawkins (1st Class).