KING’S COLLEGE CHOIR
CHORISTER PARENT HANDBOOK
2016–2017
2
CONTENTS
3
Introduction and Preparing for boarding
4
Where to look …Who to ask…
5
An overview, years 4–8
6
...And beyond
7
Future schooling
7
Siblings
8
Chapel
11
Regular service routine
12
Special and festival services
14
Extraordinary services
15
Touring, concerts and recordings
16
Extraordinary choir events
17
School
19
Boarding house
24
School events
28
Practical matters
29
King’s College Choir Parents (KCCP)
31
Social events for KCCP
33
A personal viewpoint year by year
33
Year 4 – junior probationer
34
Year 5 – senior probationer
35
Year 6 – chorister
36
Year 7 – chorister
37
Year 8 – chorister
39
Going through the voice change
40
The thoughts of a former chorister
41
College and Chapel plans
42
University term dates and descriptions
43
Glossary
45
Who’s who
46
Useful numbers, websites, School and site plan
46
Social Media
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INTRODUCTION
Dear chorister parent
Congratulations and welcome. Your son has been chosen to join King’s College Choir and you are about to join the King's
'family'. Over the next few years he will have some wonderful opportunities, exciting times and experiences that could set
him up for life. As a first time chorister parent it can, however, be daunting, especially when everything is as new to you as
it is to him. The main purpose of this handbook is to put you in the picture as much as possible and to welcome you into
the King’s College Choir Parent (KCCP) family. The handbook has been compiled by chorister parents for the chorister
parents and we hope that you will find it useful.
Preparing for Boarding
The aim is for new chorister parents to be given this handbook as their son begins his choir experience, usually at the start
of Year 4. For your son this may be his first experience of boarding, and also for many of you. However, rest assured that
not only is King’s welcoming and caring, but it is in everyone’s interests that your son is happy and well looked after. Do
read this handbook in conjunction with the Boarding House Handbook, as the two together should answer any questions
that you have. However, feel free also to contact any member of the Boarding House staff or any of the more experienced
parents with any other questions.
The Boarding Schools’ Association – www.boarding.org.uk – publishes two resources you may find useful.

‘Parenting a Boarder’ by Libby Purves
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‘Being a Boarder’ by Rose Heiney (mother and daughter)
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WHERE TO LOOK…
Sometimes you may have a query that is easily solved just by knowing where to look. In addition to this Handbook and
the Boarding House Handbook, a School Calendar should be sent to you before the start of each term.
For the Choir’s movements the Changes to Routine document, sent out by email at the start of each academic year with
termly updates, is a very helpful summary of the detailed plans for services, concerts and tours during the term (and as
much detail as is available for future terms).
The Housemaster emails weekly Noggin's Notes, which include details of any changes to the normal routine for the boys
in the Boarding House.
The Notice Board at the bottom of the Boarding House stairs (aimed mainly at the boys) has all the detail needed for the
current day’s activities, plus some details of the current week’s timetable including singing and instrumental lessons.
The School emails a weekly newsletter, the King’s Messenger, on Fridays. This will give match timings and other relevant
information for the coming week plus any other School news. With this often come other attachments e.g. timetables for
music exams, details of forthcoming productions etc.
The School Office is open throughout the term from 08.00 – 17.00, and during the holidays on Tuesday and Thursday
mornings. Tel: 01223 365814; [email protected]
You will also find all this information on the School Website www.kcs.cambs.sch.uk You will be given a username and
password to access more detailed information on the school intranet at the start of the first term.
WHO TO ASK…
There will be occasions, however, when you do need to talk to someone. You will find that all the staff at King’s are very
approachable and always keen to help all the boys – and parents – maintain a balance in their very full lives.
Medical: Generally, if you have a query about a medical or domestic matter (e.g. meals, clothing, tuck etc.) your first port
of call should be Matron. Tel: 01223 359937; [email protected]
Academic: If you have any academic queries about your son, then consider his Form Tutor, and possibly the Deputy Head,
Academic – Tom Hales. Mr Hales is particularly useful to talk to regarding next schools. In all cases please copy in the
Housemaster, as it is important that she is aware of all concerns relating to your son.
The Housemaster – Jill Etheridge – is responsible for the overall welfare of all choristers so any pastoral issues should start
with her. It is a good idea to run any ‘choir’ issues past the Housemaster first too, as often she can answer these questions.
All of the above people are very good at talking to each other to make sure that all aspects of a boy’s life at school are
considered if an issue ever arises.
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AN OVERVIEW, YEARS 4–8
The Choir takes boys from Year 4 (the year in which they have their ninth birthday) until the end of Year 8 by which time
they will be 13. Occasionally, if they are young in the year group, the School may think that a boy would benefit from an
extra year at the School and arrange for him to repeat a year (this will not compromise any future schooling). There are,
however, usually a few boys in the Choir who have joined at a later date for one reason or another. They will progress
through the same stages of the Choir as detailed below, but may be ‘fast tracked’ to be able to join their peers as soon as
they are ready. If a chorister’s voice changes before he has finished his time at King’s, it is usually marked by a farewell tea
party after his final service, and he will continue at the School as a weekly boarder until the end of Year 8. The College will
continue to support him in all respects.
The School day for choristers and probationers is much the same as for the other pupils once lessons start (there is Chori
practice during registration) although the boys do miss some games sessions at the end of the day when they are singing
Evensong. This does not usually preclude them from being selected for the School sport teams though, and many
choristers are useful members of the rugby, football, cricket and hockey teams. Sometimes there are concerts, tours etc.,
which do run into the School day and in these cases the boys are expected to catch up with work missed. All members of
staff are usually sympathetic to the demands on the choristers and the boys manage very well in most cases. You will hear
grumbles about the workload on occasion – you should be the best judge of how to react to it – although often you will
find that it has been completely forgotten about the next time you see your son! It is the Housemaster’s responsibility to
ensure that your son is maintaining the balance between his academic and choir commitments so do talk to her if you
have any serious concerns.
Singing Lessons
All of the boys have individual singing lessons that take place at School (either during the week or on Saturday
morning).One of the principal functions of the singing teacher – currently Lyn Alcantara – is to keep an eye on your son’s
voice from a technical standpoint and she will hear your son regularly, but not necessarily weekly. When your son is in
Year 8 the singing teacher liaises with the Choir’s Director of Music in helping the boys prepare for their music scholarship
examinations.
Choir Diary Meetings
The King’s College Choir Director of Music, the Dean, Headmaster, Housemaster, Senior Tutor, and the Senior Choral
Scholar meet three times per year (once each term to discuss future Choir commitments ).The interests of the individual
choir members are very much at the fore of any discussions and are regulated by law. They will make any decisions about
extra-curricular events that are taken on (i.e. concerts, tours etc.) that are over and above the Choir’s service
commitments, taking into account their general welfare and balancing this with academic priorities too.
Year 4 – junior probationer
In this first year with the Choir the boys learn the ropes with regular prob practices taken by either Mr Cleobury or one of
the organ scholars from 8.15 – 9.10 on Monday – Thursday mornings, 7.40 – 8.10 on Friday morning, and on Tuesday and
Thursday afternoons. Junior probationers do not sing in any services, although they attend one weekly service, and
traditionally they join the Choir for the May Week concert (that confusingly takes place in June). As a parent you get one
free ticket for this event, which is held in Chapel. They are usually required to attend at least three additional Sunday
services as a group – the induction of new choristers in early October, the Remembrance Day Service and Advent,
although the Housemaster will contact you separately about these services.
Boat Boy
Junior probationers take on this role two or three times a term. One boy is chosen to carry the boat containing incense
and accompanies the Thurifer during Festive services such as Easter and Christmas and other important days in the
Church and College’s year. The Housemaster will liaise with you personally about this.
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Year 5 – senior probationer
This is the year when your son is gradually integrated into the Choir. Usually, but not always, senior probationers will start
singing from half term in the autumn term. You will be sent a rota detailing when your son is ‘on duty’ which will probably
start off as one week on, one week off, including every other weekend. He also may be required for services, concerts and
broadcasts outside the School term. As the year progresses the senior probs’ commitment increases and often they are
involved as much as the full Choristers by the end of the Summer Term (due to older voices changing etc.). Mr Cleobury is
always keen to point out that early inclusion in the Choir, or involvement in a tour, for example, does not give any
indication of current or future singing potential.
Year 6 – chorister
The new choristers are officially admitted to the Choir during the first Sunday Evensong of the University term at the start
of October and by this stage are fully involved with the Choir. Again, the Changes to Routine Document is very helpful to
keep track of their commitments..
Year 7 – chorister
As your son is gaining in confidence he may start to be given extra responsibilities in the Choir, be asked to sing in the
semi-chorus, and even take on some trio/duet/solo work (at the Choir Director of Music’s discretion).This is all done very
gently and the boys can be very supportive of one another especially when lack of confidence is an issue. Notice for ‘solo’
work is often short and most parents have had the experience of not even being aware that their son has had a solo until
after the event!
Year 8 – chorister
The final year – you will wonder how it has come round so quickly. Being the senior choristers they are expected to lead by
example both in their behaviour and through their contribution.
…AND BEYOND
It would be wrong to say that all boys have a wonderful experience all of the time: most will have their own particular
challenges to face at some point on their journey through King’s. It can’t be emphasised enough that you do need to trust
the School and staff to look after your son and it is true to say that it all ‘comes right’ in the end. He will come out of his
time at King’s armed with many useful skills (apart from the obvious benefits of an outstanding musical education and
academic preparation). Socially the boys have to learn to live and co-operate with others, they learn to organise and think
for themselves (extremely useful for when they move on to their senior schools), and their time in the Choir teaches them
the importance of playing a ‘team game’.
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FUTURE SCHOOLING
It is worthwhile thinking about where you want your son’s education to continue and to look at possible options sooner
rather than later (many families look round potential schools when their son is in Year 5 or 6). Talk to the Deputy Head,
Academic if you are not sure where to start; other parents are also a mine of information. After the end of year exams in
Year 4 the School will have an idea of where your son sits academically which is a fair starting point. For your son to have
been selected to join the Choir he has shown musical potential and most of the choristers subsequently can go on to be
awarded music awards at major public schools. It is really important that you remember the school is for your son. It may
be worth visiting the schools initially without your son and if you like the feel of it booking a second appointment to see if
he does too. After all it will help to inspire him to work hard at King’s. Do make sure you clear any absences from the Choir
including but not limited to entrance/scholarship exams etc. with the Choir Director of Music’s office as early as possible.
An email to [email protected] copied to the Housemaster and Headmaster requesting permission for absence
usually gets a positive response and helps maintain good working relationships. Once you have permission you should
email the School (Headmaster, Housemaster, Form Teacher and Matron) to confirm.
A NOTE FOR SIBLINGS
Siblings are always welcome in the Boarding House, and the boys always appreciate the visitors! Much like the choristers,
by the time the boys hit Year 8, the siblings are well practiced in the art of waiting in queues and spending Christmas at
King’s, and are usually more than willing to help younger children when it comes to learning how to survive speeches and
Chapel services. This year on Christmas Eve, a sibling trip to the Pantomime is being organised so that anybody who
doesn’t want to join the queuing can have an easy option out and parents don’t have to worry about either leaving a child
at home or missing the beautiful service of ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’ themselves. Children are very welcome in the Chapel
for the normal weekly services,, and those who are less willing to listen for the entire service are welcome to bring a book!
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CHAPEL
Access to and from College
You will be given a College photo pass that you will need to show to the custodians on the gate every time you come to
Chapel (like all Cambridge Colleges, King’s is a private place and, while it welcomes visitors, is often under tremendous
pressure from large numbers of visitors to the Chapel so you may not get a personal greeting at the gate!). When walking
down to the Chapel from School you will enter via the back gate. Do be aware that the College staff are particularly
vigilant about access to the College during the summer exam period, the end of year student celebrations and at other
special times including Christmas. Your son will quite happily breeze through the free-standing gates marked ‘Private’
near the Chapel – if you are with him it is fine to go through these too. Also do be aware that the back gate gets locked
after the boys leave Chapel in the evening – if you are not quick enough you will have to wait for someone to turn up with
a key.
The grass
You will see signs everywhere asking you not to walk on the beautifully manicured lawns but may well see people
marching across them. These are Fellows and Senior Members of the College exercising one of their privileges.
Queuing
The doors usually open 20 minutes before the services and there is often a queue. The parents and members of the
College wait behind the barrier in front of the Gibbs’ Building (perpendicular to the Chapel) for normal services, though
the arrangements change slightly for ticketed events. Please note that if you are not in the queue by the time it enters the
Chapel, you must join at the back of the main public queue.
Loos
There is a bar and cafeteria for the students diagonally opposite (across the lawn) the South Door of Chapel, with ladies,
gents and disabled facilities to the left once you have walked through the bar. You will see the boys disappearing off into
the bowels of the Gibbs’ Building – those who have visited the loos there say the student bar is a far preferable experience!
Can(toris) and Dec(ani)
The two opposite sides of the Choir are traditionally given these names. Cantoris is on the north side, the same side as the
Cantor, and Decani is on the south, where the Dean sits. The senior probationers regularly change sides in the Choir.
However in Year 6 your son will be singing consistently on one side or the other (just occasionally changes can be made in
all years as needed). Reserved seating for Choir parents on both sides mean that you will usually be able to sit on the
opposite side to your son and therefore get a good view of him.
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Reserved Seating
Reserved seating notices (KCCP – King’s College Choir Parent) are put out for every service that the choristers sing in
(except recordings and ticketed events) and are usually to the east of the choir stalls. Do check with your son which side
he will be on (he will refer to the sides as Can and Dec, see above) so you can sit opposite to see him. Here ‘parent’
includes parents, siblings and grandparents. If you have other extended family members with you they may sit in the row
behind (third row of east pews, just in front of the University seats). If they are coming instead of parents then they may
take the KCCP seats although you should let the Chapel staff know in advance. Do not be put off by having to go through
the ropes to get to the seating although you should not let anyone else through (visitors often do not realise that the area
is reserved), and do not be offended if the Chapel staff don’t recognise you: they have 500 people a day to deal with!
Readings in Chapel
Choristers in Years 7 and 8 are given the opportunity to read in Chapel, usually on a Tuesday Evensong. The rota for this is
up on the notice board at the bottom of the Boarding House stairs. Parents are also most welcome to read in the services
(usually Sunday Evensong) and the College Chaplain will be happy to hear from you if you would like to do this.
The Service
There is a laminated white service sheet for Evensong and a purple booklet for each Eucharist and Matins services that will
take you through the service (when to stand, sit etc.).The services follow a long established format. Visit
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A407666 for a light-hearted but informative introduction if you want to know more.
Chapel etiquette
To regular church-goers this will be second nature, but there are a couple of points that ought to be added. Firstly,
although the boys are usually delighted that there is someone there to support them they are expected to be totally
focused at all times – so do not take it personally if your son does not even acknowledge you with a smile during the
service. In the Antechapel we are asked to use the central aisle and avoid the side aisles that are kept clear for Chapel staff
and for emergency use. Do try to keep noise to a minimum during the organ voluntary after the services, especially when
waiting to collect your son. Finally, please do follow the instructions given by the Chapel Staff, particularly with regard to
mobile devices and cameras.
Collecting your son after services
Parents wait outside the vestry (in front of the organ screen) for their sons to emerge following a service. The member of
staff on duty will only send out your son to you if they are aware that you are there, otherwise you will have to wait until
the 'croc' comes out of the vestry. Do make sure the member of staff on duty knows that you have your son if you collect
at this point. After the Sunday morning Eucharist there will only be a chance for a quick ‘hello’ before their 12.00 practice,
and then you can collect your boy at 1.00 from the South Door. Parents should never go into the Vestry itself.
Chapel Services Booklet
This termly document details all the services including the music. Parents of senior probationers and choristers are posted
a copy at the start of each term and details are also published on the King’s College website.
Visiting the Chapel
Your pass gives you access to the Chapel when it is open and you may bring two guests with you. Do make sure you have
it on you so the custodians in Chapel know who you are.
Croc
The boys walk to and from Chapel in ‘crocodile’ formation dressed in their Etons – a great sight and definitely one for the
photo album! The croc can move pretty rapidly, dependent on who is at the front and the member of staff on duty. The
boys are expected to go to Chapel in the croc, although for Sunday Evensong the boys may walk down to Chapel with
their family before the croc departs. Once the croc arrives at the bridge inside the College grounds the boys should not
10
talk to each other. Usually parents can walk their sons back to School after services. You may also hear of a wander – this
is when there are seven boys or fewer for the croc, and so the walk is less formal. It is very much up to the member on staff
on duty whether or not a wander is allowed. Please do not talk to your son while he is in the croc. If you are taking your son
to or from Chapel independently please make sure that the member of staff on duty knows and that you are on time –
both of which are vital!
Etons
This is name for the Choristers’ uniform that they wear when walking to and from Chapel and for concerts. For full
choristers it is comprised of: white collarless shirt, starched white collar, studs, black tie, pin striped grey trousers, black
waistcoat, black jacket, short black gown and black top hat. These are all provided by Matron (the shirts and tie will be
added to your bill in Year 5.). Parents are to supply smart black shoes for Chapel (try to avoid ones with soles that will
squeak on the marble of the Chapel floor, and bear in mind that the boys will cover many miles in them too). Senior
probationers do not have the waistcoat, striped trousers, jacket or top hat, wearing their School trousers and blazer under
the gown. The boys also wear their Etons on tour (top hats are left in Cambridge).Very occasionally you may be asked to
take Etons home and be responsible for getting them dry cleaned before the start of a new term – you will be reimbursed
for any costs. The boys may keep their top hats for posterity when they finish.
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REGULAR SERVICE ROUTINE
During University term time
Monday 5.30pm
Evensong
King’s Voices
Tuesday 5.30pm
Evensong
Full Choir
Wednesday 5.30pm
Evensong
Men’s voices
Thursday 5.30pm
Sung Eucharist
Full Choir (occasionally Boys’ Voices)
Friday 5.30pm
Evensong
Full Choir (usually unaccompanied))
Saturday 5.30pm
Evensong
Full Choir (usually followed by an organ recital which the boys may attend if they wish)
Sunday 10.30am
Eucharist
Full Choir
Sunday 3.30pm
Evensong
Full Choir
This is the usual pattern of services; however, it is subject to change with major Saints’ Days and other special events. Do
refer to the Chapel Services Booklet for the definitive list of services for any term.
Each of the three University terms (Michaelmas, Lent and Easter) is approximately eight weeks long. At the end of the
Easter Term Cambridge University traditionally has a short break of approximately a week followed by Long Vacation
term which is about three weeks long. Historically the ‘Long Vacation’ gave the undergraduates opportunities to study
less ‘weighty’ subjects once they had completed their regular studies.
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SPECIAL AND FESTIVAL SERVICES
Many of the main Christian Festivals fall outside the University term and the Choir is an important part of these
celebrations.
Ticketed services and broadcasts
Due to the popularity of special services there is a policy of issuing tickets for the Procession for Advent and the BBC radio
live broadcast of the traditional Festival of Nine lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve. Tickets are also issued for the BBC
recordings for television broadcasts of Carols from King’s and Easter from King’s. The joint Evensong with St John’s is also
ticketed.

Procession for Advent
All parents (including those of probationers) are sent two tickets. If your son is not singing then these will be in
the Ante-chapel (those boys who are not singing sit with a member of staff for the service). This service is very
much a College service with staff and pupils invited to apply for tickets, but also some of the wider constituency
of the University attends.

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
If your boy is singing you will be invited, by post, to request up to two tickets per family (plus extras for siblings
under 16). This service is more for the city.

Carols from King’s
You are automatically sent three tickets for the recording. This is a ‘closed’ service for College members only (no
members of the public are invited).

Easter from King’s
Parents are invited to attend this by the Choir office – there is usually no difficulty in obtaining enough tickets
for chorister families.
Remembrance Sunday (around 11 November, 6pm)
At this service the Choir performs a Requiem, usually accompanied by an orchestra. It is a very popular service and the
best seating is in the Choir stalls. There are no tickets for this event, but it is worth queuing at the north door of the Chapel
in good time to get the best seats.
Procession for Advent (Sunday nearest the end of November, 6pm)
This is a beautiful service and very popular. The Choir starts by singing in the Ante-chapel before moving to the Choir
stalls and then to the main altar. There is no reserved seating for parents. You will be able to hear the music wherever you
are (although the acoustic is not so good for the readings which can be indistinct). After the service the College provides a
reception with mulled wine and mince pies. You should receive tickets for this in the post.
BBC recording of Carols from King’s
This recording is usually made on the second Sunday of December, between 3pm and 7pm. If you want to be seen on the
television broadcast get there early and sit near to the Choir as they do all their singing (except the opening ‘Once In Royal
David’s City’) in the Choir stalls. Your tickets will state when you need to be seated and bear in mind that there are no loo
breaks. It is wise to bring something to read before the service and, if you have even the slightest cough, something to
suck on and a small bottle of water. After the recording the Choir will usually have to do more patching so you will only see
your son briefly.
BBC recording of Easter from King’s
This is recorded in the same week as the Carols. Again the Choir is in the choir stalls for most of this service, so follow the
same procedure as for ‘Carols from King’s’.
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Christmas Eve Carol Service – ‘A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’, 3pm
This is the one that people camp out overnight to get to the top of the public queue for! The Mayor and other City
dignitaries come to this too. It is broadcast live (Radio 3) so again, try to keep coughing etc. under control and very young
children are discouraged. You will have tickets (see above) but may still have to queue. The service lasts about 1-hour 30
minutes. The Choir opens with ‘Once in Royal’ at the West Door, then processes up to the choir stalls where they stay for
the rest of the service so aim to sit in view of the choir stalls. Your allocated seats will not be in the usual place, but on the
benches at the East End.
Christmas Day Eucharist – 11.00am
For this busy service queue at the North Door (wrap up warm). If you get there before 10.30 you should get a good seat
near the stalls but don’t turn up at 10.50 expecting one – the chances are there will only be space in the Ante-chapel by
that stage. There will be a full musical setting of a mass, with instrumental accompaniment as well as organ, and the Choir
is in situ in the choir stalls throughout.
Ash Wednesday 5.30pm
A very beautiful service, with the Choir singing the Allegri ‘Miserere’. Normal queuing and seating arrangements apply.
Maundy Thursday 5.30pm
Eucharist with the traditional stripping of the altar. Do not be surprised if this sombre but lovely service lasts in excess of
90 minutes. Normal queuing and seating arrangements apply.
Good Friday Ante-Communion 10.30am
This is part of a more lengthy service. It is very popular so aim to be in the queue (North Door) at least 20 minutes early.
The Choir traditionally sings the Allegri ‘Miserere’ as the Introit. For a large proportion of the service the Choir sings on the
north side of the main altar so the best place to sit if you want a good view is right up at the top near the main altar, on the
south side. This part of the service lasts just over an hour.
Easter Day Eucharist 10.30am
The arrangements for this are the same as for the Christmas Day Eucharist (see above).
Joint Evensong with St John’s College Choir
Every year the two Choirs combine forces for an Evensong to mark the start of the Long Vac Term. The Colleges host this
event on alternate years. It is definitely a service not to miss – you will be sent an invitation to apply for tickets. Demand
for seats is high – there should be sufficient reserved seating for parents at either Chapel but do not leave it too late if you
want to secure a good view of your boy. He should be sitting on the usual side but do check if you can.
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EXTRAORDINARY SERVICES
Occasionally the Choir is asked to sing for other services that in the past have included weddings, memorials and requiem
masses. These are usually during the University Term and you will be given as much notice as possible (see the Changes
to Routine document). Sometimes these events are private.
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TOURING, CONCERTS, RECORDINGS AND
BROADCASTS
These usually fall outside the University Term and also often outside the School Term so do refer to the Changes to
Routine document. The boys’ travel and accommodation costs are all covered by the College, so you will not be charged
anything (except for spending money, see below).
Touring
This can range from an overnight trip to a UK concert venue, to a 20-day tour further afield taking in four or more
concerts with flights to travel from place to place. Before any trips abroad you and your son will be asked to sign a consent
form and, depending on the destination, consent to any necessary vaccinations. You will be sent a packing list by Matron a
couple of weeks in advance. For the tours in term time the boys will often do their own packing (overseen by Matron). If it
is a short tour then a small case is usually big enough (Etons have to fit in), but a larger case with wheels will be needed for
the longer tours. Make sure it is clearly named and that your son can manage it on his own. No mobile phones are allowed
on tours and you will probably have no direct contact with your son while he is away. You will, however, get regular
updates from a member of staff with the boys, usually through a blog. The boys are given £5 (or local currency equivalent)
spending money per day and this is added to your termly bill. They have great fun spending this and often come back with
interesting and unusual things! Expect your son to be tired when he gets back – tours are fun but they do work hard.
In more recent years it has been possible for parents to hear live broadcasts of the Choir’s concerts on tour with web
streaming. It is worth consulting the tour schedule sent to parents before the start of a tour to see which concerts may be
broadcast live. Sometimes you may see some TV coverage too. In order to see photos while they are away, you can look
at the Facebook page for King’s College Choir and subscribe to their Twitter feed.
Concerts
The Choir gives a large number of concerts throughout the year both during the School term and in the holidays. All
choristers will be involved in all concerts, but junior probationers generally only sing in the May Week concert in the
summer term. Arrangements for the involvement of senior probationers will vary from year to year and you will often (but
not always) know reasonably far in advance which concerts your son will be singing in if he is a senior probationer.
Concerts are held in Cambridge (where they normally take place in the King’s Ante-Chapel), in concert venues throughout
the UK, and also abroad. Chorister parents are welcome to attend concerts but in nearly every case will need to purchase
tickets in order to do so. The one regular exception is the May Week concert when chorister parents are granted one
complimentary ticket per family.
It is very rewarding to attend the Choir’s concerts and wonderful to see how professional the boys are in front of large
audiences in often very large and imposing venues. However, it is important to remember that when the boys are on tour
– whether in the UK or abroad – they are working, and the staff running the tour have to manage the boys’ rest and
recreation time to a tight timetable. Choir parents usually only have a few minutes (if that!) after the concert to see their
sons before they are whisked away.
Sometimes parents are given an opportunity to steward for some of the concerts in Chapel in exchange for a free seat.
Details are circulated by email.
16
Transporting your son to and from concerts etc.
A coach is usually booked to take the Choir (including Choral and Organ scholars) to and from venues/airports etc.,
departing from the School. During term time your child must return with the coach; however when this is not in School
term time you are usually offered the option of taking your son yourself. The Housemaster will want to know either way
and email you about this and tell you the relevant rendezvous. For non-Cambridge residents travel expenses are paid for
journeys when both outbound and return legs are during the School holidays, and you will be sent a claim form from the
Dean’s office.
Recordings (see also ‘Broadcasts’)
In addition to its full and exciting schedule the Choir makes recordings throughout the year, which again will be detailed in
the Changes to Routine document. It can take a while for these recordings to be released, and they are not necessarily
issued in the order in which they are recorded. The Choir Director of Music’s office will contact you giving you the option
of buying CDs at a special discount (usually one per family). In the past the boys have sometimes been given copies as
gifts.
EXTRAORDINARY CHOIR EVENTS
One-off concerts
The Choir’s Director of Music is sometimes approached to see if he can provide one or more choristers for an external
musical event. His office will liaise directly with parents in this case.
Chorister King’s vs. John’s Football/Cricket matches
No singing involved in this one and it is organised through School rather than the Choir. The aim is to have a home and
return leg of football each year (weather and commitments permitting) and an annual cricket match (alternate venues).
Details will be sent in Noggin's Notes (matches are usually on a Saturday afternoon before Evensong but have in the past
been rescheduled for a Wednesday after School). Sometimes a cricket match time will straddle lunchtime in which case, if
you are attending, you can provide a picnic lunch for you and your son. Usually all boys (including senior probs on duty and
very occasionally junior probs) get a chance to play, even if only as a sub/fielding, and this does include any choristers
whose voices have changed. Parents and any supporters are very welcome. The host side will provide tea afterwards for
all.
17
SCHOOL
Do refer to the comprehensive School website www.kcs.cambs.sch.uk for academic and other details.
Junior School
All the junior probationers are in the same form in Year 4 (three forms per year group) and have a form tutor. They will be
put into one of three ability sets for maths but in all other subjects will be taught with all of their classmates.
Middle School
In Years 5 and 6 the Choristers are assigned to one of three forms in which they are mostly taught with their classmates.
They continue to be streamed in Maths, and in French and Latin from Year 6.
Senior School
In Year 7 the Choristers continue to be assigned to one of of three forms, although they tend to be streamed for most of
their lessons. In Year 8 the Choristers are given their own form tutor who they can approach for any advice etc. This is
currently Mr Hales. Year 8s are also assigned to a form and an ‘adopted’ form tutor who is responsible for their afternoon
registration. There is much more streaming, which you will be given more information about before your son enters these
years.
Timetable
Your son will be told what his School lesson timetable is by his form tutor on the first day of the Michaelmas term and he
will copy it into his prep diary (provided by the School).
The boys start School with their classmates when lessons begin at 9.15 each day. School ends at 4pm (3.05 pm on Friday)
for Year 4, and 4.20 for year 5. For Choristers it is as follows:

Monday: games in the afternoon end at 4.20.Occasionally a Chori practice is scheduled, but more often than not
the boys are free until prep.

Tuesday: finish lessons at 3.35; change into Etons, little tea and Croc leaves for Chapel at 3.55.

Wednesday: lessons end at 12.50. Then games after lunch, although those boys who are singing that week are
free from 3.20 (unless they are in a match which is compulsory).

Thursday: lessons end at 3.35, change into Etons, little tea and Croc leaves for Chapel at 3.55

Friday: lessons end at 3.35, change into Etons, little tea and Croc leaves for Chapel at 3.55.
School diary
The children write their Preps in this, and it is also somewhere their teachers can write messages for parents etc. (in the
case of all boarders these will be noted by the House Staff). It is worthwhile looking at this on a regular basis as it will give
you an idea of what your son is doing.
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Instrumental music lessons
Each boy learns the piano and at least one other instrument. Lessons are timetabled by the School Director of Music and
you will find a copy of this on the School website and on the music display boards outside the School Director of Music’s
room. Your boy’s lesson will be on the same day each week but usually there is a rota so the time of his lesson will vary. It
is up to him to get to the lesson although staff will help him especially if his organisational skills leave a bit to be desired.
The College pays for lessons on one instrument, usually the piano – you will be invoiced directly by the teacher for any
additional instruments. Your son will need to catch up on any School lessons missed, which the subject teacher will direct
him about.
Class music lessons
Probationers and choristers have theory, composition and practical music-making lessons with the School’s Director of
Music while their classmates have School music lessons. In order to take ABRSM practical music exams at Grade 6 level or
above, Grade 5 music theory is needed (the majority of choristers will have achieved over and above this level by the time
they leave the School).
School council
Each class will vote for a form representative and they hold this post for a year. This is usually done during a class PSHE
lesson, but the choristers tend to miss this from year 5 onwards (they have separate PSHE lessons instead).They do
however have the chance to be on the Boarding House Council.
Pastoral issues during School day
There is a Deputy Head, Pastoral who deals with any pastoral matters during the School.
Prep
All pupils are given homework/prep (see homework timetable in the prep diary) – see the School website for details of
how much is set. All boarders do this in their timetabled prep period during the early evening. Generally Years 4 and 5 do
this in the House Study and Years 6 and 7 in the Library, with the Year 8s working in a separate study. Teachers tend not
to set prep towards the end of term but do check when collecting your son as occasionally a project will be set for
completion over the holidays.
Second hand uniform
There is a PTA uniform shop selling second hand items and some new clothing which is open on Mondays and also the day
before each new term (check timings with the School office).The staff also try to have it open just before the House reopens at the start of each term, and will notify you separately about this. The Matrons can have a look on your behalf for
occasional items too.
Reports
You will be sent a School report each term. It is posted a few days after the term ends.
Half term
Due to their Chapel commitments the boys sing for the weekend services at either end of the School half term, but have
most of the weekdays off. Generally this will mean that they go home after the Sunday Evensong of the first weekend and
have to be back for chori practice in the early afternoon of the following Friday (do make sure you have given your son
lunch). Details will be in Noggin's Notes.
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BOARDING HOUSE
Boarding House Routine
You will have been given a Boarding House Handbook so do refer to that for more information.
Housemaster and Deputy Housemaster
They are responsible for the boys’ welfare and running the Boarding House. They have the interests of the boys at heart
and the house is run very much in the King’s ethos with an informal family atmosphere but a clear sense of the limits.
Senior Matron
Andi Williams has just joined us as our residential senior matron, and will be looking after the health, hygiene and laundry
of all the boys. When she is not on duty, we have a duty matron, Eeva Stewart, who is already well known to the boys. Our
matrons will occasionally nag the boys to keep their bed areas tidy, and to look after their possessions (just as you will do
at home) but the boys also grow very fond of them. There is a board outside the Matron’s office showing who is on duty
and any other relevant information.
Other Boarding House staff
These are mentioned in the Boarding House Handbook. You will also come across two or three Gap Students who spend a
fair amount of time with the boys. These Gap year students sometimes have accommodation in the Boarding House and
carry out various duties throughout the School including helping with activities for the boys in the evenings. They will eat
most of their meals with the boys and often form friendships similar to those of older siblings.
Common Rooms
The Junior Common Room (JCR) is for the use of Years 4, 5 and 6, and the Senior Common Room (SCR) is for Years 7 and
8. At weekends (when only the choristers are in the House) there is more flexibility and often the younger boys will be in
the SCR.
Dormitories
Privacy in the dormitories is important. Do think before going up to your son’s dormitory (if you are not sure, ask the
Matron). Changing times are obviously off limits so please do not linger in the dormitories if boys are changing. If you do
20
need your son to get a move on, for example after coming back after a service, one of the members of Boarding House
staff will chivvy them along if necessary.
Boarding
All of the choristers board. Junior probationers are weekly boarders, senior probationers have some weekends ‘in’ (see the
‘Senior Probationer Rota’) and by year 6 all are full time boarders. Do bear in mind that the Boarding House also caters
for some weekly and flexi-boarders so you may well hear about boys who are in your child’s dormitory but not in the
Choir.
Each year has a set bedtime and once it is ‘lights out’ there should be silence. The dormitories are checked by staff on duty
and most boys (especially the choristers once they are singing full time) just want to sleep. If you are aware that your son
is not getting a good night’s sleep due to night-time activity in the dormitory do raise this with the Housemaster. The boys
get very excited in the build up to Christmas, in particular on Christmas Eve when they try to stay up to see Father
Christmas, so be prepared for tired children (and be sympathetic to frazzled Boarding House staff!).
Boarding House Routine
See the Boarding House Handbook for the normal routine, which is also posted on the display board outside the dining
room.
Daily Routine
A detailed daily routine is put on the white board at the bottom of the Boarding House stairs. This is especially useful at
weekends and when there are changes to the normal run of things (which will also be detailed in the Noggin’s Notes).
Morning instrumental Practice
The boys have a 30 minute practice every weekday morning (7.40 – 8.10) and an hour on Saturday (usually 8.30 – 9.30
although this is subject to change). Each boy is allocated a practice room at the start of the year. Music practice is
supervised by Boarding House staff who ‘police’ the rooms – much needed for some! Parents sometimes come to support
here and are welcome at the weekends, especially in the build up to exams, but are not actively encouraged during the
week.
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Picking up and taking boys out

The boys may go out on Wednesday afternoons – this is to compensate for their heavy weekend singing
commitment. The Housemaster likes to use this as bonding time for the junior probationers in the first few
weeks of term, but after this they can go out from 4pm. For the other years the boys may be picked up from 4.20
(3.30 if in a singing week, including singing Year 5s, unless playing in a match). They must be back in the
Boarding House 45 minutes before their year’s lights out, with any Prep having been done.

On Fridays pick up time is 3.05 for junior probationers and 4.20 for those senior probationers who are not
singing that weekend. Please aim to have collected your son by 6.00, unless you have organised a later
collection with Matron.

On Saturdays the boys can go out for lunch from 12.45 (pick up from School) but must be back by 3.20 to
change into Etons.

On Sundays boys can go out for lunch after 1.00 (if you pick up from Chapel the boys will be in Etons) and must
be returned to Chapel by 3.15 or to School in time to change into Etons by 2.55. Make sure you are at Chapel by
12.55 in case the practice ends early. Some boys like parents to bring a sweatshirt or similar to put over their
Etons so they do not stand out. Once they have changed, they can also go out after Evensong (approx. 4.20) and
must be back 45 minutes before lights out (see the Boarding House Handbook).
It is not unusual for your son to want to bring a friend with him when you take him out, or for a non-boarding friend to
invite him to a party or out for tea. This is fine, but make sure you have cleared it with the parents and Boarding House
Staff first. It can be helpful, especially in the first year, to give written (email is fine) permission for your son to go out with
other junior probationer parents, obviously having spoken to them first, to save it having to be refused. The same rules on
permission and signing in and out apply to other family members or friends who may take your son out.
You must let Matron or the member of Boarding House Staff on duty know when you have collected and returned your
son.
Boarding House Council
All boarders have the opportunity to be a member of the Boarding House Council, which usually sits twice a term. The
Housemaster or her Deputy chairs the Council and two elected boys from each Year group join her. The Council acts as an
official forum for ideas and developments within the Boarding House. Every child will be encouraged to contribute
towards the Council meetings through their Year group representatives. Each term the representatives change in order to
give everybody the opportunity to contribute to the running of the House.
Letters
The House staff encourages the boys (in particular the probationers) to write letters home so do make sure your son has
the necessary addresses. While they are on tour there are also opportunities to send postcards (the staff will ensure they
get posted). All the boys love to get post so do encourage friends and family to write.
Activity Week
In the summer term (the week after CE exams) years 4 to 8 throughout the School have a week off the regular curriculum
with the older pupils going away. Junior and senior probationers can participate with their classmates to a limited degree
(in Year 5 there is usually a residential element with the senior probationers coming back to the Boarding House for Chori
practices and any services that they are involved in – the School organises any extra travel involved). The Housemaster
organises a week of activities for the choristers who are not able to join their peers due to their singing commitments. The
boys have a great time with trips out, activity days and a wide variety of new and exciting things to do and look forward to
the week (most tend to think they have had a better time than their classmates).
22
Weekend meals
Matrons need to know whether your son is in or out for meals over the weekend as the cooks need numbers for catering
and we ask you to sign up for a Doodle Poll at the beginning of each term. You can make changes to your meal
arrangements throughout the term, though the cut-off time for changes is 7.00am on the Friday for the coming weekend.
Parents are welcome to join their son for Saturday and Sunday lunches, but if there will more that two people, then please
make sure that the school is informed. A small charge will be put on the bill for a hot, two-course meal. Please see
Noggins Notes for more information.
Tuck
You should provide nut-free tuck for your boy which must be handed over to Matron and will be stored in a named tray in
a large locked cupboard in the JCR/SCR ready to be given out on Wednesday evenings. Boys may have sweets, biscuits
etc. (although not too much chocolate as it can get messy). It is a good idea, if you can, to name the tuck before handing it
over to save it getting mixed up with someone else’s before making it into your boy’s tray. A resealable plastic freezer bag
marked in pen works well. Matron will ration what they give out so they can keep an eye on what the boys are eating, and
illicit tuck is very much frowned on! If you take your son out on Wednesday evening he will miss out on tuck as it is
assumed that he will have been treated while he is with you. The boys are also given a treat on Saturday evenings, which
is provided by the Boarding House.
Start and end of terms
The boys return the evening before the School term starts and the Boarding House will usually open at about 7pm. There
will be extra ‘hands’ around to help with luggage etc. Trunks go back home at the end of the spring and summer terms
and a packing list will be put in their trunk in preparation for the following term. The choristers will usually be staying on
after the end of the School term but you are encouraged, if you can, to remove any items that are over and above what
they require to stay in Boarding House as close to the end of term as possible. This includes any instruments, music,
school bags, sports equipment, bicycles etc.
Hanging around
It can’t be avoided! Waiting for your son to come down those stairs at the Boarding House ready to whisk him away is a
very regular occurrence and the hours do add up over the years (some boys are especially slow at changing and/or get
easily distracted). Usually you are not the only parent so it often gives you a chance to catch up and many parents will also
use that time to gather up music and instruments from the practice rooms etc.
School Doctor
Your son will be registered with a GP at a practice near the School. This should not pose any problems if you need to take
him to your local GP but do be aware that his paper records will have been forwarded and you will be asked to fill out a
Temporary Resident’s Form with your own doctor.
23
Passports and Visas
With frequent tours abroad passports tend to be kept at School (under lock and key in the Housemaster's care). Do
remember to collect it if needed for a family holiday – it is not uncommon for last minute phone calls and trips to the
Boarding House! The School and Choir Director of Music’s office will organise any necessary Visas for foreign trips. Do
check that the passport has at least six months to run.
Tea and Coffee
Matrons have a small kitchen and sitting room. Do check first, (there are times when privacy is needed – for example a
confidential discussion with a parent) but you are usually welcome to make use of these facilities (remembering to tidy up
behind you).There is also a water cooler outside the kitchen that anyone may use.
Do name absolutely everything!
Nevertheless it is inevitable that your son will come home with someone else’s clothes at some point. Do remember that
Matrons have spare nametapes for any rushed uniform purchases etc. For other items it can be useful to carry a marker
pen with you. We are now charging £2 to add a name tape – be warned!
24
SCHOOL EVENTS
The School has many extra-curricular events, which will be detailed in the School Calendar (for advance notice) and the
weekly King’s Messenger.
Sport
See the School Website for curriculum details and match reports etc.
Matches
There may be the occasional match in Year 4. By Year 5 there are plenty of competitive matches. Players in Years 5 and 6
are referred to as ‘Colts’. If your son is in ‘Colts 1’ he will be in a team (A, B or C, sometimes D if numbers are high). Colts 2
(and Colts 3, again if numbers are high) tend to play less high intensity sports. Once in Years 7 and 8 the ‘Game 1’ boys go
st nd rd
th
into the 1 , 2 , 3 (or 4 ) teams, ‘Game 2’(and sometimes) ‘Game 3’ boys will continue to play less competitive sport
during their lessons. Many of the choristers are in School teams, although they are not always free to play in the matches;
depending on their commitments however the School does all it can to ensure the boys do not miss matches. Matches are
usually scheduled for Wednesdays (or Mondays), which makes chorister participation more likely. Parents are always
welcome to support both for home and away matches.
Sports Day
In the summer term there is a Junior (includes Year 4) and Senior (Years 5 – 8) Sports Day held during the School day (see
the School Calendar).
Swimming Galas
Again these are held in the summer term so refer to the School Calendar for details. Junior probationers are free to take
part in the Junior Gala. However from Year 5 onwards the boys often cannot participate due to their singing
commitments. They do have frequent access to the School pool in the summer months though when the weather is good,
and this is a popular after-school activity for boarders both in the evenings and at weekends.
25
Concerts
Music plays an important part in the life of the School, and the children have regular performance opportunities, including
a range of concerts. Although the choristers are not able to join the School choirs they will almost certainly be involved in
one of the instrumental groups and often perform solos – do check with your son. There is usually a list on the Music
Director's Board. This will be put up about a week before the event in question.
The examples below are not definitive as each year produces a different crop of young musicians. The music department
strives to make the best of this so there can be changes in the concert format from year to year. For full information on
which year is performing in which concert do refer to the School Calendar and the King’s Messenger. It is quite striking
how informal and relaxed many of the School concerts are, and the musicians generally tend to be very much at ease. It is
not unusual for children to join their parents in the audience at the larger venues once they have completed their
performance.

Informal Concerts – tend to be held in the School Assembly Hall. Includes Years 3 and 4.These are free events,
and the children sign themselves up with the agreement of their music teacher..

Showcase Concerts – generally for Years 5 and 6, 7 and 8. These are towards the end of each term, and have a
wide variety of School ensembles, choirs etc. playing as well as some soloists. The venue is either the Chapel, or
the West Road Concert Hall (directly opposite the School). The concerts are always varied and impressive when
you bear in mind that the oldest performers are 13, and it is good to hear what other music-making your son and
his peers participate in. Plenty of seats are available at either venue. Be prepared to be there for two hours (with
an interval).

Chamber Music Mornings are held in the spring term – refer to the School Calendar. These informal mornings
give the performers an opportunity to play in front of a small and appreciative audience. A timetable will be up
at the bottom of the Boarding House stairs and is also sent out in the Messenger; all choristers are in at least 1
group. There will be details in the Messenger of timings and venues – make sure you know the name of the
group/s that your son is in as he is unlikely to be individually named.

Form Concerts are held during the summer term. Again refer to the School Calendar for details of when your
son’s form is doing his. For Year 8 you will need to know your son’s ‘adopted’ form. Form Concerts are held in
the School Assembly Hall and give all the children in the form a chance to play on all and any instruments that
they have lessons on. They are very informal. The School’s Director of Music accompanies performers where
necessary. These concerts are really worthwhile going to – you will hear a great variety of styles (and abilities)
and get a feel for how music is celebrated throughout the School at all levels. It is also an opportunity to become
more familiar with other pupils and their parents.

Scholarship Concert near the start of the spring term – see the School Calendar. The performers are the Year
8s who are taking music scholarship exams later in the term and this concert gives them an opportunity to ‘try
out’ one of their pieces for each instrument. It is held in the School Assembly Hall and all are welcome.
26
School Productions
Refer to the School Calendar for dates and timings.




In the summer term Year 4 have a ‘Summer Performance’ in the School Assembly Hall during School hours.
There is usually a Year 5 production in the Michaelmas term and the senior probationers are usually involved in
some way (it is not compulsory), although they are not allowed to sing.
Once the boys are full choristers their time is more limited and they are not free to take part in the senior
production (unless their voices have changed), which involves children from Years 6 to 8 and is held in the
spring.
There is a Year 8 Leavers’ Production at the end of the summer term. All the year 8s will be in this and they tend
to have a lot of fun!
In all cases (except Year 4) these are evening ticketed performances in the School Assembly Hall so get there in good
time if you want the best seats.
Year 6 parent/child DT challenge evening
Held near the start of the autumn term and good fun to take part in! Not all Year 6 chorister parents can attend so if you
can go check to see if you can help by having an ‘honorary son’ for the evening.
Year 8 leavers’ ball
Organised by the parents for all the Year 8s and near the last day of the summer term. The venue is the marquee that is
used the following day for Speech Day.
Extraordinary events
Sometimes one-off events are held at School, often with a fund raising element. These have included ‘King’s got Talent’
and review shows; the choristers are encouraged to take part. Details will be circulated in the Messenger.
Tickets
Some events (some concerts and School productions) are ticketed and details of these will be in the King’s Messenger.
Tickets can be collected from the School office but you can also phone the office to ask for them to be left with Matron
who will put them in the Parents’ letter rack on the first floor landing in the Boarding House. If there is a charge for the
tickets it will be added to your bill.
Parents’ consultations
In Year 4 you will have two opportunities to discuss your son’s progress, one each in the autumn and summer terms. There
is an annual consultation for each of the years from 5 – 8 which is usually held in the Briggs Building. Years 5 and 8 are held
in the autumn term (there is also a year 8 Information Evening earlier in the term) and Years 6 and 7 are in the spring term.
This is one of the few occasions when you will meet parents of the day children, many of whose children’s names you will
have heard of from your son, and can be very informative! Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.
27
Start and end of term services
These are held in Chapel (sufficient seating for all in the Ante-chapel) and are usually about 45 minutes long. Parents are
welcome to both.
Term start
Very few parents go to this service which is held on the first day of term. Queue at the South Door of the Chapel with the
rest of the parents.
Term end
Most children are collected from Chapel afterwards to start their holidays so it does get very busy. Parents queue at the
South Door. Junior and senior probationers can be collected from Chapel or straight after the service back at School. Once
your son is a chorister it is likely that he will be carrying on (tour/recording etc) after the end of term so the House Staff will
look after him if you are unable to come to the service. He will not be singing but may be playing depending on what
music is in the service.
Speech day and summer fair
These are always on the day after the last day of the summer term (Saturday) and the children involved in Speech Day
(Year 5 and above) must be in School from 9.30 ready for the speeches to start at around 10.00am, delivered in a marquee
erected on Lady Grey pitch. Speeches are given and prizes distributed (hopefully your son will have told you in advance if
he is due for a prize). For those who do not go a resume of it all is published in the School’s glossy annual review, the ’Fleur
de Lys’, a copy of which is given to all families at the start of the following term. Seating is restricted so take your place
early if it is important since some parents may have to stand.
The Summer Fair is scheduled to start at 11.00 offering plenty of opportunities to spend your money. As is always the case
at these events, come armed with plenty of change! The PTA will be grateful for your help if you are able to man a stall for
half an hour or so.
28
PRACTICAL MATTERS
Access to School
If you are arriving before 8pm you just need to drive up to the main School gates for them to open automatically. After
8pm you will need to enter a code (this should be given to you by the School).The same code is used to access the School
through the pedestrian gates. The entrances via Grange Road are always only accessible using (different) codes.
There are door codes on the doors to the Boarding House and the Hall/Practice Rooms which are always in operation. The
Housemaster will give these to you – please keep them to yourself.
Parking
Each summer you will be sent a form to complete by the School Bursar to apply for School parking permits (one per car up
to a maximum of three). This does not guarantee a parking space at School and you do not get any preference over the
parents of day children. Trying to bring your car up the drive at the end of School (4 – 4.45) is a nightmare and best
avoided if possible. Outside School hours there tends to be plenty of space at School (Sundays can be fairly busy in the
mornings at 10 – 12.45ish as King’s hosts a Jewish Sunday School). You are not allowed to park in the School grounds in
the morning on School days, and please avoid parking in named spaces, especially the Housemaster's or Deputy
Housemaster's spaces!.
There is metered parking (on weekends too) on West Road and Queen’s Road, and free parking on Herschel, Sylvester and
Adams Roads and other roads in the vicinity moving away from the city centre.
Disabled access and parking
The School has a disabled parking space and there are some on King’s Parade which are the closest spaces to Chapel.
Cambridge city also runs a Shopmobility scheme where you can make use of a mobility scooter for a couple of hours (see
www.shopmobilityuk.org).
Loos
There are two toilets for the use of parents in the Boarding House, one on the first floor landing and the other outside the
Housemaster’s flat. Other parent loos are located in the music block and outside the School assembly hall (along with
disabled facilities).
Financial Assistance
You will already be receiving a scholarship from the College that goes towards you son’s School fees and also covers the
cost of tuition for the piano. The College and School are committed to trying to ensure that financial hardship does not
become a barrier to a suitably qualified boy singing in the Choir. If you do hit difficulties do speak to the Headmaster as
soon as possible.
If you need further assistance other places you can try are The Choir Schools Association, The Ouseley Trust and The
French Huguenots Society. Again, the Headmaster will be happy to give you more information here. In all cases these will
be means tested.
There are also many charities that can give help in the form of loaning instruments (www.benslow.org is one) helping with
the purchase of specific items and covering the cost of e.g. music lessons. Do check locally to see if there are charities that
could help you.
The Shop at King’s
This is on King’s Parade opposite the College entrance, and stocks books, CDs and other King’s memorabilia. You are
entitled to a discount here so mention that you are a chorister parent when paying. They also sell concert tickets but
no discounts with those!
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KING’S COLLEGE CHOIR PARENTS (KCCP)
By the time you are reading this you should have met some of the other chorister families. It is likely that you will form
strong friendships, especially with those families whose boys are in your son’s year.
Often there is no time for more than a fleeting ‘hello’ but there will be occasions, especially when your son is a chorister,
when you spend many an hour killing time with other families while queuing, waiting for broadcasts to start or an
aeroplane to land for example. You are joining a very special support network and over the years you will both find and
then give support as you work your way through being a junior prob to full chorister parent. Chorister parents are invited
to take on one of a number of different roles that help to bring the families together and make things more enjoyable and
efficient. Each year a Social Secretary, Ticket Master, someone to organise Chorister Photos, a Tour Point of Contact and
a Media Collator are appointed.
Social Secretary
Represents the KCCP and, together with the help of the Housemaster, coordinates some of the social events detailed in
the next chapter. Sometimes he/she will organise getting the probationer parents to meet up and at the very least should
be known to all parents as a point of reference. There is a file with details from previous years that is passed on.
Ticket Master
In order to reduce the cost of attending concerts a little, one of the chorister parents takes on the task of liaising with
concert venues to make block bookings on behalf of all the parents. This usually means that a reduction in the ticket price
can be negotiated and also that parents are seated together at the concert hall. In order to do this, tickets have to be
booked some time in advance of the event. You will be contacted by the ticket master and asked to respond within a
certain time frame with the number of tickets you would like. If you miss the deadline then you can always book tickets for
the concert yourself thereafter, but you would probably not be able to take advantage of any discount that had been
negotiated. It is important that you settle any amounts due for tickets promptly since the ticket master will be paying for
the tickets on his or her own credit card. This system covers all UK concerts outside Cambridge.
For overseas tours, parents must make their own arrangements with the venue. The Director of Music’s office will usually
provide details of the booking arrangements on each term’s Changes from Routine.
Chorister Photos
Each year, during October or early November, one of the parents will organise for a set of professional photographs to be
taken of the choristers (this does not include the probationers). Details will be circulated by email. The resulting selection
of six photographs, mostly of your son on his own, is presented in an attractive folder and is ready to be collected in good
time for Christmas with the option to buy more prints. These make excellent family Christmas presents! Full details and a
full example of a sample folder are on the website.
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Media Collator
This person gathers up any news clippings etc. particularly at Christmas. If you are aware of an article, picture, review etc.
of the boys do let them know so details can be forwarded to other parents.
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SOCIAL EVENTS FOR KCCP
Chorister induction for families of all boys
Near the beginning of October the Year 6 choristers are officially admitted to the Choir (usually during the first Sunday
Evensong of the University academic year). This is followed by tea in the School dining room for all and then the
Headmaster hosts a drinks party at his house with the parents providing food for a light supper while the boys wind down
for the evening. This is an opportunity to meet other parents of all the year groups and a good way of putting names to
faces. The KCCP Social Secretary will email details at the start of term.
Advent Sunday
On Advent Sunday (end of November) the families meet for lunch at University Centre (Grad Pad in Mill Lane 15 minute
walk from School, 10 minutes from Chapel). Boarding House Staff, the Director of Music, the Dean and the Chaplain are
also invited. Lunch tends to start at around 12.40 (when the boys get there following an early end to their morning
practice) and goes on until the boys need to leave at 1.45pm. All (including junior and senior probationer families) are
most welcome to this and again it is a chance to socialise. This is followed by a meeting to organise the timetable for
Christmas Eve (see below) and other Christmas bits and pieces which will not be relevant to all junior and some senior
probationer families (although they are always welcome to attend to find out what to expect in future years). Not really
suitable for younger siblings who tend to get very bored! At 4.00 we return to School for tea (where you also view the
chorister photographs that are taken earlier in the term) and then head off to the 6.00 Procession for Advent Service
(some start to queue before 5.00 although there will be seats for all). The KCCP Social Secretary will email details. You
should also be sent tickets by the College for mulled wine and mince pies after the service.
Christmas Eve
In the past few years, there has been reserved seating for two members of each chorister’s family, meaning that you do
not need to queue for this important service. However, this is under review, and so the Dean and/or Housemaster will let
you know the arrangements for this year once they have been decided. Siblings will be invited to go to the afternoon
pantomime at the Arts Theatre, and can join you after the service at the reception mentioned below.This is a popular
alternative for younger children!
Once the service (3.00 – 4.30ish) is over there is a short reception in the College Hall then everyone heads back to the
School for drinks in the Boarding House. Christmas dinner is at 6.30 in the dining room, and then at around 8pm you will
be encouraged to leave so that the boys can prepare their Santa Traps. The evening is always good fun and caters for
everyone. A detailed schedule will be circulated by the KCCP Social Secretary after the Advent Sunday meeting.
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Easter Sunday
This event is organised by the Boarding House and the Housemaster will email an invitation to all the families whose boys
are singing on the day in good time. Lunch (1.15ish – the boys will have their usual practice from 12.00 – 1.00 after the
Eucharist) is provided for chorister families. Bring your own drinks. This is followed by an Easter Egg hunt in the School
grounds for all the children before the croc leaves for Chapel for Evensong. Children are ‘released’ for the hunt in age
order, youngest first, to give them at least a fighting chance to find some chocolate before the ‘old hands’ make a clean
sweep. Your child should not come back empty handed as plenty of chocolate is out there!
End of term barbecue
This is always on the final Sunday of the Choir’s term and is hosted at School (this will be the same weekend as Speech
Day and the School end of term). All choristers and usually all the senior probationers together with their families are
invited. Again you will be sent details by email in good time.
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A PERSONAL VIEWPOINT YEAR BY YEAR
As parents we all have differing expectations and approaches when parenting a King’s Chorister. The ‘survival guides’
below are written by individual parents and offer subjective views which are by no means typical but may give an idea of
what you could experience over the next few years.
Survival guide for a year 4 chorister parent
‘Just who are these people and what hallowed lives do they lead?’ we marvelled as we filed past the Vestry and its cluster of
well assured parents and bodyguards following Easter Morning Eucharist a few years ago. Well, we found out, yes we
found out.
The allure: If you could cite your Top Ten Holy Experiences, surely King’s would tower there... in the darkness of the night
before Christmas toasting your toes on the under floor heating at the back of the Chapel/ looking upwards into the
vaulted heavens/ hearing the building resonate eternity from somewhere out there beyond Saturn; the experience is
otherworldly. Better still, if five year old son is snuggling up dozy and you dream one day he might be dressed in crimson
while the dying light heralds the Incarnation and a hundred million expats gather with you the other side of the red light. I
was one of those, thirty years ago in Alexandria. Oh that we were there.
The audition: That’s the joyride but what’s life like in the garage? It’s a smooth and sensitive machine, designed to carry
your little boy from all the irksome nagging of home life into a new existence of self-discipline and quality family time.
When we learnt initially all choristers needed to be boarders, we wrote King’s off. But the calling persevered; the setting
free of doves; the giving back to God. Increasingly, we found ourselves troubled by the aweful prospect of denying our son
this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
We needed to make as sure (as sure as you can) we weren’t projecting our own exhilarations misguidedly on them. We
tried to imagine their absence at home and how it would turn our clocks back eight years to when we were just a couple.
We attempted to get over the shock of their acceptance and prepare for glory. It’s nice getting into heaven but what
about those who are left?
The transition: Thus began our transition to Cambridge. We live a couple of hours away so we wanted the boys to feel
Cambridge was their new home. Over the months following the good news, we made sure we spent as many weekends as
possible in Cambridge and at Chapel (occasionally) so they grew used to our presence there. Throughout the eight months
of waiting we, and the boys, were made to feel absolutely at home. There were a number of social occasions to which we
were all invited. We met a variety of parents from the School and most seemed normal, as they still do. Goodness knows
what they thought about us. The ‘Taster’ Sunday/ Monday in June was a blast even if it did cost Matron a few hours’ sleep.
The farewell: The Day arrives. Bye bye. It’s all over in a flash. We have given them up to a plainly unbeatable team with its
Gap Students (and why they want to study Gaps we do not know) and the list goes on. We spend a few minutes helping
them settle into the Dorm, give them a hug, then disappear without ceremony.
The point is, we have/ you have/ offered them up. You trust these people to do their best for your children. You are
relieved the days of coercion and nagging at Junior School are largely to be transformed, you hope, into self-motivation.
You are looking forward to the weekend when you will embrace them once more and ask eagerly what they have done
and how much they have enjoyed their new existence independently of you. And they will be offhand or affable and will
tell you in their own time. And you will know they have survived apart from you and you can start missing them not
missing you very much.
The settling in: Reality kicks in. The way they make friends naturally and do their studies and play an hour’s football on
the floodlit astroturf if they feel like it and get told off for talking after lights out and learn rugby and drama and perfect
fifths and go to bed with muddy knees and start to use naughty words they need to learn are not acceptable and plunge
themselves into the enormous other topics King’s offers them. The excellence of teaching. The fingers on the pulse.
The amusing stories of the Organ Scholars, the gentle guidance towards their Senior School – it is wonderful to know you
have set them free to do these things. (We have also much appreciated the kind hospitality of other Chorister parents.
Without exception, they have been warm and informative, as have been all the people in the Boarding House. You are
bungee harnesses).
The first year: We are writing this at Easter, so we are able only to summarise eight months’ experience. No doubt
everybody copes differently. For ourselves, we flew through Christmas and the early spring excitedly. Oddly in mid
February, we felt empty, all of a sudden. It was difficult to explain, just a feeling of coming down to earth for the first time.
We felt quite sad, knowing they were happy. Mid April, we are getting nearer a move to Cambridge so we can immerse
ourselves more fully in these few amazing years, though not to intrude into the flow of our Choristers’ lives. Letting go is
an odd thing.
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And the future? Don’t worry; be happy. Heaven will come to earth too soon for your Chorister. May his voice change right
on time at the end of year 8 and may he dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
Year 5
One year down and your trainee Chorister is definitely ready to join the older boys and take his place in the Choir proper.
He has, after all, been preparing for this for the whole of year 4. As a parent it is all very exciting too and there will be
plenty of poring over the Senior Probationer Rota: where is he going to go on tour, which of the ‘big’ services is he
singing in, will he be on the telly etc.etc.? It does seem to be true that the service, tour and concert participation is shared
out in a completely balanced way but that does not stop the seemingly endless speculation from all and sundry that it
must be significant that so and so has been chosen to sing for this or that. One soon learns to play it all down otherwise it
gets very wearing!
Your son will get very tired as he gets used to the heavy workload (it is at times like this that you are grateful for the way
that King’s gradually integrates them into the Choir). Be prepared for him to come back for the holidays and to spend at
least the first couple of days catching up on sleep, recharging batteries and possibly having a bit of a moan. If you have
been doing nothing but singing carols for what seems like an eternity what else do you expect?
Whereas last year you knew that your son was home every weekend you now have to get your head round what
approximates to one weekend on, one off (not quite as regular as that) during the University Term plus the other Choir
commitments including those at Christmas and Easter. It is now that the harsh reality of what you have signed up to
reveals itself as family celebrations have to fit round the Choir for the next four years.
Some means of keeping track of family comings and goings is now absolutely essential – if it wasn’t before – a wall chart,
big diary or whatever works for you as well as open channels of communication may save a life not to mention keep the
stress at acceptable levels. Do refer to the Changes to Routine document, Senior Probationer rota, King’s Messenger
and Noggin's Notes all of which are very helpful and can give you advance warning of events on the horizon. Don’t be
afraid to enquire about arrangements that do not seem entirely clear – you are almost certainly not alone and your
enquiry may well prompt a helpful communication and avoid someone else suffering later. It can be frustrating when
trying to make advance commitments as the Senior Probationer Rota is circulated near the start of each term. However,
if you are aware of something special coming up do let the Housemaster know – our experience has been that she will try
to arrange the rota to fit around you if it is at all possible. It is not at all uncommon, especially in the summer term, for the
senior probationers to suddenly have to take on more singing as older boys’ voices change. Again, when we have asked,
the Director of Music and Housemaster are as flexible as they can be if this causes difficulties with your arrangements.
Siblings often find it difficult to cope with their life having to apparently take second place to their brother’s Choir
commitments. They may find it hard to understand and not be drawn to Cambridge and all it has to offer in quite the
same way as you are. Give them time and space and remember that they need support and commitment from you too.
They may come to appreciate the good shopping and a chilled time in Chapel. You will need to find the right balance to
suit your family circumstances but Cambridge and the surrounding area are blessed with attractions for all ages.
It is very special when your son sings in his first services and you will almost certainly want to go along as often as you can
to support him. Do make yourself known to the clergy who will be just inside as you walk in and any of the vergers who
show people to their seats and remember that you are entitled to sit in the KCCP seats near the Choir. If you can, check
which side your son is sitting on so that you get on the opposite side and have a chance to see him during the service. Be
prepared for him to be swapping over on a regular basis! Due to the (relatively) short notice that you may get about his
concert schedule you may have missed the boat for purchasing tickets through the KCCP ‘Ticket Master’ even though you
should have been included in the initial ticket enquiry for the concert. Don’t assume that you will be able to get them on
the door – very rare with concerts involving King’s which are frequently sold out – so make enquiries as soon as you know
your son is singing. Just occasionally senior prob families may be overlooked from the allocation for tickets for the
ticketed services. If your son is singing and you have not received tickets do check with the Dean’s office.
Some parents will also go to see their boys sing while they are on tour and usually families get together at some point
while they are abroad to share each other’s company and sample the local delights! You will get to know more of the
other parents and also become familiar with the boys whose names your son will have been mentioning for a while.
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You will start to feel much more a part of the KCCP ‘family’ as you spend more time in Chapel, at concerts, at the foot of
Boarding House stairs (!) and come along to more of the social events. The fantastic journey has well and truly begun!
Year 6
On entering year 6 the boys will, in the normal course of things (in other words, where they have completed their period
of probation), be full choristers. They are now required to board full time, attend full chorister practice, sing at every
service and participate in concerts and tours. They will wear their Etons rather than school blazer when they join the croc.
Having been probationers for two years, they will be ready to meet the challenges and, despite not going home for
weekends, embrace their newfound status and responsibilities.
The boys are no longer comparing how many services or tours they have done nor is there the question of who is singing
at services at Christmas or Easter. The year is much simpler now the full year 6 cohort is in residence at weekends and fully
committed. The added status of being a chorister, and the companionship of the whole year and indeed the Choir, helps
the boys settle into the new routine in a more relaxed and confident way. They are now working as a team both in the
Choir and in the Boarding House and they have the opportunity to thrive as a group (differing personalities allowing).
Probably the most significant event for year 6 boys and their families is the Induction Service at which the boys are
admitted as full choristers. This marks their transition from probationer to chorister and takes place during Evensong on
the first Sunday of the University term, at the beginning of October. The boys are given their brand new top hats to carry
to the service and then proudly wear them on the return to School afterwards. Having been measured up for these hats in
year 4, it is a matter of great concern and excitement as to whether they actually fit (usually they feel a bit tight as they
have the potential to stretch!).
The Induction Service is a special occasion for year 6 families and you are welcome to bring grandparents, friends and
other family along. After the service, there is afternoon tea in School to which you may bring any guests. Choir parents
(but not their guests at this point) are then invited to the Headmaster’s House for drinks and eats (each family provides
something). Siblings have supper with the boys at School and the whole evening is a pleasant way to mark the beginning
of the Choir year. The evening ends at around 8.30 when bedtime for the probs begins.
Since the Choir is required to sing at all services during the University Term, you should expect for both weekends of half
term to be spent at School. Half term will generally start after Evensong on Sunday and the boys will need to be back on
Friday, giving them a break of a few days rather than a full week. Equally they may be home for some of the weekends at
the beginning and end of School terms that fall outside the University term, unless they are off touring on those
weekends. Matron will give the boys a packing list for tours and will help them pack; they soon become proficient at
packing up their cases and rucksacks with all necessary gadgets. They can be significantly less proficient at unpacking at
the end of a tour and it is sometimes worthwhile checking their rucksacks for sandwiches, water bottles etc. squashed in
at the bottom of the bag! Don’t forget they will need travel plugs when going abroad. Refer to ‘Tours, concerts, recordings
and broadcasts’ for more information.
During year 6, if you haven’t already done so, you should start thinking about future schools, in particular boarding
schools, which require early registration. See ‘Future schooling’.
Year 6 can be a time for concerns about academic performance since, as the boys are fully involved in the Choir, they have
less time and energy for their schoolwork. Since they no longer come home at weekends it is now entirely up to them to
manage their preps and ensure they get their work done. Some parents like to come to School at weekends and on
Wednesday afternoons in order to help the boys with their academic work. If you are ever concerned about academic
work you should ensure the Housemaster and your son’s Tutor are aware. They can help to provide the necessary support
and reassurance in the Boarding House.
Although at times the demands of Choir, School and extra-curricular life can seem so much to deal with, once internal
tests are out of the way the boys can look forward to enjoying the longer summer evenings with their swims, cricket and
weekly barbeques.
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Year 7 for many is the “golden year”
By now both you and your son will understand the system, have experienced the routine, and have mastered many of the
musical requirements. The boys will be playing a more leading part in the Choir, in the semi chorus and singing solos, and
will feel a greater sense of responsibility. In the Boarding House they get access to the SCR, and will also be taking a more
senior role among the younger boys.
With all that, they will be beginning to feel the weightier side of seniority, as there are fewer older boys above them to
show them the lead. You may notice your son becoming more focused as a result of this, and perhaps a little more
independent and prepared to sort out any issues in the house for himself.
Year 7 is also a time for hunkering down and working hard. The boys (and their parents!) are not yet feeling the immediate
entry exam pressures of year 8, but are likely to know which school or schools they are going to and be very aware of what
the boys currently in year 8 are going through and what awaits them. They will also typically be taking music exams in the
higher grades, and welcome their parents’ support in these.
Parents may well also be taking on a job within the KCCP family now that they know the ropes, and many will be
beginning to reflect on the thought that there will only be one more cycle of the annual routine before their time with the
Choir draws to a close.
Year 8
In the Choir the boys are now experienced choristers. They know the repertoire and, although they may not be aware of it,
they have developed an attitude to performing which is quite professional. Often, in just a handful of practices, they learn
items that other Choirs would take many months to perfect. As parents, you are constantly amazed that these 12- and 13year-old boys can assimilate the most complex of music within hours to produce such polished performances. Those small
boys, selected initially for their musicality and potential, have emerged as highly trained choral singers.
In King’s College Choir (KCC), boys may begin to sing solos in year 7 and year 8. On the whole, they seem to want to be
chosen for solos, but may be extremely nervous at first. It is probably just as well that practice time is limited, leaving little
opportunity for nerves to get the better of them. As members of the Choir they just get on with it and perform to the best
of their ability: in any case, the Director of Music will not choose a boy unless he has every confidence in him.
Weekday Chapel services, with smaller congregations, tend to be the testing ground for new soloists. There will be times
when your son will tell you excitedly down the phone that he is doing a “solo” at Evensong, so could you please be there to
hear. You then re-arrange all your plans and sit in your pew expectantly, only to hear at least four boys’ voices singing
together, through which you are very hard pressed to make out your own boy’s voice. When he asks you what you
thought of his solo and you tell him that it was lovely but more like a quartet he will insist that it was a SOLO! I have never
quite understood the many-voiced solo, but for a boy on his first foray into ‘solo’ singing it is tremendously exciting. Of
course, choristers spend most of their time not as soloists but as choral singers, joining their voices with others. For me,
one of the exquisite qualities of KCC, which sets it apart from many other Choirs, is the one-ness of the treble voices. Most
of the time they blend together beautifully and, as the boys are not striving to outdo each other, you do not tend to hear
one voice above the others. Important though soloists are in some parts of the repertoire, the quality of this Choir rests on
accurate and sensitive ensemble singing.
The choristers spend a great deal of time in the company of the Choral scholars, with whom they have to work very
closely. Some of the Choral scholars are barely five years older than the year 8 choristers; usually, a significant number are
ex-choristers, and so have considerable respect, not to say sympathy, for their young colleagues. For their part, the
choristers appreciate the musicianship and occasional anarchy of the students, their role models. Some of the current
crop of choristers may also make their way back to KCC in due course.
Responsibilities. The older boys in the Choir are given the responsibility of looking after probationers, guiding them
through the music, services, concert performances and tours, and generally keep them in line. Occasionally, year 8
choristers struggling to control particularly naughty probationers during Choir practice may themselves be reprimanded
for not paying attention! Unfair? Possibly, but a useful and formative experience.
In School, the older boys may volunteer to be “buddies”, assisting younger children and lending a sympathetic, listening
ear. Sometimes, choristers are asked to assist the pre-prep teachers in music classes, demonstrating their musical
instruments, or helping the class to compose a piece of music. These roles engender a sense of seniority and responsibility
within the School, as well as being quite satisfying and often great fun.
In the Boarding House, year 8 boys are afforded the occasional privilege. With the consent of their parents, boarders are
allowed to walk into Cambridge, unsupervised, on their free afternoons. They are not allowed out alone, nor in large
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groups, but in the company of one or two friends. There is no doubt that the boys appreciate the freedom to escape the
sometimes-claustrophobic atmosphere of the Boarding House for an hour or so each week.
Parents may feel anxious at first, but the boys just seem to enjoy mooching about the city centre, in and out of sweet
shops mainly, with occasional forays into computer game stores. Inevitably, parents will be asked to subsidise these trips
into town … “Please can I just have £2 for … [something very sweet and/or fizzy]”. Freedom obviously comes at a price!
Repeating a year
It is fairly common that choristers born in late July or August will repeat either Year 7 or Year 8. In exceptional
circumstances, choristers born earlier in the year may be given the option of repeating if this is likely to be of benefit to
them.
The decision as to which year to repeat is likely to be based on academic rather than musical factors. It may be better for
some boys to repeat and consolidate Year 7, while others may benefit more from moving into Year 8 with their original
cohort. The School has various strategies for motivating and engaging pupils repeating Year 8. The boy already in the
Alpha (scholarship) set may be given extension work, such as projects, and be encouraged to concentrate on his weaker
subject areas. He will not sit his scholarship exams until the second year. The boy originally in a Common Entrance set, on
the other hand, may sit the CE exam in both years, the first attempt being a trial run that is marked internally at KCS.
Depending on his exam performance first time round, he may be elevated to the scholarship class for some subjects the
following year. Pupils may also be excused from repeating certain work, such as set projects, if their first attempt is up to
CE standard. This approach discourages boys from wasting time in their “first” Year 8.
Perhaps even more important than academic development, for boys who were young in their original year group, is the
physical and social development that takes place during the extra year. Choristers who were small for their original year
group, and who perhaps had a hard time during games, may find themselves comparatively larger and stronger and
enjoying rugby for the first time, much to their own surprise! They will also often be happier and more relaxed in their new
class than in their original cohort and in the Choir may take pride in being looked up to by the younger choristers. I am told
that the added confidence goes with them to their senior schools.
Senior school
Long before your son is due to leave KCS, you will probably have found out that, if you want him to build on the musical
training he has received as a chorister, one of the best options is for him to continue in independent education. You will no
doubt have discovered that the few state schools that offer a high standard of music education are so heavily
oversubscribed that your son may not be able to gain entry until sixth form.
So, having accepted this reality, by the time your son reaches year 8, you will probably have narrowed the choice of senior
school down to one or two options. During the course of the year (if you haven’t already done so) you will make your final
application to a public school, pay a deposit and even choose a boarding house, in the optimistic hope that you will be able
to find the money to pay for it all when the time comes. Music, academic and other scholarship awards vary in value from
school to school, ranging from a modest but helpful 10% of fees right up to 100%. You may, therefore, wish to apply for a
bursary to top up any scholarship award. Be aware that you must be prepared to bare your financial all, with documentary
evidence, in order to secure a bursary. There can be other funding sources available and it might be advisable to ask
individual schools about this. Carrying out the research yourself can be very time-consuming.
Music scholarships
In many cases, KCC Choristers gain music awards to their chosen senior school. Thanks to KCC, choristers are used to hard
work and the public schools know that the boys will probably benefit from the musical opportunities they have to offer,
even if they subsequently choose a completely different career path.
Directors of Music at public schools sometimes pre-audition applicants at least once in the 12–18 months preceding
scholarship auditions, in order to assess rates of progress and musical potential as well as performance on the
examination day. This may be a particularly useful and informative process where a boy has been a late entrant into KCC
and may not have achieved the ABRSM grades of his peers. A pre-audition is also an opportunity for your son to make his
own assessment of the school and, in particular, the music department and the director of music: a director of music can
be an important and influential figure in your son’s life, so it is quite important that they hit it off.
Please note, though, that many senior schools will not allow applicants who repeat a year to audition for music
scholarships in their final year in Prep School. Most will insist that boys audition at the same time as their original year
group, even if their entrance to the school is deferred by a year. If you feel that your son is a special case, (e.g. a late
entrant into the Choir), then ascertain as soon as possible from the schools whether they will allow the scholarship exam
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to be taken a year later than normal. Through discussing the issue with staff at KCS, and with the directors of music of
your short-listed schools, it will quickly become apparent which schools have the flexibility to accommodate your
situation and which do not.
It is up to parents to make sure that completed scholarship applications are with the staff at KCS in good time. Be aware
of what the senior school requires in terms of preparation, but also rest assured that staff and instrumental teachers at
KCS are experienced in guiding the boys through this process. Your son will be advised to compile a CV of his repertoire
and musical experience, which will probably bring it home to him just how much he has achieved at KCS. This revelation in
itself can build confidence.
Other scholarships
Some boys are also gifted academically, or in the fields of sport, drama, art etc. or may be strong contenders for allrounder awards. This means that in year 8 some will have to face the ordeal of other scholarship exams as well as the
music auditions. Some boarding schools, for example, require that applicants board with them for several days while they
sit the exams. Fortunately, attendance at examinations is one of the few activities for which a chorister is permitted to be
absent from Choir.
Change of voice
Whether it is a surprise and a shock when it happens, or whether it has been expected for a while, the life of a chorister
changes greatly with his voice. At KCC, they do not, as in some choirs, sink gently through alto into tenor and beyond:
boys leave the Choir as soon as they are no longer able to sing as trebles. Although they retain their places in the School
they become weekly boarders and their involvement in the Chapel changes. They are not longer required to come to
every service, but they may choose to, and in the past boys have taken on roles as acolyte and Lesson readers. Exchoristers are encouraged to continue singing in the mixed School choirs, thus enabling them to spend more time in the
company of girls, an added bonus for the 13-year-old boy. Boys are also able to play a greater part in School sports and
become fitter as a result; and all ex-choristers appreciate being able to spend more time at home.
Moving on
By the time boys reach Year 8 they have shown themselves able to cope with the rigours of chorister life and are well used
to the routine. However, after three years or so as full choristers they are usually ready to move on and look forward to a
life less dominated by KCC.
When boys finally start at their senior schools, most are relieved to put behind them the heavy workload of a chorister, but
pretty soon start to complain about the much higher academic workload that is put upon them at the new place. Yet
another valuable life lesson – you cannot win!
39
GOING THROUGH THE VOICE CHANGE
Just as all those years of training and experience are coming to fruition in their final year in the Choir your son’s voice may
go, break, or ‘change’ if we are being PC. This is not what was supposed to happen. He was meant to sing like an angel
until after the summer tour with the Choir, then put on a growth spurt ready to start at his new school 6” taller with a
gorgeous baritone timbre.
For some it can all come on rather suddenly and with others you and he will have been aware for some time that those
high notes (you know the ones: that solo in the Allegri ‘Miserere’, the fabulous ‘Gloria’ in Howells ‘Col Reg’….) were
proving difficult if not impossible to reach. It is a bittersweet time for you and for your son – a major change to what, let us
be honest, has been his way of life for a very significant proportion of his childhood. Some boys, particularly the sportier
ones, sometimes almost ‘will’ their voices to change straight after Easter in time for the cricket season. Nurturing the
country’s next all-rounder though is not always going to be plain sailing.
Leaving the Choir, for him, is almost like bereavement, and you too will be feeling that it is the end of an era. The School
‘celebration’, with his own tea party after his final service as a treble, is good at marking the moment of moving on. The
nature of the beast is that you, and the School, are now left with a young man full of simmering hormones with more time
on his hands than he has been used to. Bear in mind that the School has been through this process many times before,
even though your son has not, and is very good at involving him in musical and other performance events that the
choristers are unable to do as well as keeping him occupied in other ways. You and the whole family need to be there to
provide support.
Your weekends will go back to the junior probationer Friday evening, Sunday evening pick up and collect routine (just
don’t think about the fuel costs you long distance parents) and it will be lovely to have him back home so frequently.
Hopefully your debating skills are up to the mark as, now that he is back in a less structured environment, they could well
be exercised over the merits and otherwise of prep, music practices and other ‘unreasonable’ demands that you may
make on him. It goes without saying that family dynamics may well need to adjust.
He will miss the Choir and all that it brings even if he won’t admit it at this stage, but he will also enjoy the many positives
now on offer. One of the big perks for the weekly boarders in year 8 is that they can go into town in the evenings – great
to buy sweets and then try to sneak them back past Matron (don’t be fooled, Matron knows most of the tricks!). During
Activity Week in the Summer Term of the final year there is the camaraderie of the Normandy/Paris Experience that the
choristers find it tough to miss out on and he can now go on after all. From a parent’s point of view he will also have more
time to work towards academic exams or Common Entrance.
Your little boy’s voice has gone forever and he is growing up fast. The young person that comes home with you on Friday
evening has been very much shaped by his time as a treble and it will be a time that he, and you, will never forget. Perhaps
the Choir experience has ended slightly sooner than you both expected but it will have been a good one – why else would
so many of the Choral Scholars each year return having already done their stint in the front row?
40
THE THOUGHTS OF A FORMER CHORISTER, 4
YEARS ON...
It was only when I arrived at secondary school and was suddenly faced with a considerably less rigidly-defined schedule
that I began to appreciate just how remarkable a preparation for life a choristership at King’s really is.
From an early age, the sizeable time commitment which singing for the Choir entails forces choristers to manage their
time efficiently. It was the solid grounding in personal organisation gained at King's which allowed me to settle in to my
new school so quickly, and which continues to allow me to fit as much into the day as possible, as I had the necessary
confidence in the face of increased independence and sufficient practice at juggling various activities to arrange my own
day and so not simply waste it all.
I have also found that my experiences at King’s still affect my approach to both work and music. The level of detail at
which the choristers work, particularly regarding Christmas and tour repertoire, is rarely matched at secondary school and
so is in itself a wonderful opportunity. It also, however, helped improve my concentration and personal discipline, as well
as giving me many invaluable practice techniques that I still use today.
Perhaps more obviously, the Choir fosters a genuine love for music: regardless of whether they become professional
musicians or not, music will always play a very special part in the ex-choristers’ lives. By the age of 13, I had already
travelled all over the globe, from America to Korea; performed to huge audiences in some of the best concert halls in the
world with some of the best ensembles in the world; and been exposed to the greatest choral tradition and music in
existence. These experiences are in themselves phenomenal, and I will of course remember them forever.
What I will remember most fondly about the Choir, however, is not this more glamorous side, but rather the people I met
and the daily opportunity to sing in the Chapel. Over five years, you build a very strong friendship with the other choristers
in your year in particular, and those are friendships that largely continue (or have so far!). You also develop a relationship
with Mr Cleobury and the organ and choral scholars: the opportunity to sing with these remarkable musicians is yet
another feature of my time at King’s I will look back on gladly. The Chapel is of course magnificent, and it is perhaps all too
easy to become accustomed to it, but the feeling I got whenever we sang there will never go away, and, to be honest, I
have never recaptured it since.
41
COLLEGE AND CHAPEL PLANS
Chapel Plan
N
S
Seats
KCCP reserved
seating
Cantoris
Chaplain’s seat
Decani
Organ Screen
Choir vestry
Chapel Office
South Door
North Door
West Door
Dean’s seat
42
UNIVERSITY TERM DATES AND
DESCRIPTIONS
Academic Year
1 October to 30 September
Terms
Michaelmas (Oct-Dec), Lent (Jan-Mar), Easter (Apr-Jun)
Full Term
an 8-9 week period during which University lectures are held and undergraduates
are required to be in Cambridge; starts on a Tuesday 1-2 weeks after the start of
Term
Term
the period including the week before and the week following Full Term.
Michaelmas Term runs 11 weeks from 1 October to 19 December; Lent Term 11
weeks from 5 January to 24/25 March; Easter 10 weeks from 17 April to 25 June
Long Vacation Term
The period of up to 4 weeks from about mid-July to the end of August during which
some students come up for extra studying(though NB Chapel services take place
only during the first 2 weeks of July)
43
GLOSSARY
ABRSM
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Music examining board for theory
and practical exams.
A capella
Singing without instrumental accompaniment.
Noggin’s Notes
Boarding house newsletter from the Housemaster and her dog. Emailed weekly for
information.
Boat
Small metal container for incense.
Boat boy
Junior assistant who helps the Thurifer and carries the ‘boat’.
Cantor
The person who leads the singing in the service.
Can (Cantoris)
Side of the Choir that sits on the north (same side as the Cantor).
Changes to routine
A document sent out at the start of each academic year by the Director of Music’s
office (updated when necessary) detailing the Choir’s commitments over the year
(and beyond).
Choral scholar
Gentleman of the Choir. Most choral scholars are undergraduates of King’s
College.
Chori practice
The choristers’ singing practice, sometimes including senior and junior
probationers. Takes place either at school (Mon-Sat mornings) or in Chapel
(afternoons and Sunday morning).
Chorister
Boy members of the Choir singing the treble line.
Conduct
School sanctions.
Croc/‘Crocodile’
The walk between Chapel and school by the choristers.
CUMS
Cambridge University Music Society.
Dec (Decani)
Side of the Choir that sits on the south (same side as the Dean).
Etons
The choristers’ uniform.
Eucharist
Communion service – administration of bread and wine.
Evensong
Evening service (at 5.30 or 3.30 depending on the day) from the Book of Common
Prayer.
Foundation concert
Concert in March celebrating the foundation of the College. The forces of former
choir members swell the Choir.
Gaps/Gappers
The Gap year students who come to help at the school for one academic year.
They sometimes live on the premises.
Introit
Piece of music right at the start of a service.
JCR
Junior common room.
Junior Prob(ationer)
First year as a trainee chorister (year 4).
King’s Messenger
Weekly School newsletter emailed every Friday during term time.
King’s Voices
The mixed voices Choir of King’s College.
KCCP
King's College Chorister Parent.
Little tea
Drink and a snack provided after school lessons end
Long vacation term
Three weeks at the end of the academic year.
May week
A period of about ten days that marks the end of the University’s exams – always in
June.
Men’s voices
A choir composed of the adult members of the Choir.
44
Merit
The school’s reward system for good work and deeds.
Messenger
See King’s Messenger.
Noggin
The Boarding House dog.
Organ scholar
King’s has a senior and junior organ scholar who play the organ for the services,
support the Choir’s Director of Music in rehearsing the choristers, and contribute to
the musical life of the College and choir in other ways.
Prep
1. Homework.
2. A set time in the early evening/Saturday morning to do prep.
Prob (ationer)
Trainee chorister.
Provost
The Head of the College.
PSHE
Personal, Social and Health Education. PSHE lessons are part of the curriculum.
SCR
Senior common room.
Senior Prob(ationer)
2 year as a trainee chorister (usually year 5).
Semi (chorus)
Small group of singers used where the music does not call for the forces of the full
choir.
St Martin’s
Classroom block for junior school.
Thurifer
The person who disperses incense during the service.
nd
45
WHO’S WHO
See the School and King’s College websites for a more comprehensive list. These are the people who you and your son are
most likely to come into contact with, or whose names you may wish to be familiar with.
Choir
Director of Music
Master over the Choristers
Director of Music’s Personal Assistant
Administrative Assistant
Organ Scholars
Vocal Coach
Mr Stephen Cleobury
Mr Nicholas Robinson (School Headmaster)
Ms Caroline Walker
Mrs Margaret Hebden
Mr Richard Gowers
Ms Lynn Alcantara
College and Chapel
Provost
Dean
Chaplain
Chapel Administrator
Professor Michael Proctor
The Reverend Dr Stephen Cherry
The Reverend Andrew Hammond
Mr Ian Griffiths
School
Headmaster
Housemaster
Housemaster’s Husband
Deputy Housemaster
Boarding House Administrator
Matrons
Director of Music
Year 4 Form Teacher
Year 7 Form Tutor
Year 8 Form Tutor
Deputy Head – Academic
Deputy Head – Pastoral
Mr Nicholas Robinson
Mrs Jill Etheridge (Puv)
Mr Martin Etheridge
Miss Kelly Kane
Mrs Lisa Bailey
Mrs Andi Williams (Senior Matron)
Mrs Eeva Stewartl
Mr Michael Stevenson
Mr Colin Dely
Mrs Jill Etheridge
Mr Tom Hales
Mr Tom Hales
Mrs Karen Richardson
Parents' Association chair and year representatives – Refer to the school website for details.
46
USEFUL NUMBERS AND WEBSITES
Choir office
[email protected]
College website
www.kings.cam.ac.uk
Dean’s office
[email protected]
Headmaster
[email protected]
Housemaster
[email protected]
01223 803923 / 07539 119094
Boarding House Administrator
[email protected]
John Lewis (School uniform)
01223 361292
Miller’s Music Centre/Ken Stevens
01223 354452
Matrons
[email protected]
School office
01223 365814
Email: [email protected]
School staff
initial, surname followed by @kcs.cambs.sch.uk
e.g. Jill Etheridge: [email protected]
School website
www.kcs.cambs.sch.uk
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter
King’s College Choir
@choirofkingscam
King’s College Music List
@kingsmusiclist
Facebook
King’s College Choir
www.facebook.com/KingsCollegeChoir