Cathedral IOM choristers are recruiting. A fun and exciting hobby for children who are interested in music and singing. Children get to spend time with others with similar interests and learn about music and singing. It instils the importance of leadership, friendship and teamwork with the opportunity to gain academic credits for later in life.
One ex-cathedral chorister Jess became so passionate about singing that she applied to join Durham Cathedral Choristers and was accepted. Her mother Tracey Quigley gave us an account of her daughter’s journey.
‘My daughter loved singing and we saw an advert in a magazine recruiting children to St German’s Cathedral, and met Dr Peter Litman, the Director of Music, who was re-founding the Cathedral Choir. Jess looked forward to singing at the Cathedral, she came alive when singing the choral music. She was fortunate to receive the Pilling Trust Choristership which meant that she received one on one vocal tuition from the Cathedral singing coach. The more she learnt the more she wanted to sing and she embarked on the RCSM scheme ‘Voice for Life’. Jess then got to sing at a number of local high profile events, such as singing for HRH The Princess Royal and recording for the BBC Songs of Praise.
Jess asked to look into attending a chorister school in the UK and we applied to The Chorister School at Durham Cathedral. I got a phone call from Jess, she told me she had got in and that I needed to send a letter to her current school to tell them she was leaving! Now I was starting to panic, I hadn’t expected this at all, everything was moving too fast!
Two years on and life is very different. I have an eleven year old daughter who is becoming more and more independent and resilient. Jess has a full and rewarding life. Watching Jess singing with the Cathedral Choir never fails to move me to tears, I just have to look at her face while she is singing and I know this is absolutely the best decision for Jess’ future that I could have made. She has the same passion and the same drive which was all nurtured and developed at our own island Cathedral.’
If your child is aged 7-12 years and is interested in joining the IOM Cathedral Choristers please contact Dr Peter Litman by emailing music@cathedral.im or call 226356.
