Are you a prospective student with a sensational singing voice, a tremendous tenor, an outstanding alto, or a current student looking to soar to new musical heights? The Cambridge choral system can seem baffling with its ancient traditions, obscure Latin singing, male-only choir, s and multi-stage application process, and is thus often the preserve of private schools, much to the disadvantage of Cambridge’s choral scene as applications for choral scholarships have declined in recent years.

This is a shame since being in a college choir has so much to offer. Since joining Peterhouse Choir in October, I have had the opportunity to get to know so many lovely people and sing incredible music, from Welsh psalms to Norwegian carols. I have sung for a CD, have received free singing lessons, countless free meals, and will soon go on tour to Europe, where we will sing on Czech TV!

“The Cambridge choral system can seem baffling with its ancient traditions, obscure Latin singing, male-only choirs and multi-stage application process”.

You do not need to come from an ancient private school or cathedral choir to flourish in choir, all you need is a passion for singing and a good instinct for music. Varsity is here to demystify the process with a quick guide to Cambridge’s chapel choirs.

With open days coming up, if you are keen to join a Cambridge choir, it is worth keeping that in mind in terms of your college choice. Applications for choral scholarships take place in early spring but you have to give first preference to your own college choir.

The application system works on a ranked-choice basis, with your academic college at the top. You choose between the option to transfer your academic place if you get selected by another college or ‘volunteering’: receiving all the benefits of Choral Award-holder except the financial stipend and remain at your college.

You begin by sending a pre-recorded performance of an own-choice song. This is followed by Choral Trials in March, where you audition in front of Directors of Music and Organ Scholars from your preference list. In my experience, the audition was quite short and the Directors of Music very friendly, so nothing to be afraid of. You sing an unaccompanied folk song followed by a range test, a couple of aural tests (exercises to test your musical instincts), and a short bit of sight reading. This is usually followed by a brief audition at your second choice college after which you hear the results a few days later.

“I am so grateful to have been rescued from the pool by Peterhouse; it has meant that I have found another amazing community in Cambridge”

Unlike the academic application, the choral one is not at all cut-throat; every college wants to make sure that the Cambridge choral scene thrives. This means that even if you feel your audition hasn’t gone especially well, you will probably end up in the right place for you. I did not end up at my first choice college, but I am so grateful to have been rescued from the pool by Peterhouse; it has meant that I have found another amazing community in Cambridge.

Every college choir is different, with its own traditions but almost all choirs demand a significant commitment with multiple rehearsals and at least one service a week. This commitment is, however, rewarded; in addition to the around £100 a year Choral Award, at Peterhouse, we get three free formals a week, on top of termly six-course feats.

However, if you are keen to explore the other activities on offer to you during your time at Cambridge (like writing for Varsity), it may be worth steering clear of applying to certain colleges like King’s, Jesus and John’s which have very high commitments (between four and six a week). Homerton, Downing and Churchill, by contrast, only have one service a week.

If this all sounds like a bit too much for you there are so many singing opportunities on offer in Cambridge, some colleges have non-audition choirs like The Trinity Singers and Emmanuel Chorus, and there are countless a capella and jazz groups scattered across the city.

Don’t let the convoluted application put you off, Cambridge choirs are such special communities. One highlight for me was the freezing cold choir dip in Jesus Green Lido, followed by breakfast. It is a crazy world to be a part of and a privilege to be connected to Cambridge’s historic choral tradition.