Oxford & Cambridge Singing School

Perth Choral Institute + Oxford & Cambridge Singing School

Following the success of last year’s course, the Perth Choral Institute and Oxford and Cambridge Singing School are again collaborating to provide young singers in Perth with an outstanding opportunity to enjoy great music-making and improve their choral skills. We will be returning to the beautiful surroundings of Aquinas College for two courses; introducing children to high-level choral repertoire, music theory, history and appreciation; and, of course, the excitement of performance.

Each course will cater for Junior and Senior cohorts, and will be structured so that there is continuity of theme and repertoire between the April and September sessions. Participants in the Senior group are encouraged to attend both courses so as to create, by the end of the September course, a polished chamber choir. Singers who have shown promise in the Junior group in April may be invited to join the Senior group in September. Read on to find out more about Senior and Junior groups.

How Does Registration Work?

You have two choices - a full course or a single day, or multiple single days. A full course registration is the best way for your child to get the most out of the experience as the continuity will build on the previous day's learnings. Single day options are available if your child can't make the full course. The full couse is $350 and each single day is $120 (plus booking fees). Discounts are provided for up to 2 siblings. You will be asked to completed details about the participant/s during the registration process.

Is This Course for Me?

Am I a Senior or Junior?

The Junior group will normally sing in unison in the upper range. Girls and boys aged 7-13 will typically be included in this group; though we may make exceptions for boys whose voices have already broken,and boys and girls who have particular proficiency at note-reading. If a child has shown exceptional ability in the April course, they may be invited to join the Senior group for the September course. The Senior group will work on polyphonic music for soprano, alto, tenor and bass. It is expected that members of this group have greater musical proficiency and have some experience of note-reading. Because of the greater challenge of this repertoire, members of this group are strongly encouraged to attend both courses as part of a longer-term programme of development. The Senior group will also have an extra hour of coaching after the Junior group has departed.

Schedule

Vocal Exercises/Technique

Each day begins with vocal warm-ups: exercises which prepare students for the day and teach the basics of singing technique. These include breathing, stance, pronunciation, articulation and performance.

Repertoire

Junior Group

Senior Group

• Passetime with good company, Trad 
• Fair Phyllis I saw sitting, John Farmer
• Locus iste, Anton Bruckner
• Ave verum corpus, Edward Elgar
• Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabriel Fauré

Sectional Rehearsals

Work on repertoire in three groups. These sessions provide an opportunity to work with students at a pace more appropriate to the group’s age range and experience. Some repertoire may be designated specially to sectional groups.

Music Theory

The aim of these sessions is to teach elements of music structure, compositional technique and notation, with particular focus on the course repertoire.

Delivered in three groups, organised according to age and musical experience.

Music History & Appreciation

These sessions provide greater historical and musical context to the course repertoire, with reference to other works by the featured composers and to other composers of the same period. The range of music encountered in these sessions extends beyond specifically vocal/choral genres; sessions will also engage with social/political history, other art-forms and critical/emotional responses to the music.

Quiet time & Listening to Music

A valuable period in the busy schedule for the children to relax and listen to an extended piece of recorded music related to the course repertoire; introduced by one of the course coaches.

Performance

Afternoon sessions conclude with an informal performance of course repertoire, as a means of honing presentational skills. These are intended as ‘work-in-progress’ performances and are an important part of the learning process. The final day will conclude with a longer, formal performance (see ‘Suggested Day-to-Day Schedule’).