STANDARDS of singing across the nation’s cathedral and collegiate choirs are generally as high as they’ve ever been, with girl choristers now offering a welcome dimension. Yet these establishments no longer take for granted that queues of prospective choristers will snake back from their doors. In terms of raw numbers, the presence of girls has boosted total chorister numbers to perhaps record levels, but this hides a concerning trend in recruitment. The word from one cathedral is that recently only two boys applied to be auditioned for six places on offer and a mere eight girls for five places.
‘It’s a real issue generally,’ says Clive Marriott, chairman of the Choir Schools Association (CSA) and headmaster of Salisbury Cathedral School. ‘Choir schools are having to be more agile. The CSA is currently keen to work on a national campaign to promote choristerships.’
