Choir schools attached to cathedrals or university colleges have been part of the UK establishment for hundreds of years, but last year, (part of the Rugby School Group) announced that it was to become the first prep school to start its own independent chorister programme in September 2022. It’s an exciting step for choristers-in-the-making: ‘the restrictions on communal singing, and the silence of church choirs, were a painful part of lockdown’, says Peter Green, executive head master of the Rugby School Group – and we have no doubt the new initiative will be a resounding success.
So, what are the benefits of singing at school – whether as a chorister, in a band, or just belting out much-loved hymns in a chapel? We asked Richard Tanner, the Director of Music at , to tell us about the importance of instilling a love of music at school – whatever a child’s age or ability…