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Schola Choirs Participate in Workshop with Internationally Renowned Choral Director

Delight in Learning

Schola Choirs Participate in Workshop with Internationally Renowned Choral Director

On Wednesday 20th September, the Schola choirs took part in a series of workshops with choral director, composer, arranger and conductor Ben Parry. Mr Parry is currently Artistic Director of the National Youth Choirs Great Britain (NYCGB) and Assistant Director of Music at King’s College Cambridge.

The world-renowned musician worked with the Schola choirs on both secular and sacred music, from four-part C16 Italian polyphony to contemporary work by the Scottish composer Sir James Macmillan, who has a close personal connection with the College.

Each choir spent an hour with Mr Parry, working on musicianship, posture and sound production. The choirs also were guided through their current repertoire by Mr Parry, who encouraged the pupils to consider each piece in depth.

In the afternoon, Mr Parry and the Director of Choral Music, James Kealey, held a forum for pupils in the Schola Cantorum, the senior chamber choir. During the forum, pupils and staff discussed choral music and the opportunities beyond the College Schola Programme. This included considering university scholarships, university singing and chamber groups.

To round off the day, Mr Parry was joined by students from all the Schola choirs, which is made up of over 100 students. This was a wonderful and rare occasion, which Mr Kealey described it as “a magical sight and sound”.

Many thanks to Miss Archibald, Director of Schola Nova, Mr Kealey, Director of Choral Music, Mr Parry and all the students who participated.