Unique choral scholarships

Having joined forces to launch a unique choral scholarships scheme, Ex Cathedra and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire have announced the successful young singers who will rehearse and perform with Ex Cathedra during its 2018-19 season. These young musicians will gain on-the-job experience with Birmingham's world-class choir, performing repertoire from Thomas Tallis' 40-part Renaissance masterpiece Spem in alium to music by living composers Alec Roth, James MacMillan, Roxanna Panufnik, Gabriel Jackson and Liz Johnson.

Since founding Ex Cathedra in 1969, Jeffrey Skidmore has gained a reputation for identifying and nurturing outstanding young singers. A long list of singers to have benefitted from working with Ex Cathedra at the beginning of their careers includes Carolyn Sampson, Paul Agnew, Nigel Short, Benjamin Hulett, Andrew Tortise, Marcus Farnsworth, Samuel Boden, Patrick Dunachie, and many more.

Thanks to support from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the Foyle Foundation, the Eranda Rothschild Foundation and others, ten young singers will be supported financially throughout the 2018-19 year, helping ensure that the personal finances of the most talented singers do not prevent them having the best possible opportunity to develop a successful career.

Four Graduate Scholars have been appointed - singers who have completed their formal education and are at the beginning of their professional career, and six Student Scholars who are all studying in the vocal department at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Jeffrey Skidmore, who combines the role of artistic director of Ex Cathedra with that of the Early Music programme at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said:

'I was delighted with the quality of the candidates who applied, and enjoyed the workshops and auditions hugely. It was a very competitive but very friendly process and I look forward to working with this group of young singers next season.'

Applications for 2019-20 will open in the spring.

Posted: 25 July 2018

Next item: Bullumba Landestoy (1925-2018) >>