My wife just got sent this video from a former class mate in nursing school. She moved to Italy and had her nursing career, she is a semiprofessional singer and sings in a number of choirs.
Welsh chorister Chai Thomas recorded this July 1 to help us get through this misery.
These choristers are trained in the choir schools all over the British Isles. Many of them go on to become great musicians, singer, instrumentalists and composers. These schools have produced many fine organist, who start playing these magnificent instruments during their years at choir school. They are true professionals, in every sense of the word: all of them.
They can be certain to have one of these pros, near at hand when a solo is required, like the Pie Jesu in the Faure requiem. This is ready to go in pretty much any choristers repertory. No matter if it be at 4,500 people in the RAH for a prom, or going on air before millions every Christmas Eve to begin Once in Royal David's City. By tradition the boy selected does not know it. The director just asks a boy to step forward and begin the service.
These boys and now girls, follow a tradition that goes back 900 years.
If you have the time a couple of BBC programs are now on YouTube.
A particularly interesting one highlights the choir is Salisbury Cathedral choir, and goes over the 900 year history of the choristers, and details their current life and training in great detail.
This is another video that goes though a year in the life of the choir of Kings College Chapel Cambridge, founded by King Henry 6.
This is how great musicians are forged.
