Boy Choristerships in the Choir of Leeds Parish Church are available for Boys from seven years of age and are tenable until the time of the voice-change.
A period of probationership involves attendances after school on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons
on Saturday mornings for Full Choristers' Practice between 9 & 10.30 am
and, in this period of initial training, for one of the two Choral Services on Sunday
[normally the 10.30 Service]
For boys with the appropriate aptitude,
the Choral Foundation provides free individual tuition in any or all of
Violin, Piano, Organ and Theory of Music with the two-fold aim of developing each child's individual potential and preparing them for examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. All music is provided gratis and parents pay no examination fees or expenses of any kind.
It is by no means unusual for boys to attain at least Grade V – some boys achieve this in more than one subject.
During the course of the past six years, two of our principal solo boys have achieved excellent passes at Merit and Distinction level in Grade VIII Singing.
Former Head Chorister Simon Barker sang, to universal critical acclaim, the solo part in a performance of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms at Leeds Town Hall in March 2004 for Leeds Festival Chorus with the BBC Philharmonic under distinguished conductor Simon Wright in a concert broadcast on BBC Radio Three. Former Head Chorister James Brown and present Deputy Head Boy Richard Crossley have taken leading parts in musical productions at their High Schools – Abbey Grange CofE and Allerton respectively.
The Choral Foundation of Leeds Parish Church is maintained without extensive endowments and survives due to the unfashionable level of commitment sustained by choristers themselves, by chorister parents and families and with the whole-hearted supported of schools within the state sector.
Current Chorister Feeder Schools:
+St Peter's [Leeds Parish Church] Church of England Primary School - 5 Choristers*
Headingley St Urban's Roman Catholic Primary School [RC Diocese of Leeds] - 1 Chorister*
Abbey Grange Church of England Grant Maintained High School - 1 Chorister*
[Anglican Diocese of Ripon and Leeds]
Cardinal Heenan Roman Catholic High School - 1 Chorister*
Fulneck School - 2 Choristers!
*Apart from those with chorister numbers, each school listed is attended by one boy
FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF BOY CHORISTER MEMBERSHIP OF THE FAMOUS CHOIR OF LEEDS PARISH CHURCH please contact
Dr Simon Lindley, Organist & Master of the Music, 17 Fulneck, Pudsey LS28 8NT