Organ and Choral

Trinity supports choral music in the college through Organ and Choral Scholarships for the Trinity Chapel Choir.

We have two Organ Scholars, each appointed for three years. We appoint to Organ Scholarships on a rotating basis so that on entry, you hold the Junior Organ Scholarship, and then take on the Senior Organ Scholarship in your second or third year. The Organ Scholars are responsible, in consultation with the Chaplain, for managing the choir as well as directing music in the chapel. They receive financial support towards their own organ lessons, and there are funds for professional singers to train the choir.

We admit Organ Scholars studying for any subject which is taught at Trinity, except Law, Engineering and Medicine. For Organ Scholars, the subject may be Music, which is taught by our Lecturer in Music, Hugh Collins Rice. If you apply for an Organ Scholarship at Trinity and are invited to interview, you will be assessed both on your organ/musical skills and on your academic suitability. We expect our Organ Scholars to be at an academic level equivalent to other students whom we admit in the subject. In recent years, our Organ Scholars have read a range of subjects, including Chemistry, Modern Languages, Material Sciences and Music.

We shall next be appointing to an Organ Scholarship in autumn 2024, for studies commencing in October 2025.

Trinity also offers a number of Choral Scholarships (for the duration of a student’s course provided they continue to play an active role in the choir). These provide students with professional singing tuition. The Choral Scholars are responsible for their section in the choir, and help other choir members to improve their own singing through extra rehearsals. The rest of the choir is non-auditioned, but of a very high standard. It sings at the weekly evensong during term, and also regularly performs concerts in the Chapel and other venues). The Choir has also produced a number of CDs, and tours annually in Europe.

Our Choral Scholarships are awarded at the start of Michaelmas Term each year, in Freshers’ week. There is no need to apply for a Choral Scholarship before your place at Trinity is confirmed.

Several Choral Exhibitions are also awarded on a termly basis, allowing less-experienced singers to benefit from lessons with a professional tutor in addition to their training within the choir.

For more information on Trinity College choir, please visit the choir's website.