Chorister of the Year

[DracoM]

[jonfan]

Not specifically; my comment was endorsing this:

Why are we not allowed to hear the voices as they would be heard in their chorister role?

I’m sure I’m being extremely thick here, but I’m not sure what is meant by ‘chorister role’ in the context of a solo singers’ competition. Should their choirs sing with them?
I think we’re all agreed that showcasing young soloists could be a lot better, whether in competition or not. Sunday Half Hour on Radio Two, long extinct, was where it started and now it’s cast adrift there without a real base, so it’s a natural home on Songs of Praise makes sense with greater exposure. DRC makes listening on Radio Two unbearable and that has slightly crept into the TV sound.

[Pulcinella]

I’m sure I’m being extremely thick here, but I’m not sure what is meant by ‘chorister role’ in the context of a solo singers’ competition. Should their choirs sing with them?
I think we’ll all agreed that showcasing young soloists could be a lot better, whether in competition or not. Sunday Half Hour on Radio Two, long extinct, was where it started and now it’s cast adrift there without a real base, so it’s a natural home on Songs of Praise makes sense with greater exposure. DRC makes listening on Radio Two unbearable and that has slightly crept into the TV sound.

No, jonfan; you're not being thick.
It's the BBC's confusion of 'Young singer' with 'Chorister' that is perhaps the problem.

Maybe this is how we ended up with the BBC Singers: a bunch of soloists who (at least until fairly recently) didn't seem to understand the word 'blend'.

[oddoneout]

I’m sure I’m being extremely thick here, but I’m not sure what is meant by ‘chorister role’ in the context of a solo singers’ competition. Should their choirs sing with them?
I think we’ll all agreed that showcasing young soloists could be a lot better, whether in competition or not. Sunday Half Hour on Radio Two, long extinct, was where it started and now it’s cast adrift there without a real base, so it’s a natural home on Songs of Praise makes sense with greater exposure. DRC makes listening on Radio Two unbearable and that has slightly crept into the TV sound.

As that was originally my comment I can explain; I admit it wasn't altogether clear. I was referring to hearing the voice "au naturel" ie without the electronic processing, as would be the case if attending a service and one of the choristers was singing a solo.
I made some assumptions based on the title Young Chorister which I accept are incorrect.

[DracoM]

<< It's the BBC's confusion of 'Young singer' with 'Chorister' that is perhaps the problem...>>

Exactly right.

[ardcarp]

My usual personal story. (Sorry!) My eldest daughter (now nearly 50!) was a finalist in the first ever Choirgirl of the Year competition on the radio. Barry Rose was one of the judges. (It was only aired on radio.) The girl who won was, how shall I put it, budding young opera singer of the year. Very musical but with a vibrato that would have ruled her out of many a choir. The two others, my daughter Josehine and a lovely girl called Joanna, sang with pure head-voices. They were both around 13 at the time. By huge co-incidence, they both ended up as choral scholars at Gonville and Caius, Cambridge. Their surnames began with B and C respectively, so they became known as Jo B and Jo C. The Jo C became Josie...by which she is now known by family and friends.

[Old Grumpy]

My usual personal story. (Sorry!) My eldest daughter (now nearly 50!) was a finalist in the first ever Choirgirl of the Year competition on the radio. Barry Rose was one of the judges. (It was only aired on radio.) The girl who won was, how shall I put it, budding young opera singer of the year. Very musical but with a vibrato that would have ruled her out of many a choir. The two others, my daughter Josehine and a lovely girl called Joanna, sang with pure head-voices. They were both around 13 at the time. By huge co-incidence, they both ended up as choral scholars at Gonville and Caius, Cambridge. Their surnames began with B and C respectively, so they became known as Jo B and Jo C. The Jo C became Josie...by which she is now known by family and friends.

I can identify with that. My daughter was a choral scholar at Exeter College, studying music with singing as her main instrument. She followed the opera route and, while she has a lovely voice, I do miss the purity of the "chorister" sound.

[ardcarp]

We're lucky in that our daughter has retained her 'straight' voice, and is much sought after as a small consort singer. She is doing a concert tonight (and last night) at Powderham Castle with 7 other choral scholars. A beautiful blended and un-wobbly sound from all.

[Old Grumpy]

We're lucky in that our daughter has retained her 'straight' voice, and is much sought after as a small consort singer. She is doing a concert tonight (and last night) at Powderham Castle with 7 other choral scholars. A beautiful blended and un-wobbly sound from all.

[Old Grumpy]

We were visiting Ripon Cathedral this afternoon and they were preparing for this crew tonight.

The guide insisted on calling them G7.

[DracoM]

We're lucky in that our daughter has retained her 'straight' voice, and is much sought after as a small consort singer. She is doing a concert tonight (and last night) at Powderham Castle with 7 other choral scholars. A beautiful blended and un-wobbly sound from all.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!