Scholarships
The West London Chorus offers choral scholarships for aspiring professional singers who wish to develop their choral singing and sight-reading in preparation for university choral scholarships or as a means of broadening their repertoire knowledge. The scholarships are open to singers aged 18-30, or students in full or part time music education.
Our scholarships are each worth £1000 and successful candidates are expected to take part in about three concert performances a year and attend our weekly rehearsals on Tuesday evenings during term time, providing support and advice for other singers in their section.
There will also be occasional solo/quartet/semi chorus opportunities and a chance for the scholars to receive coaching from the choir’s Musical Director. It is expected that choral scholars will also take an active role with social media for the ensemble and generally support the endeavours of the Chorus.
For more information about our choral scholarships, use our Contact Us page or
download an application form.
At the moment we have a vacancy for an ALTO SCHOLAR – more details here
We also have a vacancy for a TENOR SCHOLAR – more details here
Chiswick Choir is registered with Making Music (National Federation of Music Societies).
Our current scholars
JJ Lam formerly held Choral Scholarships at Trinity College, Cambridge and London Youth Choir, and sang with National Youth Choir. As a choral singer, JJ has sung at venues including Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey and Royal Festival Hall. JJ was the soloist in Harlow Chorus’ most recent summer concert of musical theatre and opera numbers.
In 2023, JJ performed a solo recital at St George’s Church Hanworth accompanied by their organist Matthew Ratcliffe. JJ has won prizes in solo singing at Stratford and East London Music Festival and Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts. JJ has recently graduated from the MA Musical Theatre course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and will be a Choral Scholar at St George’s Church Beckenham in 2024-25.
As part of our successful programme of inviting singers to apply for a choral scholarships, we have a immediate vacancy for an ALTO SCHOLAR in 2024-25. We sing a variety of choral music from the 16th century to music by living composers, and are committed to achieving the highest musical standards in a relaxed and social environment. The choir has an auditioned membership of approximately 90 singers drawn from the London area.
Our choral scholarships are ideal for aspiring and young professional singers who wish to develop their choral singing, sight-reading and musicianship skills. The scholarships are open to singers aged 18-35, or students in full or part time music education. An annual stipend of £1,000 will be paid to each scholar across three terms.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- attend a minimum of 75% of weekly rehearsals, providing confident and skilled support. Further missed rehearsals are subject to agreement with our MD and may result in a reduced stipend for the term. Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings 7:45 – 9:45pm in term time, currently at St Michael’s Church, Elmwood Road W4 3DZ
- attend all concerts during the year
- participate in other musical events in the choir calendar where able
- take an active role with social media for the ensemble
- prepare for rehearsals, in order to take a leading role
In return, the scholar will receive the following benefits:
- occasional solo opportunities in performances, dependent on repertoire
- coaching from the MD
- chance to lead warm-ups if desired
- annual stipend of £1,000 paid at the end of each term (£350 autumn, £325 after Spring and Summer terms)
- free music hire for the year
- two complimentary tickets for each concert
Scholars are appointed for a year, although there may be opportunity to stay on for an additional year by re-applying
Completed application forms should be sent with a CV and the name of a referee to:
sheila.richards88@gmail.com
The application deadline for this Alto vacancy is 30/09/24
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Sheila Richards and invited to an audition and informal chat. The audition will be on a Tuesday before the start of rehearsals in St Michael’s Church W4 3DZ
Audition
Candidates will be asked to sing a prepared piece of their own choice, and to undertake some sight-reading and ear tests. Our accompanist will be present.
https://westlondonchorus.co.uk/
West London Chorus, a Choral Society previously known as Chiswick Choir, is pleased to continue with its successful programme of inviting singers to apply for a tenor choral scholarship in 2024-25. We sing a variety of choral music from the 16th century to music by living composers, and are committed to achieving the highest musical standards in a relaxed and social environment. The choir has an auditioned membership of approximately 90 singers drawn from the
London area.
Our choral scholarships are ideal for aspiring and young professional singers who wish to develop their choral singing, sight-reading and musicianship skills. The scholarships are open to singers aged 18-35, or students in full or part time music education. An annual stipend of £1,000 will be paid to each scholar across three terms.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
– attend a minimum of 75% of weekly rehearsals, providing
confident and skilled support. Further missed rehearsals are
subject to agreement with our MD and may result in a reduced
stipend for the term. Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings 7:45 –
9:45pm in term time, currently at St Michael’s Church, Elmwood
Road W4 3DZ
– attend all concerts during the year
– participate in other musical events in the choir calendar where able
– take an active role with social media for the ensemble
– prepare for rehearsals, in order to take a leading role
In return, the scholar will receive the following benefits:
- occasional solo opportunities in performances, dependent on
repertoire
– coaching from the MD
- chance to lead warm-ups if desired
– annual stipend of £1,000 paid at the end of each term (£350
autumn, £325 after Spring and Summer terms)
- free music hire for the year
– two complimentary tickets for each concert
Scholars are appointed for a year, although there may be opportunity to stay on for an additional year by re-applying
Application Process
Completed application forms should be sent with a CV and the name of a referee to: sheila.richards88@gmail.com
The application deadline is 30/09/24
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Sheila Richards and invited to an audition and informal chat. The audition will be on a Tuesday before the start of rehearsals in St Michael’s Church W4 3DZ
Audition
Candidates will be asked to sing a prepared piece of their own choice, and to undertake some sight-reading and ear tests. Our accompanist will be present.
https://westlondonchorus.co.uk/
Nick McMahon started violin lessons at the age of 4 and was a member of Surrey Arts ensembles, both choral and orchestral, including the Surrey Youth Choir (2000-2006) under James Burton, Greg Beardsell and Rufus Frowde. In 2008, he took part in the world première of Bernard Cavanna’s Messe un jour ordinaire in Grenoble, France. From 2012 to 2018, Nick was Organist and Director of Music at St Nicholas, Alfold and St John the Baptist, Loxwood, during which time he also sang with the New London Singers, one of London’s ‘most exciting vocal ensembles’.
He now sings regularly with the Foundation Singers, the professional membership of the choir at St Nicolas, Guildford.
Benjamin was born into a music family (father a composer and mother a director of music), growing up in rural Norfolk. With a background as a chorister at Norwich Cathedral and music performance award holder at the University of Kent, Benjamin’s first professional experience came as a bass chorus member for a 2017 summer season of Verdi’s Rigoletto, at the renowned Oper im Steinbruch St Margarethen festival in Austria. Subsequently, Benjamin was a choral scholar/lay clerk at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, and undertook freelance work, including a solo recital of English Song in Holt, Norfolk, and as a bass chorus member for Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Richard Strauss’ Elektra.
Benjamin started a Vocal Performance masters at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in 2020, studying with Neil Baker. Benjamin was the Kathleen Roberts Vocal Scholar and the Trinity College Scholar, singing in the Old Royal Naval College Chapel Choir under Ralph Allwood. A particular highlight included a video recording of a section of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, singing the role of Papageno.
Most recently, Benjamin took part in the Veneto Summer Opera School’s series of performances as part of the Arte Lirica Festival, most notably fulfilling the role of Guglielmo from Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. Benjamin continues to take on freelance singing work, whilst working as a trainee solicitor.