Be a Chorister for a Day

More than 100 children have taken part in choral workshop in
Lichfield.

Hosted by Lichfield Cathedral and Lichfield Cathedral School,
the Be A Chorsiter For A Day for event on January 22 saw youngsters
aged between seven and 13 prepare to sing alongside the Cathedral
Choir.

Ben Lamb, joint director of music at the Cathedral said:

“We were delighted with the large number of children who took
part in the workshop. Although most of the children lived locally,
some had travelled from London, Stoke, Derbyshire and
Gloucester.

“The children listened intently and quickly picked up the music
and the technique of how to sing a Psalm, which is not easy.”

In addition to vocal training, the day included art workshops
and sports activities and the chance to quiz the current choristers
about life in the Cathedral Close.

Parents were invited to join the children at the Evensong
service.

Joint musical director Cathy Lamb added:

“Singing is good for you in so many ways – for learning, for
well-being and for personal development. We hope that this day gave
the children a taste of how important singing is and also how much
fun it can be.”

Ben maintains that a boy who becomes a member of Lichfield
Cathedral Choir benefits from training and an experience that is
without parallel. He explained:

“The choristers have the opportunity to sing some of the finest
and most uplifting music ever written for the human voice. This
ranges from music dating from 900AD to the present day, written in
Latin, German, Italian, French, Catalan and English. These boys are
highly trained professionals. Nowhere else would you see children
performing alongside adults in an ensemble – imagine a boy of seven
playing in a professional symphony orchestra.