A choirboy is a
boy
A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man.
Definition, etymology, and use
According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is ...
member of a
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
, also known as a treble.
As a derisive
slang
Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in spoken conversation but avoided in formal writing. It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-g ...
term, it refers to a do-gooder or someone who is morally upright, in the same sense that "
Boy Scout" (also derisively) refers to someone who is considered honorable or conscientious.
History
The use of choirboys in Christian
liturgical
Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
music can be traced back to pre-Christian times.
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
's dictum that "women should be silent in churches" (''mulieres in ecclesiis taceant'') resonated with this largely
patriarchal tradition
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
; the development of vocal
polyphony
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, ...
from the Middle Ages through the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
and
Baroque thus took place largely, though not exclusively, in the context of the all-male choir, in which all voice parts were sung by men and boys.
The first known usage in print of the term "choirboy" (rather than the earlier "singing boy") was by the Victorian novelist
William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray (; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel ''Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and t ...
(1811–1863) in Chapter Vii of his story ''The Ravenswing'', published in ''Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country'' (London, Sept. 1843, XXVIII/165, p. 321): "He had been a choir-boy at Windsor".
In more recent years as girls have begun joining formerly all-male choirs, the gender-neutral term ''chorister'' is more often being used instead. (Until the late 20th century ''chorister'' was sometimes applied to adult choral singers too, but is now limited to children.)
Becoming a chorister
Boys are generally eligible to join a choir at the age of seven. Voice trials are part of the selection process for larger choirs and tend to measure the quality of voice and pitch recognition rather than singing experience. Boys that are accepted into a choir begin as probationers.
Extensive musical training is provided, in particular for cathedral choristers. A number of famous composers and musicians began their careers as choristers. In 1740,
Joseph Haydn was sent at the age of eight to Vienna to become a choirboy at
Saint Stephen's Cathedral.
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...
was accepted into the choir of the Imperial Court Chapel in 1808 when he was 11.
Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writ ...
became a choirboy at six.
A small bursary is paid to the boys each term, and opportunities arise for other bonuses during the year.
Choristers of the Year
The
Royal School of Church Music
The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is a Christian music education organisation dedicated to the promotion of music in Christian worship, in particular the repertoire and traditions of Anglican church music, largely through publications, tr ...
(RSCM) organized the first UK competition for Choirboy of the Year in 1975. It was sponsored by Rediffusion and received more than 2,500 entries. The final, which took place in
St George's, Hanover Square,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, was won by Matthew Billsborough. He sang the
St. Matthew Passion by
Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...
. The last RSCM national competition was held in 1992, and was won by Gavin Moralee (now known as Gavin Cranmer-Moralee). He sang
The Monk and his Cat by
Samuel Barber and
How Beautiful are the feet from
Handel's Messiah.
The competition was open only to boy choristers up until 1986 when the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
first organized an additional separate competition for girl choristers through the age of 16. The two competitions ran side-by-side for three years before the RSCM competition began including girls in its own competitions, naming both a choirboy and choirgirl of the year. From 1989 to 1992, both the BBC and RSCM named a different girl as Choirgirl of the Year.
The winner of 1995 BBC Choirgirl of the year was Tabitha Watling. In it, she was also competing against
began hosting a combined boys and girls competition, without any other simultaneous competitions. James Fox, from St. Mary's Warwick, was named Choirboy of the Year and Eloise Irving, from West Sussex, was named Choirgirl of the Year. The format has remained the same through the most recent competition.
Thomas Jesty
was BBC Young Chorister of the Year 2004.
Both he and Harry Sever (the 2003 winner) had solos on the December 2004 album ''"Hear My Prayer"''.
.
Young Chorister of the Year competition were twelve-year-old Joel Whitewood of
and 15-year-old Charlotte Louise McKechnie of Giffnock South Church in Scotland. The finals were held at
Young Chorister of the Year competition were twelve-year-old Harry Bradford of the
. The finals were held at