Church Choir Award 2023
The Royal School of Church Music and Cathedral Music Trust (CMT) are both deeply aware of the vital role that church choirs play in developing the UK’s rich choral music heritage through their music-making and musical training, enhancing worship, and nurturing a love of choral and organ music throughout people’s lives. Individuals from all walks of life point to their experiences singing in their church choir as being the start of a life-long journey, developing musicianship, discipline, friendships as well as instilling a deep love of choral music.
The Royal School of Church Music is therefore delighted to be working in partnership with Cathedral Music Trust (CMT) once again, for the Church Choir Award 2023. The purpose of the award is to recognise and develop excellence in music-making by church choirs through the funding of imaginative new projects and activities.
Financial support to innovate and enrich music making
Choirs are invited to apply for grants of up to £10,000 for a specific, innovative, or enriching project aimed at developing excellence, be that through choral and organ training programmes, imaginative recruitment projects, or through projects involving the wider community and local schools.
Register for our Lunch & Learn Webinar on Tuesday 25 April at 12 noon to learn more about this year’s award.
Find out more about application guidelines and eligibility criteria.
Free advice and resources
As well as funding from Cathedral Music Trust, award holders will also receive one year’s group membership of RSCM and one year’s free subscription for the choir to access the new Voice for Life Digital resource, the latest version of the acclaimed training programme which helps singers to develop vocal skills and musical understanding, as well as knowledge of repertoire.
Find out more about the RSCM’s Voice for Life training programme.
Hugh Morris, Director of the RSCM, said: ‘We are pleased to be working with the Cathedral Music Trust again to offer the Church Choir Award. In enabling the flourishing of church music, we want to use every opportunity to encourage churches to make the best use of the resources they have, and to be ambitious about their plans for the future. As we support the Award winners in new initiatives, it provides inspiration and encouragement to others that they, too, can harness the power of music to grow and develop the worshipping and community lives of their own church.’
Jonathan Macdonald, Chair of Cathedral Music Trust, said: “Thanks once again to the generosity of our supporters, we are delighted to be running the Church Choir Award in association with the RSCM for the second year in a row. Music plays a vital part in a thriving church, and we are committed to supporting its excellence at all levels. By working with the RSCM, we look forward to transforming more lives through sacred choral and organ music, and enriching worship in local communities.”
