New College School has been providing the choristers for the Choir of New College, Oxford, since 1379. There are four or five choristers per academic year (Years 3-8), with Years 3 and 4 constituting pre-probationer and probationer years. The school and college are a very short walk from one another, nestled in the centre of historic Oxford and the world-famous university. Approximately 15% of the school’s pupils are choristers, though all NCS pupils are offered a world-class musical and academic education.
Our Choristers
During university term (8 weeks per term: Michaelmas, Hilary, Trinity):
- Monday: lunchtime rehearsal, after-school rehearsal
- Tuesday: lunchtime rehearsal, after-school rehearsal, evensong
- Wednesday: no rehearsals or services
- Thursday: lunchtime rehearsal, after-school rehearsal, evensong/vespers
- Friday: lunchtime rehearsal, after-school rehearsal, evensong
- Saturday: afternoon rehearsal, evensong/eucharist
- Sunday: afternoon rehearsal, evensong
Outside university term:
- rehearsals generally finish by 17.00 and there are usually no services.
- Choristers get time off during half-term holidays.
- There are sometimes recordings and tours during the holidays, with time ring-fenced in advance.
Auditions are held in Year 2 (usually around Christmas), for pre-probationer start at the beginning of Year 3. Current NCS pupils or external pupils are all very welcome to apply.
NCS is a day school with no boarding.
