On Sunday, January 29th at the 9:30 Eucharist, the Cathedral Girls Choir were joined by the Boys Choir for a special occasion in the life of the both the Cathedral Choirs and our congregation. At this service, we publicly recognized and installed Nicole Bonilla, Keith Dusling and Parker Jones as Full Choristers in the Cathedral Choirs. As a symbol of their mastery of skills and demonstration of commitment necessary for promotion from the entry-level rank of 'probationer', each of them received their surplice (the white garment which covers the cassock).  Additionally, Tess Siegel was admitted as a Middle Chorister upon the receipt of her dark- blue ribbon, the median level of advancement through the program--but no small feat!   They did not simply officially move up the ranks of only our choirs, but they are standing in solidarity with thousands of young singers around the world in parish and cathedral programs such as ours which are modeled pedagogically on the Royal School of Church Music's Voice for Life chorister training scheme.  We congratulate these young people on their hard work and personal drive, and thank them all for their efforts in the Cathedral Choirs.

In case you were curious about why each of the choristers seem to be wearing different ribbons, medals and vestments, here's a brief primer:

-Probationers wear just a purple cassock (American Episcopal cathedrals traditionally use purple, a color associated with the episcopate);
-Full Choristers wear a white surplice over their cassock;
-Junior Choristers wear a light-blue ribbon with a Cathedral medal over their surplice and cassock;
-Middle Choristers wear a dark-blue ribbon with a Cathedral medal over their surplice and cassock;
-Senior Choristers wear a red ribbon with a Cathedral medal over their surplice and cassock;
-Lead Choristers wear a special ribbon of blue, red and gold with a Cathedral medal over their surplice and cassock.

Additionally, some choristers wear special medals on their ribbons in recognition of their superlative achievements and dedication. These special awards are made annually at the Choir Recognition Evensong in June. Stay tuned for more details on this nearer the time, and never hesitate to ask a chorister if you want to take a closer look at his or her medal or award...they're always very eager to show off their achievements!

The Boys Choir and Girls Choir have a long history in our Cathedral, having been founded in 1883 and 1933, respectively. We are modeled after the great cathedral choirs of England, and ours is the only program of its kind on Long Island. Our children receive a free world-class education in music, singing and history in a fun, safe and supportive atmosphere. Many children have shown to do better academically and socially as a result of the increased focus and aptitude which parents often attribute to the training they receive as choristers in our program. Things like leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork skills are learned and honed as older choristers lead and mentor younger choristers. Further, we offer yearly summer choir camps for choristers to interact and work with peers in similar programs from across North America.

We currently have openings for both boys (ages 7-11) and girls (ages 8-13). Due to the 'sports-centric' nature of our area, it can be a real challenge getting boys and girls to commit to a program such as ours. Choir and sports are certainly not mutually exclusive, however, as most of our choristers prove. While singing here is indeed a big commitment of time, the many benefits listed above make this a unique and rewarding endeavor, one which is truly life-changing to many of our young singers.