Saint Thomas Choir School
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| "Cantate Domino" (Sing unto the Lord) | |
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| Established | 1919 |
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| School type | Private/Boarding |
| Staff | 17 |
| Students | 40 boys |
| Location | New York, New York |
| Website | http://www.choirschool.org |
Saint Thomas Choir School is a church-affiliated boarding choir school in Manhattan, New York. It was founded in 1919 and is supported by the nearby Saint Thomas Church.
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[edit] History
The Choir School was founded in 1919 by T. Tertius Noble. Noble, an English born organist and composer, had been appointed the organist of Saint Thomas Church in 1913. With the support of the Church, Noble established the new Choir school to continue the Anglican tradition of the all-male choral ensemble in the United States. While other choir schools throughout the world have recently begun to accept female members into their ranks, Saint Thomas has maintained an uninterrupted tradition of all-male membership. Thus, the Choir School remains one of the few remaining all-male choir schools, along with its British sister school, the Westminster Abbey Choir School.
[edit] Life at the School
The Choir School is located in its own building on West 58th Street, one block away from Central Park. in midtown Manhattan where they attend school and rehearsal each day. The boys, ranging from ages 8 to 14, are mainly from along the Eastern seaboard. The school holds auditions each year for boys entering the third, fourth, and fifth grade. Students are accepted based on musical and academic qualities. The Choir School teaches boys grades three to eight and covers a full range of academic subjects including English, Science, History, Music Theory, Mathematics, Latin, French, and Theology. The school also engages in an athletic program, competing against other regional private schools in soccer, basketball, and softball. The school is run by the headmaster, who coordinates the rehearsal and performance schedule of the boys with the Master of choristers. The current headmaster is Charles Wallace. Past headmasters have included noted math educator Gordon H. Clem, after whom the current Choir School building is named.
[edit] List of Organists and Master of Choristers
- T. Tertius Noble, 1913-1940
- T. Frederick Candlyn, 1940-1954
- William Self, 1954-1971
- Gerre Hancock, 1971-2004
- John Scott, 2004-present
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Gunther Schuller, jazz and classical composer
- Steve Sandvoss, Actor
