Choirs
Click here for the MEMBERS area to access practice videos, rehearsal scores, and OYC policy documents.
Autumn Term 2025
13 September–7 December
half-term (no choir) on 25 October and 1 November
Concert: Sunday 7th December — details to follow
The choirs meet on Saturday mornings during school term
Musical Mayhem (3 mths–4 yrs) 10.15–11.05
Prep 1 (reception–yr 1) 09.10–10.00
Prep 2 (yrs 2–3) 10.10–11.40
Junior Choir (boys and girls yrs 4–6) 09.10–11.00
Senior Choir (boys and girls yrs 7–13) 10.30–12.30
Musical Mayhem
Musical Mayhem is a lively sing-along music class for babies and toddlers from 3 months to four years, with puppets, percussion games, and parachute play. There is a session at the Cherwell School on Saturday mornings from 10.15 to 11.05. Drinks and biscuits included.
For more information, click here for the Musical Mayhem main website.
Prep Choirs
Our Prep Choirs encourage a love of music and singing and develop early musicianship through fun warm ups, singing games and song. Taught by Lucia Boué and Helen Birch, we enjoy singing part songs, rounds and songs from a diverse range of genres and composers. Prep 1 is for children in Reception and Year 1 and Prep 2 is for children in Year 2 and 3. We do introduce notation and teach music theory although all our songs are taught by ear.
Boys’ Choir
Our Boys’ Choir is directed by Colin Ritter Danskin, and provides musical and vocal training for boys with changed (broken) voices who enjoy singing a wide repertoire. Singers are encouraged to enjoy music and develop their potential in a friendly atmosphere, with sessions including work on ear-training and aural skills, as well as singing from written notation. Voice training methods are the same as those of the girls’ choir.
The choirs meet in the Anna Haxworth Music Building at Cherwell School north site.
Junior Choir
Our ‘Junior Choir’ is for girls and boys in years 4 and above, to develop musicianship skills and a love of singing. Girls move into the Senior Choir ‘Oxford Girls’ Choir’ when they are confident to do so, normally at year 6 or 7, and boys move into the Boys’ Choir when their voices change.
Oxford Girls’ Choir was formed by Richard Vendome in 1984, and was the first of its kind in England to develop girls’ singing as a musical medium in its own right, and not just as a substitute for the adult or the boy’s voice.
Several former members of both the girls’ and boys’ choirs have gone on to become professional singers or instrumentalists.
Membership is by informal audition. Our singers start their musical journey with a probationary term after one or two free taster sessions. Please contact the Administrator (admin@oxfordyouthchoirs.org.uk) or the Musical Director, Benedict Goodall, (director@oxfordyouthchoirs.org.uk) if you have any questions.