Head of Vocal Studies

About the job

Music is central to life at King’s Ely.  A philosophy of inclusivity, breadth and excellence is lived out by a diverse department centred around the purpose-built Gibson Music Centre in the heart of the “Arts Quad” in the shadows of the Cathedral and dedicated space within the Prep School.

The department is renowned for a friendly, energetic and stimulating environment, offering a wide range of opportunities for all pupils and every level of musical aspiration, including instrumental and vocal study, aural and theory tuition, sight-reading and sight-singing skills, chamber music, orchestral training, choral work, jazz and rock, musical theatre, academic study, composition, and music technology.

As a Cathedral Choir School, King’s Ely is well placed to cater for former cathedral and collegiate choristers who aspire to university organ and choral scholarships or broader musicianship. Our choirs regularly sing in Ely Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral and St George’s Chapel, Windsor and tour regularly: in 2023, the senior choir toured Sicily and in 2025 will visit Andalusia. 

Ensembles meeting weekly include a full orchestra, string orchestra, concert band, jazz band, drumline, chamber music groups, King’s Barbers, cello ensemble, flying fiddles, flute choir and folk band as well as a range of pick-up groups.  An extensive calendar of performances, services, concerts and workshops are held in venues including Ely Cathedral, the Haywood Theatre and Gibson Recital Room and elsewhere.

Many pupils go on to further study with several gaining Oxbridge or other University Choral Scholarships and Music Conservatoire places in recent years.

Musical Theatre plays an equally important part of our music department and collaboration with the Drama department is strong. There is a full-scale musical every year with the Senior and Prep departments alternating years.

The Music Teaching faculty comprises an able and committed team of 30 specialist teachers and visiting music staff.  In King’s Ely Senior the Director of Music leads a team including the Head of Academic Music, a classroom music teacher, Heads of Vocal Studies, Strings, Keyboard and Brass and Music Administrator.  In King’s Ely Prep School, there is a Director of Music Performance, a Head of Classroom Music and a Music Graduate Assistant.

Everybody at King’s sings at some point.  The school’s close link with Ely Cathedral and the daily singing of sacred choral music are a fundamental and deeply valued part of the school’s existence.

Choral music is a particular strength of the school. Voice Care and particularly the care of both female and male developing voices is something to which we give paramount importance. 

King’s has provided the choristers for the Cathedral Choirs for all but a short period in the last thousand years.  Generations of boys aged 8 – 13 years were joined in 2006 by Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir, (ECGC) which is currently moving to parity of age range with the Boys’ Choir.

Beyond the Cathedral, the Prep School has its own range of choirs including Kings Voices;  in the Senior School there is a Chapel Choir, a Chamber Choir and other year group choirs that are made up to sing in certain school services and concerts across the year.  In conjunction with the Cathedral, King’s provides a number of Sixth Form Choral Scholarships to singers to join the Cathedral Choir back row.  Former boy choristers from Ely and elsewhere join the King’s Ely Barbers, an a cappella group with a proud 30-year heritage of performance and competition success.  An equivalent group for girls is in the pipeline.

There are currently 8 singing teachers, including two dedicated chorister teachers, who deliver around 120 lessons per week across the school.  Twelve of our vocalists attained Grade 8 and Diploma in the last academic year.  A number of students have taken up Choral Scholarships, including at Cambridge, Royal Holloway and Durham and some London Conservatoires in the past few years, and five have gone on to Musical Theatre courses at Performing Arts Colleges.  

For popular music, there are opportunities through several informal concerts and Open Mic nights, via student bands and ensembles put together for specific performances.  We are looking to extend our group singing provision.

Each spring, our Vocal Festival takes place over three weeks, encouraging over 100 entries and culminating in a Finalists’ Concert in Ely Cathedral with adjudication by a noted musician. In recent years the standard has been described as “astonishing” and “incredibly high”.

Head of Vocal Studies 

Purpose

The Head of Vocal Studies is responsible for the individual singing provision across the whole of King’s Ely. The successful candidate will have an excellent and up to date knowledge of vocal pedagogy, lead by example in teaching a number of pupils in varying styles and have a thorough working knowledge of the choral and musical world. He/she reports to the Director of Music in the Senior School and the Head of Performance Music in the Prep School. 

Main Responsibilities:

Head of Vocal Studies 

• To inspire a love of singing and a recognition of its value within the School community.
• To teach a singing timetable as agreed with the Director of Music.
• To continue to develop the School’s Vocal Pathways and to assist the Director of Music(s) in the implementation and development of our Vocal, Choral and Musical Theatre Pathways.
• To coach/prepare singing pupils for concerts, recitals, competitions, auditions and examinations and any other musical events as requested by the Director of Music.

Within the Department

• To lead all of the Singing Teachers and to work with the Director of Music on appointment of singing teachers and allocation of pupils to teachers. 
• To promote good practice and ensure the quality of all singing tuition in the School.
• To support the Music Administrator in running external vocal examinations (ABRSM & Trinity). 
• To run the Vocal Festival in Senior School
• To evaluate all pupils to identify their Vocal Pathway, including the identification of potential choristers. 
• To assist in the recruitment and annual review of Music Award-holders (Scholars) to maintain the high standards expected of them. 
• To advise as appropriate on the vocal development, needs and limitations of pupils.
• To support the regular pupil and Department concerts and assist with arrangements as required by the Director of Music
• As required, to work with the Drama Department in preparing singers for musical theatre productions. 
• To support and assist in the development of short-, medium- and long-term strategic plans for the Music Department. 
• To support the Prep School Head of Performance Music in our outreach programme in the wider community and our feeder schools. 
• To encourage high standards in all aspects of the Department and School life.
• To support and motivate pupils, teachers, and other School employees.
• To communicate effectively with parents and guardians. 

Choristers and Sixth Form Choral Scholars

• Help support the Cathedral music department with recruitment and attending voice trials. 
• Understand the life and work of Choristers, former Choristers and Choral Scholars
• Support the chorister teachers in their work with the pupils and the Cathedral 
• Assist in providing successful Sixth Form Choral Scholars with lessons and a future development plan beyond King’s Ely 
• Be an advocate for the choristers in the school community

Person Specification

Essential Skills and qualifications

Essential Requirements

• A successful and evidenced track record of working or performing at a professional level.
• A relevant degree with further qualification or equivalent experience in a vocal specialism.   
• Up to date knowledge and understanding of voice pedagogy and the work of leading voice practitioners, informed by a sound anatomical approach to practical work.
• Highly motivated, reliable, and truly passionate about providing our pupils with the best possible voice training.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• An ability to collaborate.

 Desirable Requirements

• An MA in Voice Studies or equivalent qualification 
• Experience as a group leader, conductor and trainer in either sacred or secular music, along with experience working with children.
• Strong organisational skills
• The flexibility to work occasionally outside of normal school hours.
• Excellent written skills
• Strong keyboard skills are desirable but not essential.