Choirs and Scholarships

About the Choir

LMH Chapel Choir is a friendly non-auditioned choir, supported by auditioned choral scholars, organ scholars, and our Director of Chapel Music. New members are always welcome, no previous experience is necessary, and you don’t have to be at LMH to sing with us – so just come along and join in!

We have a rehearsal and service in Chapel from 4-7pm every Friday during term. As you can see from this term's music list we have a diverse repertoire, which we sing to a good standard in a relaxed environment. Other perks of choir membership include a delicious (and free!) Formal Hall each week, post-service drinks in the SCR, and lively social activities including inter-collegiate choir football, choir crew dates, and regular overseas tours.

If you’re interested in joining, or want to know more, please contact Paul Burke our Director of Chapel Music, or simply come along to a rehearsal. We’ll look forward to meeting you!

Choral and Organ Scholarships

LMH Chapel Choir is non-auditioned and open to all. Choir members can choose, if they wish, to audition for a choral scholarship, more information about which is available on the choral scholarship page. Our two organ scholars play a central role in running the Chapel Choir, and more widely in the musical life of LMH – more information abo

LMH Chamber Choir is run by LMH's organ scholars, with support from the Director of Chapel Music, and is an auditioned group which works to a high standard on a wide range of exciting repertoire.

The choir typically sings one concert or service per term and in recent years their performances have been extremely well-attended, with repertoire including Mozart Requiem, Haydn Nelson Mass, and Handel Messiah, all with orchestra.

Rehearsals take place on one evening a week during term time, and new members from any college are welcome to join at the start of each term. If you are interested in auditioning or have any queries, please contact the organ scholars.

Organ Scholars play a vital role in running LMH Chapel Choir, assisting the Director of Chapel Music in accompanying, conducting, and preparing the choir for weekly services and rehearsals as well as extra concerts, events, and tours. Organ Scholars are also at the heart of LMH’s extensive musical activities, where they can pursue their own projects and make use of facilities such as the college’s Harrison organ, two-manual harpsichord, and seven grand pianos (including one Steinway A). In short, Organ Scholarships are a brilliant opportunity to develop your all-round musical skills!

There are usually two Organ Scholars at LMH at any one time, both of whom receive three one-hour conducting lessons per term; four one-hour organ lessons per term; two one-hour singing lessons per term; opportunities for paid extra services; the right to wear a scholar’s gown; accommodation in specifically-designated rooms with pianos; priority in room balloting; and a stipend of £500 per year. This is in addition to all the other perks of membership of LMH Chapel Choir - free Formals, lots of fun choir socials, and performing a wide range of repertoire to a good standard in a relaxed environment. The Organ Scholars also run LMH Chamber Choir, with support from the Director of Chapel Music.

Organ Scholars are selected by auditions which are organised centrally by the Music Faculty – further information can be found on the University of Oxford website. In general we expect candidates for Organ Scholarships to have developed some skills in organ playing already, but the main things we’re looking for are enthusiasm, potential, and a willingness to learn – and we’re also very happy for potential applicants to visit LMH informally, to meet students, see the Chapel and organ, and get a feel for what we do.

Please do contact the Director of Chapel Music if you have any questions, need advice, or just want to find out more. We’d be really glad to have you as part of the team of scholars at LMH!

At LMH there are four choral scholars and four deputies. They all receive three free singing lessons per term, with our singing teacher Jeremy Kenyon; opportunities for solos and paid extra services; the right to wear a scholar’s gown; and an annual stipend of £350 (senior scholars only). This is in addition to all the other perks of singing with LMH Chapel Choir - free meals on Fridays following SCR drinks, lots of fun choir socials, and singing a wide range of repertoire to a good standard in a relaxed environment.

Selection is by audition at the beginning of each Michaelmas term – usually sometime during Week 1, after you've already had a taste of Chapel Choir during Freshers' Week. Auditions comprise singing a piece of your choice with piano accompaniment, one or two pieces of sight-reading (also with piano accompaniment), and a brief chat; probably all lasting 15 minutes in total. Your own-choice piece can really just be anything which you're comfortable singing – a solo aria or classical song is great if there's one you know well, but if not something like a hymn tune or folksong is completely fine too. The audition panel is made up of the Director of Chapel Music and the Organ Scholars. We're all very friendly and auditions are very informal; it's just a chance for us to get to know you and your voice a bit better.

Please do contact the Director of Chapel Music if you have any questions, need advice, or just want to find out more. We’d be really glad to have you as part of the team of scholars at LMH.