PG Groups

Schola Cantorum & Kantorei provides singers in mid-late elementary grades joy-filled opportunities and stellar foundations in choral singing, aural skills and music reading, performance, and general musicianship. Schola Cantorum & Kantorei perform in PG December and May concerts, CY’s annual Young Singers’ Sharing, and is featured in community events. Singers in Schola Cantorum & Kantorei remain in the group for one to three years. Schola Cantorum & Kantorei rehearse once weekly on Mondays, and once a month on Saturday mornings.

Troubadors

Troubadors includes singers primarily enrolled in fifth through seventh grades, with most singers remaining in Troubadors for one to three years. Troubadors embody a love for singing vocal skills appropriate for their age–they also embrace a desire to learn as singer-musicians. Throughout rehearsals and performances, Troubadors enjoy singing and sharing music together, they work to develop resonant and tuneful voices, grow in their aural skills and music reading, and build leadership skills and performance etiquette. Troubadors also learn beginning to intermediate repertoire performed at the winter and spring concerts, as well as community events and CY joint performances. Troubadors rehearse once weekly on Monday evenings and on the second and third Saturday mornings of each month.

Trouvères

Trouvères enrolls singers in seventh through eleventh grades. Trouvères enjoy singing intermediate through advanced repertoire, and demonstrate a commitment to building resonant voices, strong singer-musicianship, and personal and musical maturity. Singers in the Trouvères display a solid understanding of rhythmic and tonal aural skills and sight-reading, and have a growing understanding of vocal use and technique. Singers demonstrate their commitment to rehearsals and performances through regular attendance and preparation. Their performances span bi-annual concerts to highly prestigious venues in Philadelphia and beyond. Trouvères rehearse on Wednesday evenings and on the second and third Saturday mornings of each month.

Motet Choir

Motet Choir enrolls singers in tenth grade and above. Rare exceptions are made for younger, very experienced singers who with extensive musical experiences. Entry into Motet Choir includes a more advanced level of aural skills and sight-reading, resonant and strong vocal capability, and focused engagement in rehearsal and excellent attendance. Motet Choir singers are expected to prepare music outside the rehearsal time. It is uncommon for a new PG member to be placed directly into the Motet Choir. The Motet Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings and on the second and third Saturdays of each month.

Choir Placement

At the end of each season, music staff engage PG singers in individual vocal assessments to determine fall placement. Criteria include a singer’s age, their level of singer-musicianship, maturity and focus, motor-skill development, consistent attendance, and performance engagement. Singers are typically moved between choirs at the end of a season but not during a semester. Advancement between semesters may occur in specific cases at the discretion of music staff.

Here is how a typical singer might progress through the various choirs of PG if they began as a 3rd grader and remained until high school graduation:

3rd Grade spent as a Schola
4th Grade spent as a Advanced Schola
5th Grade spent as a Kantorei or Troubadors
6th Grade spent as a Troubadors
7th Grade spent as a Advanced Troubadors or Trouvères
8th Grade spent as a Trouvères
9th Grade spent as a Trouvères or in Motet Choir
10th Grade spent as a Trouvères or in Motet Choir
11th Grade as a Trouvères or in Motet Choir
12th Grade as a Trouvères or in Motet Choir