Definition

1. Noun:
   • A school, typically attached to a cathedral or large church, that provides a general education alongside specialized musical training, particularly in choral singing. Students, traditionally boys, often sing in the cathedral or church choir as part of their training and duties.

Usage

• The term "choir school" is a compound noun used to refer to a specific type of educational institution. It is used as a singular, countable noun (e.g., , ).
• It describes the institution itself, not the act of attending it.

Examples

• Noun:
  • He received his early education at a famous choir school attached to the cathedral.
  • The choir school has a centuries-old tradition of combining academic rigor with musical excellence.
  • Admission to the choir school is highly competitive and involves a rigorous audition.

Advanced Usage

• The concept is often associated with the Anglican and Catholic traditions in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, though similar institutions exist elsewhere.
• While historically for boys, many choir schools now also admit girls, either in separate treble lines or, increasingly, in mixed choirs.

Variants and Related Words

• Choir (noun): An organized group of singers, typically one that performs in a church or performs religious music.
• Chorister (noun): A member of a choir, especially a boy who sings in a church choir (often a student at a choir school).
• Cathedral school (noun): A broader term for a school founded by or closely associated with a cathedral, which may or may not have a specific choral focus.
• Choral scholar (noun): Often an older student (e.g., at a university) who receives a scholarship in return for singing in a chapel choir; distinct from a choir school student.

Synonyms

• Choral foundation school: A more formal term emphasizing the endowed, permanent nature of the musical establishment.
• Song school (archaic/historical): An older term for a school specializing in teaching singing and musical theory, often for church purposes.

Related Phrases

• To attend choir school: The phrase used to describe being a student at such an institution.
  • As a child, he attended choir school and sang daily in the chapel.
• Choir school education: Refers to the specific type of schooling received.
  • Her choir school education gave her exceptional discipline and musical skill.

Noun

1. a school that is part of a cathedral or monastery where boys with singing ability can receive a general education