New Boy Training Status programme  

The New Boy Training Status Programme was developed at the DBCS to prepare new boys for the demands that they will face as future choristers. Emphasis is placed on training in music sight reading. Simultaneously the new boys are taught the important elements of singing - choral music on the one hand and music as a whole on the other. Aspects taught include correct singing posture, correct breathing, musical terminology, correct tone production, music theory and auditory skills development.

Going through the training status programme is a demanding process, as every new (and old) boy will recall. This period of training varies between 3 – 8 months, all depending on the prior knowledge of music (or absence thereof) and the amount of time, commitment and self-discipline the trainee will apply.

But, at the end of this long road, there are the rewards: Being able to sing a piece of music from sight, pass a full repertoire of songs and then finally being weighed and found to be the perfect Drakie-weight, is a feeling that no one can ever describe in words.

When a boy passes this solo audition, he becomes a full member of the performing choir.

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