Becoming a Thomaner
Singing. Learning. Experiencing music.
There are several ways to become a Thomaner. In Leipzig, the search for suitable young talents for the Thomanerchor begins at pre-school age. The staff of the Younger Voices Department visit numerous nurseries and make music with the pre-school children there. Suitable boys are then invited to taster singing lessons and to join the pre-school choir. The forum thomanum e. V. day care center also lays the first foundations for musical and linguistic education at pre-school age. In addition, the Thomanerchor offers early musical education in cooperation with the Elementary Music Education course at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Drama.
Two Leipzig elementary school train the next generation of singers for the Thomanerchor: the Anna-Magdalena-Bach-Schule (elementary school of the city of Leipzig) and the forum thomanum elementary school. With their in-depth musical training profiles, which include individual voice training,
instrumental lessons, choral singing and music theory, the aim of both elementary school is to prepare young singers step by step for an entrance examination into the Thomanerchor.
Boys who live outside Leipzig are of course also able to take part in the examination and be accepted into the Thomanerchor. It is advisable to contact the music teachers of the junior section at an early stage in order to discuss the requirements and prepare yourself in the best possible way. A lateral entry into a higher grade is also possible if you have the appropriate musical aptitude and previous training after passing the aptitude test.
Early musical education
Boys who are interested in music and enthusiastic about singing can take part in the Thomanerchor’s early development programs from kindergarten age.
Boys of pre-school age who are interested in music can attend the pre-school choir on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 4.40 p.m. in room 106 / auditorium of the Anna Magdalena Bach School (Leipzig City Primary School) under the direction of Bettina Denner-Brückner. The voice coach and junior teacher of the St. Thomas Boys Choir sings monophonic children’s and folk songs with the boys in the pre-school choir and introduces them to the exciting world of music in a playful way. The young singers are individually encouraged in their talent and enjoyment of singing and train their voices. Interested parents are welcome to visit the choir at any time and ask questions about the Thomanerchor’s training of young singers. Is your son interested in singing in the pre-school choir? Please contact our junior choir coordinator Claus Straßner by e-mail at nachwuchs@thomanerchor.de.
The forum thomanum elementary school offers taster singing lessons on six dates in the fall and winter for boys of pre-school age who enjoy singing and are interested in training with the THOMANERCHOR Leipzig. During the singing lesson, the boys’ musical and vocal abilities are explored in order to determine their suitability for the THOMANERCHOR Leipzig’s training program for young singers at the forum thomanum elementary school. Information on the taster singing lessons can be found here.
1st to 3rd grade
The path to becoming a Thomaner begins in the 1st grade. The training of the next generation of Thomanerchor member takes place at our partner elementary school, the Anna-Magdalena-Bach-Schule (elementary school of the city of Leipzig) and the forum thomanum elementary school. There, the boys attend the in-depth music education programs and are individually encouraged in their musical talents and love of singing. In addition to a comprehensive primary school education, each boy takes part in weekly singing lessons and receives instruction in music theory and ear training. In addition, there are professional voice training and instrumental lessons with teachers from the THOMANERCHOR Leipzig or the forum thomanum. All first to third graders gain their first performance experience in church music and concerts with the Thomaner Younger Voices Choir. The aptitude test for admission to the Thomanerchor takes place at the end of Year 3. Both musical ability and academic performance are tested.
You can find more information about our partner schools online:
www.amb-grundschule-leipzig.de
www.forum-thomanum.de
4th grade
After passing the entrance examination, the boys are ceremoniously accepted into the THOMANERCHOR Leipzig at the first motet of the school year and, in addition to their primary school education at the Anna-Magdalena-Bach-Schule and the forum thomanum elementary school, will immediately take part in choral activities and musical lessons in the Thomanerchor’s boarding school.
5th grade
From the 5th grade onwards, all Thomaner attend the St. Thomas classes together with other music-loving children.
Thomaner classes at the Thomasschule Leipzig, a secondary school in the city of Leipzig. The former younger voices are now permanent members of the
THOMANERCHOR Leipzig.
Events of the Thomaner Younger Voices Choir
To the Events