Quirister Leaflets A Unique Choral Tradition | Page 2

HISTORY H O WA R D I O N A S C U
When William of Wykeham founded Winchester
College in 1382 he made provision for 16 young boys
under the age of 12 to sing in the Chapel. Mr Howard Ionascu is Director of Chapel Music
at Winchester College, where he trains and
conducts the Quiristers and Chapel Choir.
The school has maintained this same choral foundation for
more than 600 years and the Quiristers, or Qs as they are
usually known, form a vital part of Winchester College’s
Chapel Choir. The lower parts of the Chapel Choir are sung
by senior boys from Winchester College, some of whom
have themselves been Qs. Mr Ionascu began his musical career as a Vicar Choral at
Wells Cathedral. He has since taught at Radley College,
The Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and The King’s
School, Canterbury, where he was Director of Music. 
As a professional conductor, Mr Ionascu has worked with
a number of distinguished UK choirs and orchestras,
which have recently included the Laudate Choir, Exeter
Philharmonic Choir, London Mozart Players, City of
London Sinfonia and English Chamber Orchestra.
OPPORTUNITIES
A Quirister’s routine is more varied than that
of most choristers.
E D U C AT I O N
Quiristers are weekly or full boarders at The
Pilgrims’ School, a thriving boys-only prep school
located next to Winchester College.
They receive a scholarship worth 40 per cent of the school’s
full boarding fee, with additional means-tested bursaries
available, as well as free instrumental tuition and vocal
training. Instrumental practice takes place in the College
Music School and is closely supervised by the College
music staff. Most Quiristers will achieve a senior
school music award.
In addition to first class academic and musical training at
Pilgrims’, the Quiristers regularly play competitive sport and
enjoy the wider co-curricular offering of the school.
The pattern of worship in the Chapel involves regular
choral services, in which the Choir performs a great
range of church music; but because Choral Evensong is
not sung every day, the Quiristers also find time to sing a
wide secular repertoire. Quiristers are mostly required to
sing during term-time only, which means they can spend
Christmas and Easter with their families. Tours, which may
take place in the holidays, are a highlight of the Quirister
calendar and include free time for sightseeing
and exploration.
The Quiristers have a busy performing and recording
schedule. This has previously included Britten’s ‘A
Ceremony of Carols’ on BBC Radio 4, ‘Choral Evensong’ on
BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM’s annual Christmas concert.
The choir tours regularly and in recent years has visited
Russia, Italy, Holland, France and the USA. Quiristers have
won places in the final of the BBC Young Chorister of the
Year competition and on three recent occasions have won
that competition.