Upper sixth formers Barnaby Sladden and James Kitchingman have sung their way to success.
The friends sang together for years in the Ripon Cathedral choir and are now heading to Cambridge and Worcester.
They have secured much sought-after choral scholarships.
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said:
“James and Barnaby were gifted members of Ripon Cathedral Choir when I arrived in Ripon in 2014.
“It is such a joy to see them using their musical talents and flourishing so brilliantly.”
Barnaby has been offered a tenor position in the Clare College Chapel Choir at the University of Cambridge.
He will also study maths at the university.
As well as singing with the world-famous choir, he will be involved in regular performances on radio and overseas tours.
Barnaby and James san together for 11 years in the Ripon Cathedral choir.
James won his place at Worcester Cathedral, where he will receive free accommodation in an eighteenth century flat above the cathedral’s Song School.
Barnaby, who is 17, is following in the footsteps of his parents, Dan and Ruth Sladden.
The couple met in the 1990s, when they were Cambridge choral scholars, Dan at King’s and Ruth at Clare College
James, 18, will spend his gap year singing at six services a week in the cathedral and helping to run the music department there,
Michael Barker, director of music at Ripon Grammar School, said:
“Choral scholarships are only given out to the select few students who have shown dedication over time and commitment to choral music.
“I wish them the very best of luck on the next stage of their journeys.”
As a choral scholar, as well as being paid £3,000 a year and enjoying rent-free accommodation, he is looking forward to free singing lessons and mentoring from acclaimed professional musicians.
The famous choir performs in major concert venues all over the UK and has toured in Japan, the USA, Israel and throughout Europe in recent years.
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Like Barnaby, James comes from a musical family.
His mother Cathy, sings and plays the piano, father Andrew, plays piano and organ and sister Helena, 15, is a keen electric guitar player.
