Auditions now in progress.
For additional audition information, please contact us at admissions@smcs.on.ca
or call (416) 397-6367 for information about booking your son’s audition.
We are excited about our AUDITIONS
and we hope that your son will join us!
Since 1937, St. Michael’s Choir School (SMCS) has nurtured creativity, academic achievement and musical excellence in a unique faith-based environment.
Located in downtown Toronto, SMCS is a full-curriculum school of 250 boys from grades 3-12 that provides sacred music for St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica. SMCS is devoted to helping your son realize his full academic, musical and spiritual potential. Our academic and music programme results in the formation of well-rounded young men of character and faith.
Bis Orat Qui Cantat.
He Who Sings Prays Twice.
St. Michael’s Choir School provides sacred music of the highest calibre to St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica and the Archdiocese of Toronto. With a program of in-depth training, students acquire advanced musical skills. The school also serves the broader community through concerts, touring and recordings.
In a very special way, SMCS embodies some of the best aspects of both private and public education. In recent years, both the elementary and secondary divisions have ranked at the very top of surveys of quality of Ontario's publicly funded schools. In terms of its academic achievement and overal reputation, SMCS is compared very favourably with some of the most prestigious private schools in the Toronto area.
Touring has been a part of the St. Michael’s Choir School tradition since the first concert outside of Toronto in 1946. Tours began to take boys to international destinations in 1967. In addition to building relationships between the Choir School and parishes all over the world, boys develop leadership skills and poise.
For additional audition information, please contact us at admissions@smcs.on.ca
or call (416) 397-6367 for information about booking your son’s audition.
As an Alumnus, my time at SMCS was a blessing, a privilege and played an important role in my formation as a musician. As an SMCS parent now, I am eager for my son to be enriched by the musical excellence, discipline and academic rigour but most importantly, the friendships and close bonds that SMCS fosters in its community.
What makes SMCS great for me, is the brotherhood that it fosters. After six years as a student at the choir school, I've worked, worshipped and performed together with both younger and older students and made deep friendships that will last long after I graduate.
SMCS provides both our sons a challenging and inspiring environment where they can expand and explore their creative and academic interests all the while keeping them grounded in their faith. The support, compassion and friendship within the SMCS Community has benefitted all of us!
My son is thriving vocally and musically. In addition, his confidence, curiosity and critical thinking have flourished during his first year at SMCS. As new SMCS parent, I have been overwhelmed by the exceptionally supportive environment of the entire SMCS Community.
Since joining SMCS in Gr 4 it’s been like a second home with activities like Schola Cantorum, Electronic Music Club, sports, concerts. I have made many friends and am proud that now my younger brother can experience the great SMCS experience with me.
For admission and audition information, please contact us at
admissions@smsc.on.ca
For admission and audition information, please contact us at admissions@smsc.on.ca
To learn more about our audition process, please click here to complete the Audition Inquiry Form, and a member of our Admissions team will contact you directly.
These documents are to be submitted electronically a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of audition. Documents can be sent via email to admissions@smcs.on.ca . Audition dates will not be confirmed until all documents have been submitted and audition fees paid in full.
3.Once the admissions file is complete and as soon as audition dates are finalized by our conductors, we will book an audition date/time for your son.
4. Auditions will be held in person.
Please arrive at least ten minutes ahead of your scheduled audition time. Students will be seen one-on-one by an auditioner, where they will go through a vocal assessment designed not only to assess a student’s vocal and musical ability, but also their listening skills and teachability.
For Grade 3 and 4 auditions, students will be asked to:
For Grades 5 and up, students will be asked to:
Ideally, candidates for grades 5 and up are in a choir and/or currently studying an instrument. Students should be prepared to play a piece on their chosen instrument.
You will receive an email in the week following your son’s audition letting you know his results. If auditioners feel that your son is a good candidate for St. Michael’s Choir School, you will be invited to make an appointment for an academic assessment. This typically takes place two weeks after the vocal audition. **Please note that starting in Grade 5, the program offered is in Extended French.
Following academic assessments, offers of admission will be sent out by email. Offer emails are followed by an admissions package sent to your home by mail. Your son’s placement will be held pending payment of a choral program fee deposit. Details on the amount and due date for the deposit will be included in the admissions package. If you have not submitted your deposit by the due date, your son may be moved on to a waiting list.
Admissions packages will include:
These documents are to be submitted electronically a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of audition. Documents can be sent via email to admissions@smcs.on.ca. Audition dates will not be confirmed until all documents have been submitted and audition fees paid in full.
1. Contact our admissions coordinator at admissions@smcs.on.ca.
2. An admissions file will be created by sending the following information: (scanned files in PDF format and sent to admissions@smcs.on.ca)
3. Once the admissions file is complete and as soon as audition dates are finalized by our conductors, we will book an audition date/time for your son.
4. Auditions will be held in person.
Auditioners can expect to sing O’Canada, vocal exercises, ear exercises and possibly do some sight singing depending on the grade. Auditioners are welcome to sing a piece of their choosing or to play a short piece, should they be studying an instrument. The purpose of an SMCS audition is to assess musical and vocal potential. We are looking for musical aptitude, the ability to listen and make adjustments when instructed. Approximately two weeks after your son’s audition you will receive the audition results via email from either our admissions coordinator or form our academic office.
5. Should your son's audition be successful, you will be asked to submit additional documentation and book a family interview with our admissions coordinator.
Documentation required will be confirmed by our Principal. Families are asked to submit a Family Questionnaire which covers aspects to consider when you join the SMCS Community.
6. A family interview will be held with our admissions coordinator, Executive Director and Principal. The classroom teachers for your son’s grade level will be auditing the interview as well.
7. Approximately two weeks after your family interview you can expect to receive notification from in our academic office regarding the result of your family interview and to either offer your son placement for September or to place your son on our waitlist.
8. Should you receive an offer of admission from us, you will have a few days to consider before we will require your response. It is important to note that you will be required to respond, confirming the offer of acceptance.
Please arrive at least ten minutes ahead of your scheduled audition time. Students will been seen one-on-one by an auditioner, where they will go through a vocal assessment designed not only to assess a student’s vocal and musical ability, but also their listening skills and teachability. In their audition, students will be asked to sing a song of their choice, and will then follow the auditioner through exercises designed to test his sight singing, musicality, listening skills and teachability.
You will receive an email in the week following your son’s audition letting you know his results. If auditioners feel that your son is a good candidate for St. Michael’s Choir School, you will be contacted by our Principal. This normally takes place two weeks after the vocal audition.
After our Principal has review the documents, offers of admission will be sent out via email. Once we receive the placement offer acceptance an admission package will be sent to you home by mail. Your son’s place at the school will be held pending payment of a choral program fee deposit. Details on amount and due date for the deposit will be included in the admissions package. If you have not submitted your deposit by the due date, your son may be moved on to a waiting list.
Admissions packages will include:
Audition candidates are required to send pdf copies of the following prior to their audition (scanned files in PDF format and sent to admissions@smcs.on.ca):
**Please note that all students in high school are enrolled in the Extended French Program and should already have a strong French background.
Candidate parents can contact admissions@smcs.on.ca to submit all documents and to request an audition date with one of our conductors. Candidate should also be prepared to sing 'O Canada' and one piece of his own choosing (preferably but not necessarily, in a sacred, choral or classical style) If the candidate plays the piano, or another instrument, he should be prepared to play a piece on that instrument as well.
Singing: Candidate should be able to sing in at least a 1.5 octave range comfortably in either his changed (lower) voice or falsetto (higher) voice
Sight Reading: Candidate should be able and prepared to sing a piece of unison (one line) music on sight and a short piece of four part music in his preferred voicing (SATB)
Ear Training: Candidate should be prepared for melody sing backs of at least 4 bars and rhythmic clap backs of 4 bars
Piano: Candidate should have at least 3 years of piano lesson experience and preferably at least 5 years. Ideally, the candidate has completed Grade 5 RCM or equivalent
Music Theory: Candidate should be prepared to complete a brief theory assessment (at least an RCM Level 8 - 2018 designation - or above)
1. Contact our admissions coordinator at admissions@smcs.on.ca.
2. An admissions file will be created by sending the following information: (scanned files in PDF format and sent to admissions@smcs.on.ca):
3. Once the admissions file is complete and as soon as audition dates are finalized by our conductors, we will book an audition date/time for your son.
4. Auditions will be held in person.
Auditioners can expect to sing O’Canada, vocal exercises, ear exercises and possibly do some sight singing depending on the grade. Auditioners are welcome to sing a piece of their choosing or to play a short piece, should they be studying an instrument. The purpose of an SMCS audition is to assess musical and vocal potential. We are looking for musical aptitude, the ability to listen and make adjustments when instructed. Approximately two weeks after your son’s audition you will receive the audition results via email from either our admissions coordinator or form our academic office.
5. Should your son's audition be successful, you will be asked to submit additional documentation and book a family interview with our admissions coordinator.
Documentation required will be confirmed by our Principal. Families are asked to submit a Family Questionnaire which covers aspects to consider when you join the SMCS Community.
6. A family interview will be held with our admissions coordinator, Executive Director and Principal.
7. Approximately two weeks after your family interview you can expect to receive notification from our academic office regarding the result of your family interview and to either offer your son placement for September or to place your son on our waitlist.
8. Should you receive an offer of admission from us, you will have a few days to consider before we will require your response. It is important to note that you will be required to respond, confirming the offer of acceptance.
Please arrive at least ten minutes ahead of your scheduled audition time. Students will been seen one-on-one by an auditioner, where they will go through a vocal assessment designed not only to assess a student’s vocal and musical ability, but also their listening skills and teachability. In their audition, students will be asked to sing a song of their choice, and will then follow the auditioner through exercises designed to test his sight singing, musicality, listening skills and teachability.
You will receive an email in the week following your son’s audition letting you know his results. If auditioners feel that your son is a good candidate for St. Michael’s Choir School, you will be contacted by our Principal. This normally takes place two weeks after the vocal audition.
After our Principal has review the documents, offers of admission will be sent out via email. Once we receive the placement offer acceptance an admission package will be sent to you home by mail. Your son’s place at the school will be held pending payment of a choral program fee deposit. Details on amount and due date for the deposit will be included in the admissions package. If you have not submitted your deposit by the due date, your son may be moved on to a waiting list.
Admissions packages will include: