Plural of chorister; multiple members of a choir.
Plural form of chorister, maintaining the standard English '-s' or '-es' ending. This term has been in continuous use since the Middle English period.
Cathedral choristers in Britain are still trained to sing incredibly complex renaissance music as children, and many go on to professional singing careers—starting as a chorister is like getting a PhD in musicianship!
Medieval and early modern European choirs were predominantly or exclusively male, with the word 'choristers' historically referring to boy or male singers in cathedral and church settings. Women were systematically excluded from professional choral roles, and the term carries this gendered institutional history.
Use 'choristers' neutrally for all singers regardless of gender; specify 'boy choristers' or 'girl choristers' only when historically or contextually necessary.
["singers","choir members","vocalists"]
Women's exclusion from formal choirs historically forced them into secular and folk musical traditions, where composers like Clara Schumann innovated despite institutional barriers. Today's recognition of female choristers corrects centuries of erasure.
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