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Sarah will sing choir's praises
Singing sensation Sarah Dover is making history as one of the first group of girls to be allowed in to Durham Cathedral Choir.
Durham Choristers announced it would break its 600-year tradition earlier this year and allow girls into the cathedral choir from 2009.
For centuries the choir has consisted of 12 men and 20 boys, but from early next year the boys will take turns with a group of 20 girls.
And Sarah, 10, from Penshaw, will be among them.
As well as her singing duties in the cathedral, she will be a boarder at the Chorister School – which over the years has taught such prestigious pupils as Tony Blair and Rowan Atkinson.
"We're really proud of her," said mum Marie, 35, who works as a nursery nurse.
"We had to wait patiently to find out if she'd got in, but when the news came it was really exciting."
Sarah, a pupil at Our Lady's Queen of Peace Primary School, was chosen for one of the 20 places after attending a voice trial.
She was asked for a voice trial where she had to perform a song of her choosing as well as other tests.
"She sang the theme from Titanic and had to do some scales. It was quite hard but she did it," said Marie, who is married to Colin, 34, a bricklayer.
Sarah's rendition enthralled Ian Hawksby, headteacher at Durham Choristers.
He said: "She sang My Heart Will Go On and I got more goose bumps when she sang it than when Celine Dion did."
Sarah's success will come as particularly good news to the Dover family.
Marie's dad Ron Hepton – Sarah's grandad – recently died of the asbestos-linked cancer mesothelioma.
"I think her grandad would have been proud," said Marie. "I wish he could have been here to see it."
"He used to always get her to sing for him."
Sarah will attend the Choristers School within the walls of Durham Cathedral for three years.
* Durham Choristers is still on the lookout for more female recruits, with voice trials scheduled for February 7 and March 16.
There is also a "be a chorister for the afternoon" event on December 21, which starts with lunch in the school, followed by various singing activities and culminating in Evensong at the cathedral at 5.15pm.
For more information on the school or the events, visit www.thechoristerschool.com or tel. 0191 384 2935.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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