Voice for Life is a core RSCM educational program supporting and promoting singing in churches, schools and other communities.
The Voice for Life Training Scheme
Voice for Life provides a framework for choral singers to develop their vocal skills, their musical understanding and their knowledge of repertoire. It comes with a range of teaching material and supporting resources, and gives plenty of advice on the practicalities of running a choir. Voice for Life is easy to use for both choir trainers and singers and sets the vocal work of the choir in its musical and wider context.
There are five levels in the Voice for Life scheme, for singers of any age from beginners through to advanced singers. Brand new, inexperienced singers can begin with the preparatory level. Others should begin with the level that best suits their previous vocal or instrumental experience.
The levels are:
- White (preparatory level)
- Light Blue
- Dark Blue
- Red
- Yellow
There is a Voice for Life workbook for each level for the singer to complete. These can be purchased from the RSCM UK online webshop.
After successful completion of a workbook under the supervision of the choir leader, the singer is eligible to purchase the relevant ribbon and medal from the online webshop.
Those choristers who wish to, may also undertake an RSCM Singing Award examination. The Singing Awards celebrate singers’ achievements and progress, through formal examinations at three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Designed to run in parallel with Voice for Life, they affirm the work done by singers and choir trainers in a standardised way.
Each award has its own syllabus and regulations. There are guidelines available in both online and published form to fully prepare the candidate for the standard expected during the examinations.
Successful candidates are entitled to wear a prestigious medal cast in the appropriate metal colour (bronze, silver or gold). Bronze awards are worn with a green ribbon, silver awards with a purple ribbon and the gold award with a dark red ribbon.
It is recommended that candidates follow this pathway:
White workbook – Light Blue workbook – Dark Blue workbook – BRONZE singing award – Red workbook – SILVER singing award – Yellow workbook – GOLD singing award.
The syllabus and regulations for the Bronze and Silver awards can be downloaded here:
Syllabus (including music lists) (Autumn 2021 onwards)
- Unaccompanied items (Bronze) (Autumn 2021 onwards)
- Unaccompanied items (Silver) (Autumn 2021 onwards)
- Unaccompanied items (Gold) (Autumn 2021 onwards)
See the RSCM UK website for a range of supporting training materials including an online learning platform called Showbie: https://www.rscm.org.uk/start-learning/voice-for-life-and-singing-awards/
Contact your Branch committee about undertaking an award examination at Bronze or Silver level.
In NSW, you may apply for a Bronze or Silver award examination using the form below
If you are attending a RSCM Winter or Summer School (usually held annually), you may find that an examiner will be available for candidates to take their Singing Award examination while attending the week long Summer or Winter school program.
Gold Award
Applications for a Gold Award examination are processed through RSCM (UK). All related information, syllabus and application forms can be found on the RSCM (UK) website If a singer is contemplating examination at this level, they should contact the Australian coordinator for Voice for Life, Jacinta Jakovcevic, six to twelve months ahead of the hoped-for examination date at .