Figure 1.--Here a solist from Les Pastoureaux performs. He had a beautiful voice for such a little guy. |
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Les Pastoureaux is a very well known choir in Belgium. They seem to be named after the medieval popular movements, Shepherds' Crusade. Les Pastoureaux mens the The Shepherd Boys. They are also known as the Petits Chanteurs de Waterloo et de Louvain-la-Neuve, mening the Waterloo and Louvain-la-Neuve Boys' Choir. It is a Belgian choir of both boys and adult men singers based in Waterloo. It was founded in 1974. They do not seem to be a boarding choir, but they obviously put in many hours into training and training, almost like a boarding choir.
A reader writes, "The soloist is very good. I have heard him on You Tube. Even though they do not board, the choir has atandard. Sometimes people will ask whther boarding will really help a choir a lot, or whether boys can train well outside their normal school." A great deal depends on the choir master of course, but the boarding schools have a tremendous advantage. There is no substitute for training and practice. Boarders are able to spend more time practicing than a non-boarding choir.
Another reader writes, "I agree that boarding schools have an advantage. And for school choirs who also sing for a church two times a day early in the morning and in the evening (there are some choirs with this duty), it is practicle for the boy to board."
The Choir is currently conducted by Philippe Favette. Their performance repertoire includes works of religious music as well as popular secular music. The boys wear destictive yellow sweaters with blue shirts and black pants. A chorister at another chour writes, "The yellow sweater makes this choir look a bit more lively than the usual traditional French or Belgian choir." They are a verry competent choir producing beautiful music. They also exhibit reasonable stage craft, although many of the boys sway a little during performances. When their conductor begins to conduct, the boys put their hands behind their backs. The soloists have beautiful voices, including some quite young boys.
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