PETER Symonds students, Emily Dickens and Tempe Nell, founder members of Winchester Cathedral's Girls' Choir, are celebrating after winning choral scholarships for Cambridge.

Emily will study music at Trinity College while Tempe will read History of Art at Gonville and Caius College.

Emily was formerly a pupil at the Henry Beaufort School while Tempe went to St Swithun's and they both live in Winchester.

The girls attended two rehearsals a week and Sunday services from May, 1999; toured Sweden and Norway, and took part in concerts, broadcasts and recordings. They opted to stay in the choir for an extra 12 months to prepare for the Choral Award competition.

Choir director, Sarah Baldock, said: "Every college in Cambridge elects a handful of singers each year to make up the Chapel Choir and competition for places is fierce.

"The scholars also have to be accepted to read for a degree so they have to reach the high academic standards, too. Emily and Tempe have been able to show that they are able to offer something in addition to their academic ability, which has marked them out from other applicants."

* For girls in Years 6 to 8 who would like to follow in their footsteps, there is a girls' choir open day on Saturday, January 21, and auditions for the choir for those in Years 7 and 8 will be held on Saturday, February 4. For more information, telephone 01962 857213 or e-mail sarah.baldock @winchester-cathedral. org.uk