From Charlotte to Durham to London, one chorister reflects on the experiences that changed his life.

Some journeys begin with a single conversation.

For CCS alum Ian Adamson, it started after elementary school choir rehearsal, when his music teacher handed him a letter inviting him to Discovery Night. At the time, Ian had already spent years involved in music through choir and band. But something about Charlotte Choir School felt different from the very beginning.

“There was an energy in the room that I couldn’t and still can’t fully describe,” Ian shared. “A different sense of ambition, a different sense of community, or something else entirely indescribable. I knew I needed to experience it.”

That one invitation became seven years of music, challenge, friendship, and discovery that would ultimately shape the course of his future.

Ian was part of Charlotte Choir School from 2014–2021, singing first in the Boys Tour Choir and later in MasterSingers. Today, he lives in London, England, where he works in the financial services industry after earning a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Durham University.

And remarkably, that path traces directly back to one unforgettable CCS residency.

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The Week That Changed Everything

Among countless performances, tours, and rehearsals, Ian points to one experience as the defining turning point of his life: the 2019 Durham Cathedral residency in northern England.

“Little did I know when I joined the Choir School in 2014 that 12 days in the north of England during our Durham Cathedral residency would set the course for what has been the past four and a half years of my life.”

For Ian, Durham was more than a performance destination. Singing daily in the cathedral, walking the cobblestone streets, and immersing himself in the city sparked something much bigger.

“That week catalyzed everything,” he wrote.

At the time, Ian was beginning to think seriously about life after high school. But nothing he had explored in the United States quite clicked. Durham did.

“Walking down the cobblestone streets of the Bailey every day to rehearsing and singing in the cathedral throughout the week, I developed a strong feeling that my time at Durham would not end with that final evensong.”

Two years later, after navigating applications, exams, and international requirements, Ian received an offer to study mathematics at Durham University.

The rest unfolded quickly: four years of university life, continued musical leadership, competitive running, and eventually a move to London to begin his career.

“One thing’s for sure,” Ian reflected. “None of this would have happened without those 12 days in 2019.”

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Music That Pushes You Further

Throughout his time at CCS, Ian says the program consistently challenged him to grow beyond what he thought was possible.

One performance remains permanently etched in his memory: singing the solo in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

At the time, Ian was still in the Tour Choir, but he was invited to perform alongside MasterSingers for the concert.

“It pushed me past a limit I didn’t think I could surpass,” he shared.

The preparation demanded intense focus, individual coaching, rehearsals, and courage. But standing independently at the front of the stage, singing in Hebrew before a packed audience, taught him something lasting about himself.

“I learned so much about the amount of work I was willing to put into something to be successful.”

That lesson continues to shape his life far beyond music. Ian credits CCS with helping build the mindset he now applies to everything from academic pursuits to competitive running.

“The ability to embrace challenges with positive determination, not dread of the difficulty,” he explained. “There’s always a path forward.”

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A Community That Lasts

Ask Ian what made CCS truly special, and his answer comes back to one thing: the people.

“What makes a performance special is when you can feel that there is a community behind the music making,” he shared. “You can tell when the people in the choir are there to support each other and push each other to be better.”

Even years later — and an ocean away — those relationships still matter.

Ian has stayed connected with fellow alumni and even reunited with CCS friends during travels across the UK. In 2023, he attended the MasterSingers residency at Wells Cathedral, seeing many familiar faces still carrying the program forward.

“There’s something almost indescribably special about being a CCS alum,” he reflected. “You’re part of a legacy grounded in community.”

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Music Beyond the Choir School

Although Ian now works professionally outside the music world, music continues to shape his life.

During his years at Durham University, he sang with the St. Mary’s College Chapel Choir, served as a choral scholar, and eventually became Director of Music in his final year. He also performed with the Durham University Choral Society and the Durham University Brass Band, exploring musical traditions deeply rooted in northern English culture.

One especially meaningful full-circle moment came when he returned to Durham Cathedral — not as a visiting chorister this time, but as a conductor leading a Christmas carol service.

“That very cathedral brought me to the city back in 2019,” he wrote.

Even now, Ian sees music as something larger than performance alone.

“It truly has the capacity to impact a community in ways beyond formal concerts and services,” he shared. “Music has provided me with an incredible scope of possibility.”

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A Message for Today’s Choristers

When asked what he hopes current CCS students take away from their experience, Ian’s answer feels deeply rooted in gratitude.

“I hope today’s choristers have the capacity to cherish the opportunities the program provides,” he wrote. “It’s a program that gives as much as you put into it.”

For Ian, Charlotte Choir School became far more than rehearsals and concerts. It became a launch point for adventure, confidence, discipline, friendship, and purpose.

“There are moments and memories that I will never be able to replicate,” he reflected. “Some may become key memories you cherish for years to come, and some may be the things that change your path for the better.”

And perhaps that is the legacy of Charlotte Choir School itself: not simply teaching music, but helping young people discover just how far a love of music can take them.