He has been chosen to sing bass 2, which he describes as "the lowest of the low", although his range is quite wide, from baritone to tenor and bass, he said.
While he is still a 17-year-old year 13 student at Dunstan High School in Alexandra, Ross will be 18 in December so fulfils the requirement of being in the 18-25 age bracket.
He has been singing since a young age and continues to study under the watchful eye of Alexandra music teacher Ruth Reid.
He started playing cello a few years ago, but decided he was much better at singing so that was the path he chose.
"I probably don't practise as much as I should," he said.
The first get-together for the new choir will be in November for their first practice.
"Right in the middle of exams," he said.
South Dunedin, Invercargill and Gore are the first places the choir will perform in April next year, followed by Taranaki and Manawatu later in the year.
But being chosen for the choir does not come cheap and Ross has to find $500 a year for fees as well as money for overseas travel which is usually included in the two-year programme.
While he was in the Secondary Students Choir, Ross travelled to South America to Brazil and Argentina and the cost for that trip was $5000.
He is not fazed by the large sums he will have to raise and works hard in his spare time.
This school holidays he is working at the Alexandra Public Library and he does odd jobs for neighbours and runs raffles.
A concert he performed in was an excellent fundraiser, he said.
Next year, Ross is off to Dunedin to the University of Otago, where he will do a double degree in between performing, studying music and and commerce.
Following her big brother, young sister Beth Claverley auditions for the Secondary Students Choir shortly.
