Frequently asked questions
Do I have to have a good voice?
Not at all! Our Choirs are open to anyone regardless of their experience with singing or choirs. You will never be asked to sing on your own and our learning materials mean that you don’t need to be able to read music to join! You may have sung in the Royal Albert Hall or you may have only sung in the shower: all experiences are valued equally. Your Choir Leader will know how to work with a group of people with a mixture of experience and ability to ensure that everyone feels fulfilled and your choir sounds great.
What resources are included?
At your free taster session, we’ll have everything you need ready and waiting for you. Once you become a member, you’ll have access to our online rehearsal room, which includes all resources you need to learn with us. This includes lyric sheets for you to print and practice tracks you can download and sing along with. We keep our learning resources online as this helps keep our subscription costs as low as they can be and helps us do our bit for the planet by becoming a paperless organisation. If you think this will be a barrier for you, please speak to us.
How do I know where to sit?
Our choirs rehearse in sections (Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses). If you already know what your voice type might be, that’s great! If not, don’t worry - your Choir Leader will talk to you about the right area of the choir to sit in. We ask choristers not to save seats as we are a welcoming and inclusive group. We’re all here to have a lovely time and make new friends, so if a seat is empty, you’re welcome to sit in it. If you have any issues finding a seat, just speak to your Choir Leader.
Do I have to take part in performances?
Not at all! These are always voluntary: but we really encourage you to have a go as we believe performing is an important part of the learning experience. The sense of fulfilment and achievement that comes from a performance is unique so please don’t hesitate to chat to your Choir Leader if you’re feeling nervous about it - we don’t want you to miss out!
Do I have to be able to read music?
Nope! For the majority of the time, our choirs use lyric sheets only. However, there may be instances where your Choir Leader gives you the option to use a musical score. In these cases, your Choir Leader will help you learn the basics of how to follow the music and what the different symbols mean in the sessions. But, there’s no obligation to use them but we encourage it when appropriate as part of your learning experience.
I have some additional needs, am I welcome?
We are an inclusive organisation and aim to be as accessible as we can, but we recognise that this is an ongoing learning process for us and we will do everything in our power to help. We welcome anyone with additional needs but we do request that you drop us a line ahead of your free taster session so that we can make sure it is as positive and inclusive an experience as it can be. Information you share with us will always be treated in the strictest confidence.
What causes do you support?
We support causes that are important to our choristers, both locally and nationally. We never expect choristers to donate to any cause we are supporting unless they particularly want to. We also have our ‘Charity of the Year’ scheme which is voted on by all of our choristers.
How much does it cost?
Everyone is entitled to a free taster session. After that, there are two options: most people choose to pay monthly to be a member of one of our choirs, which costs £16.99 per month. However, some prefer to pay yearly, which costs £199. If this is a barrier for you, please get in touch.
How do I pay?
Sustainability is important to us - it’s part of our ‘For Good’ ethos. Therefore, our choirs run on a subscription model, paid by card and is a bit like a gym membership. This is NOT a Direct Debit. Choristers pay for their place in the choir rather than paying per session they attend. This ensures that the choir is able to run as normal and basic running costs are covered even when some choristers are unable to attend. Unfortunately, we do not accept cash.
What does my subscription pay for?
Your subscription pays for the ongoing cost of running your choir for 48 weeks of the year. This includes things like venue hire, insurance, your Choir Leader’s time and expertise, musical arrangements, song licenses, and much more. As a not-for-profit, we always try and keep our subscription costs as low as they can be, and we are obligated to reinvest any profit we do make back into the company: improving your learning experience and expanding our reach in local communities.
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