FAQ
When and where do you rehearse?
We rehearse on Mondays during school term times from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at St Margaret’s Church Parish Centre, Church Lane, Horsforth LS18 5LA. Please see our useful dates page for our full calendar.
Do I need to audition?
No, we do not audition our singers and we welcome members of all abilities.
Do I need to be able to read music to join the choir?
No, you don’t need to be able to read music to join our choir but it is helpful if you can, or are prepared to learn as we do sing from printed sheet music. Our membership varies from those who read music fluently to those who don’t read it at all. Other choir members are happy to help if you have never followed a musical score before! If you’re completely new to reading music and would like to learn some basics then the free Open University Music Theory Course may be of interest to you. It teaches music theory to the level of grades 1-3 of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music theory exams. You can test your understanding as you proceed by completing simple multiple-choice questions. But don’t worry too much, you can still participate fully in rehearsals with no music theory knowledge at all and you’ll be surprised how much you learn in rehearsals too.
How much are the subs?
Information about subs including current rates is on our Join Us page.
Anyone who wants to sing with us, but cannot manage the full amount is still very welcome and is invited to let us know in confidence.
Come and try us out! We will only ask you to join as a member after you’ve attended two or three sessions.
What happens at rehearsals?
We start with a warm up and then work on the music we are learning for our concerts. There is a break in the middle to chat to your friends and ask questions about the music and have a drink (please bring one with you).
Do I need to bring anything?
You will be given the music you need at the start of each term. Please bring that with you, a pencil and eraser for notes and a drink if you’d like one.
What should I do between rehearsals
Between rehearsals look at the music and your notes and practise what we’ve learnt. Listening to videos or audio of others choirs performing the same pieces can be helpful and you can find resources for each term here.
How many concerts a year do you perform?
We usually perform four concerts a year – Autumn in November, Christmas in early December, Spring in March and Summer in June / July.
What do I wear for concerts?
Concert dress is smart, all black, unless notified otherwise. At Christmas we add little festive touches too!
Do you do other performances other than concerts?
We enjoy singing at other events such as carol singing at the Horsforth Christmas Farmers Market and others we are invited to.
How do I contact you for more information?
All our contact details are here. Please feel free to get in touch with any queries you have.