Membership
There are about 80 singers who regularly enjoy making music under the watchful eye (and baton) of our Musical Director, Jonathan Rathbone.
We are always looking to increase our membership, so if you used to sing with a music group or at school or college and would like to reawaken your interest in singing, or perhaps you have been inspired by a TV programme, why not come along to a rehearsal and get to know us.
If you are interested in becoming a member or trying us out, or would like some more information, contact Donna Coy on 01708 451719.
Why sing?
Singing and making music has recently increased in popularity, possibly as a result of TV shows such as The Voice and the choir competitions led by Gareth Malone, or possibly just because it is fun and enjoyable!
Did you know that singing in a choir is good for your health according to research from Sweden?
The study showed that singing in a group increased positive emotions, decreased negative ones, and left participants happier, more alert and relaxed. It improves posture and exercises your abdominal muscles too. Not only that, it is much more fun than going to the gym!
Rehearsals
Rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings from 8pm to 9.50pm in St. Edward’s Primary School, Havering Drive, Romford RM1 4BT
They can sometimes be challenging, and involve ‘note bashing’ when learning a new piece of music, but will always be enjoyable. The rehearsals are aimed at ensuring that members of all abilities gain from the evening and feel the buzz of improving their singing skills.
There is much to learn about a piece of music and Jonathan sets high standards for every performance, so we do expect members to attend as many rehearsals as possible, particularly those leading up to a concert and the mandatory rehearsal on the afternoon of the concert.
Performances
The choir performs four major concerts each year, and sometimes performs at other special events . The major concerts normally take place on Saturday evenings and there is always an afternoon rehearsal on the day.
We have a dress code for all concert performances.
Repertoire
This could only be described using words such as broad, diverse and varied! Over the past few years we have performed works by Brahms, Elgar, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Rutter, Vivaldi, Verdi and Vaughan Williams. Added to this is more relaxed music from the shows such as Les Miserables, South Pacific, West Side Story and Guys & Dolls, plus popular music from the 60s, 70s and 80s and a wide range of Christmas music (both traditional and modern).
Subscriptions
The annual subscriptions for the year September 2023 to August 2024 are :
- Full: £205. Payable by October. Or £105 by October & £100 by January.
- Senior citizens: £185. Payable by October. Or £95 by October & £90 by January.
- Students: £33. Payable by October.
Paying for music
Choir members are expected to pay for the cost of hiring sheet music and vocal scores (unless they have their own copies). This typically costs between £1 and £3 per term.
We ask members to look after hired music as if it were their own, and in the event of damage or loss we expect members to pay for the full cost of replacement.