Need help? Take a look at some of our most Frequently Asked Questions.
When and where does CHORUS! meet?
We meet on Tuesday evenings during school terms from 7:30 to 9:30 at St Peter's Church Hall, Hopeville Avenue, St Peter’s, Broadstairs. CT10 2TR.
You can check whether or not we are meeting this week in the Dates section of this website.
Is the venue accessible for disabled people?
St Peter's Hall has a permanent ramp to ensure that the venue is wheelchair accessible - entry is via the main door on the corner of Hopeville Avenue and Church Street. There are parking spaces reserved for disabled people on Hopeville Avenue, near to the entrance. There is a disabled toilet, and there are no steps inside the hall.
Can I come to a session to try out?
Yes. You're most welcome to come along on a Tuesday evening and see whether you'd like to join us. Sue will meet you and help you to settle in. The first session is free of charge.
Do I need to be able to read music?
No, you don't need to be able to read music. We learn at least one song by listening and repeating every week, and we revisit songs frequently, so that they can be memorised.
Do I have to audition?
No, an audition is not required to join CHORUS! There is never a requirement for you to sing on your own.
What happens if I can't attend every week?
Whilst we believe that members who can attend frequently find their participation more rewarding, we don't have a minimum attendance requirement. We understand that members have various calls on their time and energy.
We also understand that a new member may have commitments already in the diary.
What voice part should I sing?
If you haven't sung in a choir before, or haven't sung for a while, it can be difficult to be sure how high/low your voice is. Your voice becomes stronger and a little more flexible with use. It's important in the early stages not to strain.
So it can be good to try out singing in the section (Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass) which seems most suitable and comfortable to begin with, and change sections later if necessary.
Most women sing Soprano (the highest voice part) or Alto. Sometimes women with lower voices are vocally most comfortable singing tenor. Most men sing Tenor (higher) or Bass (lower) while some men with higher voices sing Alto.
If you think your voice is neither high nor low, but somewhere in the middle, your decision about where to start might be helped by knowing that the soprano part often has the tune, which can be a deciding factor. Similarly, the bass part is often more predictable than the tenor part, and perhaps a little easier to pick out because it's the lowest part.
However, as a choir member, you will have other people around you, who sing your part, which makes learning much easier. We also aim to support you in various ways, e.g., making recordings of parts of the longer and more complicated pieces available online, so that you can listen to them between rehearsal sessions.
If you find that your first choice of voice part doesn't feel comfortable, you can change parts at any time - it might take a few weeks to be sure.
What Covid safety measures are in place?
At one stage it was believed that choral singing was dangerous with regard to transmission of coronavirus. However, research subsequently found that singing was no more likely to spread Covid-19 than speaking.
Our venue (which has been certified as Covid Secure) is a large hall, with a high ceiling, that gives us room to spread out; singers are thus not seated close together, and anyone who would like to be more distant from others can find a comfortable space. The hall is cleaned (and is normally not occupied) immediately prior to our entry.
We encourage members to follow a one-way system on entering and leaving the hall, and while within the building.
Sheet music copies are set out on the stage (i.e., across a distance of about 25 feet) which allows members plenty of space to browse and pick up copies.
We do not have expectations that members must attend every week - members' health and well-being is our priority.
What sorts of songs does CHORUS! sing?
We sing a variety of styles of music: well-known pop songs from different decades, and some less well-known songs in similar styles, folk songs from different cultures, arrangements of light songs and jazz standards, songs from shows.
NB There is a separate FAQ listing the songs that we are singing at the moment.
What songs is CHORUS! singing at the moment?
Our current repertoire (2023-24 season) includes:
Arrangements of well-known popular songs:
Folk
Songs from around the world
Musicals
How are songs learned in CHORUS! rehearsals?
We learn some songs by listening, repeating and memorising, and others from notation.
When we use notation, we allow plenty of time for learning by listening and repeating, so that if you're not accustomed to reading music, you will be able to pick up the part. The notation is there simply to help us to remember the music. For longer pieces we provide audio tracks - which are available in the Members' Area of this website - to help us to follow up on what we learn in rehearsals.
How important is the social aspect of the choir?
We have a 20-minute break in our weekly rehearsals, in which refreshments are available, and members have a chance to socialise.
At the last rehearsal of the term we often sing through the songs we have learned, and have a more extended social time. We occasionally have a social evening in place of a rehearsal.
Will I have to take part in public performances?
The members of CHORUS! are consulted about whether and when we give performances, and in what form ; if you do not wish to take part in a performance, we respect your feeling, and there will be no pressure to perform.
What is the membership fee?
Your very first session is free of charge. After that, the fee is £8 per session. We offer a reduction of £1 per session if members pay in advance on the first session of the half term. Payment in advance will normally be for 5 to 7 sessions.
Members can pay in cash, by cheque or via BACS to the choir's bank account.
Membership fees pay for our venue, insurance, our website, printing costs, and the Musical Director. In the event of financial hardship, choir members can pay what they can afford (please feel free to speak to Sue in confidence).
If you can't find the answer to your question and still need help? Contact Us.
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