Sing with the Chorale

Joining the Chorale

Welcome! Please complete the guest member application form here. The membership secretary will confirm your attendance and arrange your copies of the music.

In the spirit of keeping singing open to all, we do not audition. A reasonable level of musical literacy is needed as most works are performed from scores, with a select few being committed to memory. To this end, previous choral experience is an advantage.

We hold rehearsals most weeks of the year, with three sessions that culminate in performances angled around May, August and November.

To get a feel for the style and pace of rehearsals, newcomers can come trial the choir during the first four weeks of a session, after which the music director will invite them to participate in the rest of the session and its concert as guest singers. (Newcomers are still welcome to attend any four weeks of rehearsals from the fifth week onward, but are unlikely to sing in the concert.)

After a concert, guest singers are invited to join as members and participate in all concerts, including public and incidental/holiday performances.

☝ Subscriptions are due for all singers in the session by the end of the fourth rehearsal (see Subscriptions).

Keeping up to date

All singers are required to provide an email address for the purpose of receiving newsbriefs, newsletters and urgent updates from the Chorale.

The Notices page is our central source for current notices, rehearsal dates and practice aids.
We recommend you bookmark this page for easy access.

🦋 Notices

New notices are also read out before each rehearsal's interval.

Rehearsal guidelines

⌚ Aim to arrive 15 minutes early to collect any new music and be seated and ready for vocal warm-ups. When parking in the church carpark, keep clear of the emergency exit.

✍️ Remember to mark your attendance at the sign-in desk near the door.

💼 Bring to every rehearsal

• • 🎼 all music scores,

  • ✏ a 2B pencil to mark scores,

  • 🧽 and an eraser.

🔇 Much rehearsal time is lost when singers are unable to hear cues being announced. Please keep noise to a minimum: mute your phone and other devices, and don't chat. Each rehearsal allows for 10-15 minute breaks to socialise and seek help with the music. If you miss a cue, or have a pressing question about the music, raise your hand rather than asking around, as chances are everyone will need the clarification.

⛪ Respect all spaces used for our rehearsals and concerts. Etiquette and courtesy are crucial for successful rehearsals and the continued goodwill of those institutions on which we depend.

⛔ No food or drink is permitted in the Church area of St. Paul's.

🧥 Ensure you arrive and leave with the same set of belongings.

🪑 Before and after rehearsals, please help put out & put away chairs.

💵 Subscriptions are due at the end of the fourth rehearsal.

📒 To participate in a concert, singers must attend a minimum of 75% of rehearsals including three of the last four rehearsals and the final rehearsal.

🧍‍♀️ Singing is a whole-body discipline. Rehearsals are equally spent sitting and standing, so it's important to assume the best possible singing posture when seated.

💭 Visualise the top of your head being pulled up by a string, like a marionette, such that your back is straight and your shoulders and arms are loose. This facilitates breath control and improves the projection and quality of your voice.

📖  When singing, remember to look up! It's the most effective way to increase your volume. Singers tend to stare down at their scores while studying them. You'll need to be able to watch the music director for cues.

💨 Be ready when it's your turn to sing.
"If you're taking a breath when your note starts, you're too late!" — Eric 👨‍🎓

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are due by the end of the fourth rehearsal of each session. For bookkeeping and budgeting, we need these to be paid on time.

Subscriptions can be paid

1. 1. via internet banking to account number 11-7255-0120129-11.
      This is the preferred method. Please ensure your name is included in the reference box.

   2. to the membership secretary at the sign-in desk, with a named cash envelope.

The following costs apply from 2023:

• Single session: $90.00
  All rehearsals and concert for one session.

• Guest singers: $75.00
  First-time singers and those returning after a period of absence.

Annual membership is not being offered in 2023.

Essential expenses including rehearsal hall hire, membership fees to the NZCF and Charities Commission, and reimbursements to the accompanist and music director are covered by subscription fees so it is appreciated if these are paid promptly. Income from ticket sales normally covers most of the concert-specific costs such as soloist fees, music hire, venue fees, tickets, printing, and advertising; but is insufficient to cover the essentials.

☝ Compassionate consideration is offered at the committee's discretion. If you have concerns about meeting the financial commitment, please speak to any committee member.

Look after your music

To remain in good stead with the music libraries, we must take care of the material loaned to us and return it on time, in good condition, in its entirety. The Chorale is unable to shoulder the cost for lost scores, damaged scores, and late returns, therefore individual singers are liable for these penalties.

When you receive your copies, inspect them and report any damage or issues to the librarian, who will note these before they are used.

🛑 Use only 2B (or softer) pencils for marking scores. No highlighters, no sharpies, no permanent markers.

When erasing, be careful not to rub too hard as ink may also come away on some older scores.

At the end of a concert, remove remaining marks from your scores, then return them to the boxes provided. If there are marks you cannot remove yourself, simply let the librarian know—it is most important that the material is returned on time.

If you withdraw part way through a session, you must arrange to return the scores to the librarian.

👉 Scores with numbered stickers are expected to be returned by the end of the session—this includes photocopies, as they are reproduced with permission. Other looseleaf handouts may be kept for personal study. 

Concert dress code

• Women: Teal shirt with collar and three-quarter length sleeves worn outside the waistband. (Shirts can be obtained through the Chorale.) Black skirt with black stockings, or dress trousers.

• Men: Black open-neck shirt. Dark trousers. Black dress shoes with black socks.

• No perfumes, minimal jewellery.

• Remember, you're not dressed without a smile! 😁