Membership Information

Eligibility

Membership is open to boys and girls from the age of 8 upwards and to adult singers of any age. Whilst the Director of Music will always try to accommodate additional children into the choir, opportunities for adult singers may be dependant upon vacancies in the relevant voice parts. Adult singers may be required to audition prior to admittance to the choir.

Practice Times

Choir practices are held weekly at the following times:-

	Friday 7:00 – 8:30pm	Trebles & young sopranos
	Friday 7:30 – 8:30pm	Adults & lower parts

Service Times

	Sunday 10:00 – 11:15am	Parish Communion
	Sunday 6:30 – 7:30pm	Choral Evensong (optional for junior choristers)

Costs & Rewards

Membership of the choir is entirely free of charge. All robes, books and music are provided by the church. Our social events are generally free of charge, or heavily subsidised, for school-aged choristers.

All of our junior choristers, up to the age of 18 while still in full-time education, receive quarterly payments under our choir reward scheme. The amount due to each chorister is dependant upon their grade within the choir and their level of attendance over the course of the 3-month payment period. Members receive marks for each attendance, both at practices and services, and can also earn bonus marks for singing particularly well or other helpful behaviour.

Child Protection

St. Mary’s Church takes its responsibilities for child protection very seriously. The Director of Music, and all other church officers that work with children, are DBS checked. Three of the adult ladies in the choir are also DBS checked and act as choir chaperones. At least two DBS checked adults are present at all times.

How to join

New children, for our treble section, can join at any practice. Please arrive around 5 minutes early (6:55pm) to allow time for books etc. to be allocated. No audition or voice test is needed for junior members joining the choir. Although not essential, it is both advisable and preferable to telephone or email the Director of Music in advance to confirm that normal practice arrangements apply on the day in question. The Director of Music is also happy to meet the parents of prospective new choristers in advance where they will have to opportunity to ask any questions that they have.

Adults interested in joining the choir in any voice part must contact the Director of Music in advance. Availability of places for adult singers can not be guaranteed as the Director of Music needs to take into consideration both the need to balance the parts and the physical limitations of space in the choir stalls. Adult singers may be required to undergo a simple voice appraisal before joining the choir.