Two choirs
One rehearsal night each
Nobody auditions, and nobody has to read music.
Gospel choir
Adults of any experience, on Tuesday at 7 pm. Gospel songs, spirituals and newer songs, in three-part harmony, with Davina conducting and Noreen at the piano.
Two hours
Holiday and spring concerts
A break for water in the middle
Youth choir
Ages nine to seventeen, on Thursday at 5 pm. Lewis teaches each part a line at a time, and the choir sings songs from the gospel tradition and songs from school.
An hour and a half
Holiday and spring concerts
Parents wait in the front hall
A rehearsal night
What happens on a rehearsal night
- 01
Step 1: Arrive and settle
Singers come in, hang up their coats and find a place on the risers. The piano begins to play a few minutes before the start.
- 02
Step 2: Warm up together
A few minutes of breathing, humming and sliding up and down, led from the front of the room.
- 03
Step 3: Learn a part
The conductor teaches one part at a time, hums it first, and then puts the parts together.
- 04
Step 4: Sing it through
The night ends with the whole song, sung from the beginning, and a word about next week.
Looking after your voice
Sing a little, rest a little
Water close by
Bring a water bottle to every lesson and rehearsal. Both choirs stop for a drink in the middle of the night.
Rest when you need to
A tired voice can sit out a song, or a whole rehearsal, and nobody minds. The piano can always use a page-turner.
Ask before you push
If a part sits too high or too low, tell the conductor. There is always another part to learn.
Come and sing a song you know
Every choir begins with a placement visit, so that a teacher can hear you and suggest the right night.