Joining the Choir
Choir members come from a wide area of north Cumbria, and we are always glad to welcome new members. Singing in a choir is a wonderful opportunity to have voice training, learn some gems of the choral repertoire, take part in quality performances, and make new friends.
If you enjoy singing and read music bring your voice along and give it a go! Just come along to a rehearsal, and if you enjoy the experience an informal audition can be arranged. As well as looking at this season's programme, you may be interested see the sort of music that we have done in the past. There is a page giving details of concerts that we have done since 1997.
The Society has an Equal Opportunities Policy and is happy to welcome people with disabilities as members. Naturally, the Society also has a constitution which you can peruse, if you want to, but be warned - it's rather boring!
The choir rehearsals start at the beginning of September and run through to the concert in June, with breaks for the holidays. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm at the Methodist Church in Wigton. A few of the practices for the Cumbria Rural Choirs concert are at the rehearsal venues used by the other choirs which form part of CRC, e.g. Cockermouth, Penrith. When the Rural Choirs practice in Wigton, the rehearsals are at the Nelson Thomlinson School. For details of these practices, see the dates page.
There is a membership fee, which includes the hire of music, but there is free membership for people under the age of 25 who are in full-time education. There is also an additional fee if you wish to take part in the Cumbria Rural Choirs event. The CRC also arranges choral training days, which are held on Saturdays.
As with many choirs, we are always particularly pleased to welcome tenors and basses!
For further details, please contact our secretary, Elaine Smith (details see next section).
Below is an extract from our "Information for Members (version 31.10.07)":
We
list below a few rules and regulations for the benefit of new members and to
serve as a reminder for existing members. These enable us to perform concerts to
a high standard and help with the running of the Society.
1.
Membership will be
provisional for three months, and during this time new members will be invited
2.
Our annual subscription is £60, and may be paid in three instalments at
the start of each term. There is a reduction of £2 per term for prompt payment
(before half term). However the annual subscription is £50 if paid in a lump
sum within one month of the AGM. In
addition there is an annual subscription of £25 for the Cumbria Rural Choirs
collected during the autumn and spring terms. For those people who find it
difficult to pay the annual subscription, the Society will consider making a
reduction alter a written request has been received by the Treasurer ot the
committee explaining
the circumstances. Such information will be treated in the strictest confidence
by the Officers of the Committee.
3.
Rehearsals begin promptly at 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. with a short break
at approximately 8.25 p.m. Please arrive in good time to allow for registration,
collection of music, etc. so that unnecessary interruptions are avoided in rehearsals.
If you are unable to attend please let our Musical Director or Secretary know in
advance, or alternatively in advance mark the register with a cross for the
week(s) you expect to be absent. In order to maintain a high standard of performance, it is expected
that members will devote some time each week to preparation of the music
currently being learned. If more than three rehearsals are missed during a term
prior to a concert, you may not be allowed to perform, although unusual
circumstances are taken into consideration. In addition there are joint
rehearsals in respect of Cumbria Rural Choirs, six during the season which start
at 7.15 p.m., together with a choral day (Saturday) in January: you are expected
to attend at least 75% of them. Some of these rehearsals will be held in Cockermouth,
Keswick and Penrith. The two rehearsals prior to the Spring concert are compulsory.
4.
Music is hired through the Cumbrian Library Service (some members prefer
to buy their own) at a cost to the Society, and each member is responsible for
keeping them in good condition (marking in pencil only) and returning them to
the Librarian. If you find you cannot sing or attend a concert please make every
effort to return all music prior to the event otherwise extra charges may be
incurred.
5.
For concerts ladies
wear a full-length black skirt, uniform jacket, with a black round-necked plain
top. The men wear dark suits with white shirts and a uniform tie.
We
hope that your time with Wigton Choral Society is happy and enjoyable, and if
you have any queries at all, any member of the Committee will be pleased to
help.
Revision: 15.04.08
Return to the main menu page OR move on to the Contacts page