Will I have to audition?
We have a 'no auditions' policy at the Hackney Singers and everybody is welcome to come along. At the same time we aim to achieve the highest standards in performance.
Do I have to read music?
No, you do not need to read music, at least not initially. You’ll quickly pick up how to follow the musical score as you rehearse your part. Pretty soon you’ll find you can read the music well enough to rehearse and perform.
What does it cost?
Full: Sept - July £200 or two payments of £100
Concession: Sept - July £100 or two payments of £50 (full information about who qualifies for concessions can be found in our membership policy)
The fees cover the costs of the tuition, venue hire and musical scores. Occasionally we rent scores, for which we ask members for a fully-refundable deposit. Another cost for members is
a one-off purchase of a reusable black folder for our concerts.
Concerts, especially in trendy Hackney, are extortionately expensive to put on. We encourage our members to sell as many tickets as possible to support the choir (or buy them as gifts
for friends and family
).
When are the rehearsals?
We rehearse every Thursday during term time. We usually have an extra rehearsal on a Tuesday the week before our concerts; sometimes we also have an extra Saturday rehearsal in the lead-up to our shows.
We are currently based at
Lauriston school 55 Rutland Rd E9
(see Members page for more details).
Rehearsals start at
7.30pm and go through to 9pm
.
How does a non-audition choir maintain such high standards?
Our excellent music team teaches us many aspects of singing and performing during rehearsals. From hints on following the music to breathing, rhythm and expression. Experienced members can help new members, and we can suggest rehearsal aids.
We expect members to help us maintain our standards by attending as many rehearsals as they possibly can and by withdrawing from a performance if they feel they are not ready. Where there is a concern about a member’s ability or behaviour we will let them know and try to help. If necessary we may require a member to withdraw from performances or rehearsals.
What can I expect when I come along?
The Hackney Singers rehearsals are entertaining, relaxing and challenging. Dan and Andy leave us in no doubt that we must continue to work hard and improve, but, more often than not, they manage to do that by making us laugh, lots!
When you arrive, introduce yourself to anyone and ask to be pointed to the Membership Secretary, Chair, or one of the Section Reps, who will welcome you and arrange for you to get hold of music and generally help make you comfortable.
I’m not sure what section to join, what should I do?
If you are unsure which section to join, talk to one of the Section Reps. They might suggest that you have a brief session with one of the Musical Team to see which of the sections best suits your voice: Altos, Tenors, Basses or Sopranos. If you don't feel comfortable where you've been placed, just ask and you can always try a different section.
Is the music religious?
The nature of a lot of classical choral music means we often end up singing words from religious texts (e.g. Latin masses or requiems), but the choir itself is not faith-based, and we often learn pieces by modern and secular composers to complement our classical repertoire.
