All singers are welcome to apply to the Choir, regardless of your musical background. We value diversity at Nottingham Harmonic Choir, so whether your singing experience is in musical theatre, folk, gospel, opera or any other style of music, we would love to hear from you!
We know that auditioning for a choir can be daunting, which is why our New Member team are here to help you through every step of the process. Make sure you read the Frequently Asked Questions below so that you know exactly what to expect. Hear directly from our Music Director about the audition process here.
Please do Visit a Rehearsal if you are interested – we are a friendly large choir of over 170 members, and you will be made very welcome.
For further details please contact:
Cathy Milne, the New Members Secretary, via the Contact Form or by emailing New Members Secretary.
You can attend several rehearsals before a short audition with our Music Director, Richard Laing, and there is no subscription to pay until you have passed your audition. Auditions involve singing a short piece of your choice, some scales, a little sight-reading and a few aural tests. They are relaxed, and new members often say that Richard put them at ease and helped them sing with confidence. Richard explains more below
We’ve put some of the most common questions we get asked in our FAQ below, but don’t hesitate to reach out to Cathy if you have additional questions by emailing New Members Secretary.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does a typical season look like?
We have a main programme of five concerts each year, plus a short extra in June when we are the Core Choir for the Nottingham Drivetime Concert with The Halle.
The usual programmes looks like this:
- mid November at the Albert Hall, Nottingham - larger works such as oratorios with an orchestra and professional soloists
- early December at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham - Messiah with an orchestra and professional soloists
- late December at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham - Family Carol Concert with the Thoresby Colliery Band
- mid March at the Albert Hall, Nottingham - larger works such as oratorios with an orchestra and professional soloists
- May at Southwell Minster - often a collection of shorter pieces with a small number of professional musicians
When does the choir rehearse and how often?
We rehearse every Monday at 6.45pm to 9pm at The Nottingham Emmanuel School (from September to May).
We may occasionally use alternative rehearsal venues at Beeston Parish Church and Nottingham High School.
What does a typical member look like?
Our members come from a diverse range of backgrounds in terms of both who they are and in their singing experience. We are actively looking to increase the diversity of our membership, so if you feel like you might not be the typical applicant, we are especially interested to hear from you. If you want to experience singing with the Nottingham Harmonic Choir and to meet our friendly community then come along to a rehearsal and check us out!
Do I have to audition to join the choir?
When you have sung with us for a few weeks an audition will be arranged for you. In order to join the Choir, it is necessary to pass an audition, with further re-auditions every five years to ensure that the Choir maintains its high standards. We hold auditions at various times throughout the year.
What will happen in my audition?
At your audition you will be asked to sing a short prepared piece. This should be no more than approx. 3 minutes long and can be any genre other than a hymn – it might be an extract from a choral work, a short aria, a song from a show, a folk song, or anything else you feel comfortable singing. You will also be asked to sing some scales, respond to a couple of straightforward aural checks and a short sight-reading exercise from a vocal score provided. It is a fairly straightforward and painless experience, honestly!
Do I need to sing at every concert?
Dates and details for our seasons are given well in advance and we hope that most members will try to make themselves available for all these events, but it is not essential. Information about our upcoming concerts is available here
Do I need to sing at every rehearsal?
We operate a qualification policy which means that only those who attend at least the minimum number of rehearsals for a particular concert (usually two thirds but sometimes more) are able to sing in that concert. In addition, in order to qualify for a concert, singers must attend the final piano rehearsal and a mid-afternoon rehearsal on the day of the concert.
How much does it cost to join the choir?
Since The Nottingham Harmonic Choir is a charity, all members are asked to make a contribution towards the costs of running the Choir through a subscription. The choir's subscription costs £180 for our 8 month season, normally covering 5 concerts with professional orchestras and soloists. There are typically 45 rehearsals a season with a professional conductor, working out to £4 per rehearsal. There is no charge for Full-time students. A concessionary rate of £144 applies for people aged 65 and over and those in receipt of benefits. There are reduced fees for those joining after January 1st or April 1st. Any difficulty with the subscription would be viewed sympathetically. Most music hire is included in the subscription. Members need to have their own copy of Messiah (Watkins Shaw edition), and four Carols for Choirs books (after the first year). These can generally be purchased second hand over the internet. Members pay £3 for folders. Female sopranos & altos will need to purchase a scarf at £2, with female tenors choosing if they wish to wear one or not.
