Do I need previous experience?
No, many of our members have either never sung in a choir or have returned to choral singing after a long gap. There will be enough strong singers in your voice section to help you learn your part and we also help with rehearsal aids.
Do I have to be able to read music?
No, we take the time in rehearsals to make sure everyone becomes familiar with their parts and we also provide learning aids in the form of mp3 tracks so that you can practise at home. Some rehearsals take the form of “sectionals” (where Sopranos and Altos rehearse in one room and Tenors and Basses in another) and this really helps with the tricky bits.
How can you help me to learn my part?
There is some “note-bashing” in rehearsals, particularly when we hold “sectionals”, but we also provide you with links to video or mp3 recordings of the works being rehearsed. In addition, we provide links to various websites which provide recordings of individual voice parts for practice. If all else fails and we can’t find anything on the web we often provide home-made mp3 recordings of the individual parts.
Do you offer any kind of tuition, apart from weekly rehearsals?
We haven’t had the opportunity to offer this yet, but we are planning to organise note-reading sessions and classes on basic singing technique in the near future.
Do I have to sing solo?
No, we won’t put you on the spot! We always employ professional soloists for our concerts. Occasionally there is an opportunity for a member of the choir to take on a small solo part, but this is always on a voluntary basis!
Can I try you out before joining?
Yes, your first two rehearsals are free “taster” sessions; this gives you a chance to decide whether our choir is the best “fit” for you.
What happens at a rehearsal?
Our rehearsals last two hours with a short break in the middle. A rehearsal will begin with a gentle physical warm-up and some breathing exercises, followed by some singing exercises – singing rounds or canons, for example, to get everyone used to singing different parts at the same time. Then we frequently revisit the music learnt the previous week before moving on to something new, so there’s always a sense of achievement and progress! Rehearsals can be hard work, but they are also fun!
What is the commitment if I decide to join?
Although we realise you might have to miss the occasional rehearsal, we do feel that, in order to gain the maximum benefit from singing in the choir it is important to attend rehearsals regularly.
Your first two rehearsals are free “taster” sessions, then we hope you can commit to singing with us for the the entire season, or longer.
How much does it cost to join?
The annual subscription, which includes all rehearsals, each dress rehearsal and the cost of hiring scores is £200 for the 2024 – 2025 season. This equates to approximately £5 per rehearsal, so it’s fantastic value.
The termly subscription, including all the above, is £70.
The monthly subscription, including all the above, is £20 per month for 10 months (September to June) and can be set up using a standing order from your bank account.
How much does it cost to hire music?
The hire cost is currently covered by your subscription. Some members prefer to own their own scores and we sometimes facilitate this by placing a bulk order, taking advantage of any discount offered.
I have no idea what voice part I should be singing.
One of our professionals, Laurence, Ben or Craig, will be able to help you determine which voice part you should be singing, so mention this to your Voice Reps and they will take it from there. You can always swap voice sections after a couple of rehearsals if you find you’re in the wrong section.
Is the church wheelchair-accessible?
Yes, there are disabled parking bays in the carpark and step-free access to both the church and the facilities in the Church Hall.
What about parking?
There is a small car park behind the church and there are two large car parks accessible from Church Lane.
I’m new to the area and am worried that I won’t know anyone.
EGCS has the reputation of being an extremely friendly and welcoming choir, so there’s no need to worry. When you arrive at rehearsal we’ll introduce you to your Voice Reps (the leaders of your section); they will look after you and make sure you have an enjoyable evening.
How often do you give a concert?
We normally stage one concert at the end of each of our three terms – Autumn, Spring, Summer. There is always a mandatory dress rehearsal on the afternoon of the performance.
Where does the choir perform?
We are privileged to be able to rehearse in the beautiful parish church of St Swithun’s in the heart of East Grinstead. The church has a fantastic acoustic and we choose to stage most of our concerts here. We occasionally perform at Chequer Mead Theatre, also in East Grinstead.
Is there a choir “uniform”?
Yes, we have a choir dress code for most of our concerts. Essentially it’s a black “outfit” with a choir scarf for ladies and a bow-tie for men. We also use a black choir folder to hold our scores so that the choir presents a “uniform” appearance. Scarves, bow-ties and folders are available to members at a discounted price.
Does the choir perform with other musicians?
Yes, we love working with professional soloists and instrumentalists in our concerts. Whilst the audience only experiences these musicians once, we lucky choir members get to listen to them twice – once in the performance and once in the afternoon dress rehearsal on concert day.
Apart from concerts, are there any other organised activities?
Yes, we have two or three social events per year; these usually take the form of a meal in a local eatery. At Christmas we are often invited to sing carols in the community – in East Grinstead High Street, or at Standen, for example. Some choir members have also taken advantage of the opportunity to perform with Barefoot Opera – yes, it’s a real opera company – and sing as part of the chorus. Last summer we sang in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and this year it was Verdi’s La Traviata. After rehearsals some of us go to one of the pubs in the High Street to unwind – it’s a great way to get to know people!
Are members expected to help with the organisation or running of the choir?
EGCS is a registered charity and all Trustees and Committee members are volunteers; they give up their time and work extremely hard to enable weekly rehearsals to run smoothly and to organise concerts and other events. Without the help of these volunteers, there would be no choir. We like to think of ourselves as a team and we always welcome offers of help, both with the day-to-day running of the choir and with concerts, from our members and, occasionally, their family or friends, particularly on concert days.
Do you organise choir tours?
We are considering a choir tour for the 2025 – 2026 season. In previous years the choir has organised tours to some of East Grinstead’s twin towns, e.g. Mindelheim, Schwaz and Sant Feliu de Guixols; the choir was also invited to sing at the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium in 2014 and again in 2018.