Rehearsal Schedule:

Rehearsals are held Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:15 p.m. every week from the last week in August through the first week in June, and rehearsal/warm-up Sunday mornings 10:05-10:50 a.m. on all Sundays that the choir is singing at the 11:00 service. We meet in the choir pews in the sanctuary unless otherwise instructed. You are strongly encouraged to attend rehearsal every week, as this is where the real strength of the choral sound is created. You are always welcome in the choir, even if you cannot attend every rehearsal. However, unless you are a very experienced sight-reader or have taken the music home to learn on your own, we ask that you only come to perform on pieces that you have rehearsed with the choir. Sometimes extra rehearsals may be added if we are working on special performances.

Regular Performances:

The choir generally sings at the 11 a.m. service every Sunday, from September to June. We are off in July and August. Occasionally this schedule will vary; for instance, from time to time we will sing at the 9 a.m. service only, occasionally we may sing at both services, and sometimes we don’t sing on one of our regular Sundays due to special events. Choir members will be notified in advance of these changes; if you have missed rehearsals, you may want to check with the choir director or a choir member for an update on any schedule changes.

Special Performances:

The choir sings on Christmas Eve and at a few special events during the church year. Special events can include concerts, which may be held on a Sunday afternoon in the spring or fall, and the annual Dining for Dollars event, generally held on a Saturday evening in May or June. The Dining for Dollars event is a fund-raiser for the church, and the format varies from year to year. The evening includes music within a particular theme and sometimes a meal or refreshments being served (past themes have included world music, country, Broadway show tunes, songs of the 1960’s, madrigal music, Gilbert and Sullivan, etc.). Occasionally we may be asked to sing at some other sort of event, such as a memorial service, special performance at another church, or some other outside performance. These are always optional, but your participation is appreciated.

Attire:

In order to create a more uniform look for the choir, we have the following dress code for all performances (Sunday services and concerts) unless otherwise stated:

• Men: Black pants, solid color shirt (not black or white).
• Women: Black pants or skirt, solid color top (not black or white).

Rehearsal Structure:

Rehearsals are conducted by Choir Director, and will vary depending on what is being sung. Sometimes we will all learn pieces together, other times we may split up into sections and learn our parts separately. At times, sectional rehearsals may be conducted by our paid section leaders. Unless otherwise instructed, we meet as a group in the sanctuary to begin. Music is generally distributed at the beginning of rehearsal, and announcements are made at this time also, so it is important to be punctual. If you are missing music, please see music librarian Rima Snyder. Turn in music to Rima after we sing it, unless instructed to keep it for a future performance.

Musical Ability:

We come together with a wide variety of musical backgrounds and levels of experience. Some choral singing experience, and a basic knowledge reading music is helpful. Music sight-reading, while desirable, is not required. If you don’t understand a term being used or something you see in the music, please don’t hesitate to ask for an explanation. Even the most experienced of us are still learning. By singing in the choir, we are committed to learning and improving our skills together.

Solos & Small Group Singing:

If you are interested in singing solos, or with small groups, please speak to the director about finding a time to do so. Solos are sometimes part of a choral work we are performing, and there are also some opportunities for solo or small group singing at the 9 o’clock service, at the 11 o’clock service when the choir is not singing, for services in July and August, and at the Dining for Dollars event.

Contact:

There is a choir roster with contact information for all choir members. It is kept as current as possible. Please give your address, phone number and e-mail address to Rima Snyder for inclusion.

Music Committee:

The music committee oversees and supports all aspects of the music program for the church. If you would like information about joining the committee or being on the e-mail list to be notified of the committee’s activities, please contact the music director.

Thank you for your interest in our music program!