Scratch choirs- anyone?

[Bananamaman]

My local church is doing a scratch Mozart Requiem soon- just turn up and sing, no audition and only an afternoon of practice.

I'd love to do it- used to sing in a church choir years ago and really miss it. I don't think any of my friends would be up for it, however, and I've only been attending the church for a few weeks so don't know anyone there yet either.

I wondered if anyone had done a scratch choir performance like this? Was it the sort of thing you could turn up to on your own or do people tend to go with friends?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster! Do the people even know the work? Can they read music? Surely an audition is needed, if only to weed out those people with overweening self confidence…

I haven't done it, but why not just go if you think you'll enjoy it? You will get to know other choir members as you go along. The first rehearsal might be a bit daunting but it will get easier.

I have done lots over the years - lots of fun, an opportunity to get to know others and most importantly a chance for those who have never sung in such things before to experience being "inside" an important work - after that you will listen to it differently and get so much more out of it.

Ignore the musical purists - these works are for everyone. They are part of your birth right.

I am a very experienced singer and have worked with many choirs and under some brilliant conductors; but I recognise the value of these scratch performances. Go and enjoy!

I've done it, and it was great! Handel's Messiah, not a Requiem, but the same idea.
I seem to remember there were people there on their own and in groups (I went with one other person), but you're with like-minded people, and there's not a lot of time for chat/mingling anyway, so I wouldn't worry about just going on your own. It will probably be a few hrs of fairly intensive rehearsal with a short break before the performance. I'd have a plan A and plan B in your head (plan A where you find lots of chatty people which will fill the down time, and plan B where you find yourself without company in the down time - so maybe take a book and chill, or if there's somewhere nice to go for a wander, that would be pleasant - you might be glad of the break/fresh air).

I'd say you probably need to be able to read music, as there won't be a lot of time for learning. But there will be people there who know it, who will probably 'carry' the parts, and people who are less familiar might struggle with some of the trickier bits, but the overall effect will be fine.

Whoever is putting it on will know what they're doing, and will know how to work with a mixed group of unauditioned singers - that's their problem, not yours, and it will all be fine.

I'd say go for it - if nothing else, you'll have a good sing, and a nice time doing something just for you.

I've been on my own to this kind of thing, although the events have fielded very large choirs so it helps, in terms of knowing you have a lot of people on each part. Ideally the venue will have put in place some 'plants' who know it very well and would carry the lines if it goes awry. Sometimes you will also get simplified scores, with the more complicated parts adapted for soloists or small groups and the good group tunes being the ones the conductor will teach and work on.

You may well get people going who know each other already, so have some kind of distraction, big flask of tea, etc. But if you like to sing then you will be kept quite busy for most of the time.

Listen to it first, and see if you can follow some auto-playing scores online if you wish, such as this: www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Mozart_W_A/mozart_KV626_requiem.htm

...And it does feel great to be in the zone of knowing what you're doing, but still flying by the seat of your pants when you get to the end of the afternoon. Something in the region of 'almost' adequately rehearsed but mainly busking and still not being too terrified!

It's a "come and sing". Great fun, everyone does their best.

Thank you for all these responses- I've signed up. Very excited!

Brilliant! Enjoy!

Scratch choirs are perfectly normal and acceptable! They might not achieve perfection but they're fun and provide a fantastic opportunity for people to experience singing great works without having to commit to a long rehearsal schedule.

@Bananamaman enjoy! Mozart requiem is a great sing and I'm sure you'll have a fab time

Have a brilliant time! They are enormous fun to do. You'll have such a huge feeling of achievement afterwards.

Feeling a little envious - I'm recovering from surgery and away from my beloved choir at the moment :(

Have a lovely time, it'll be great fun!

I've done a few things where you have an afternoon of rehearsal then a performance, and have twice done the Really Big Chorus Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall.

For that there is no rehearsal at all, you just turn up and sing in the evening. And it's tremendous! That moment when about two thirds of the people in there stand up to sing "And The Glory Of The Lord" gives you goosebumps.

You get notes when you book about which bits you're singing, and it helps that many of the choir have sung it dozens of times before. It's fab :-)

Sounds like great fun! Go and enjoy!

Oooh yeah, go.

H and I did Faure requiem last autumn, which was great. I've done Messiah a couple of times.

You'll almost certainly find that about half the people there have known each other for decades years, which might be disconcerting until you realise that they're all going to be desperately looking out for New Blood

And this might get you on the radar of some of the local church people, who will then say hello to you the next morning.