I'm thinking of joining a choir. Any advice?

[Sighohbarn]

I've Googled choirs in my area.

One is by audition. Do you reckon that's likely to be fierce? I can hold a tune and read music, but I'm not a musician or an accomplished singer.

Another seems to hold open evenings twice a term for anyone to have a go. That one is really close to where I live which is a plus.

A third is women only - love that. But they seem quite serious. You can buy tickets to go and see them!

If you know anything about this, what do you recommend? A community choir that anyone can join? Anything to look out for?

I suppose most churches would have a choir too. I'm not Christian, but I went to a cathedral school, and was a member of a church choral society for a while. I know church songs.

you sounds like you would be an asset to a choir. Perhaps go to the local one - for a trial week and see if you like it. Nothing lost..

If you went to a cathedral school, can pitch a note and read music, I’d go for one of the audition ones because they will be of a higher standard and I’d find that more satisfying (though if you just want to sing by ear for fun choose a different one). Auditions in my experience aren’t too intimidating - just a meeting with the director and a couple of tests to see that you can read music and get a sense of your voice. If they want you to prepare a piece usually something simple like a hymn or folk song will do. Unless you’re thinking of auditioning for the BBC Singers or something!

Firstly - yay! Definitely do it, choral singing is so satisfying and has been proven to be very good for your physical and mental health.

My tip would be that I would also think about the amount of commitment you want to put in and what kind of music you want to sing. I have a busy life and don’t want to stress about needing to skip the odd rehearsal, but I love singing “proper” traditional choral music. So I have joined a large, non-auditioned choir that allows you to skip a certain number of rehearsals a term, but is high quality and has a lovely repertoire of big oratorios and choral music. Some of the smaller more select choirs are almost like a job and you have to call in sick etc - I’m sure singing with them would be amazing but I just can’t handle that in my life right now - maybe when I’m retired haha!

Good luck, enjoy, and let us know how it goes!

I do a no audition community choir.
It is focused but fun, we do popular songs from 70s-2020s.
They do a ticketed concert yearly but I don't do it.

I agree with others, think what type of music you want to sing and how serious you want to be.
Maybe start with the no audition one and gain some confidence to then audition for one of the others?

It can take a few tries to find the right fit - for me the local daytime community choir seemed like the obvious choice but honestly the music choices were just weird and much too challenging for a non-audition choir, I’m decent (can sight read music, am a soprano 2, have had singing lessons before) so could manage it but it’s pretty unpleasant singing in a big group that honestly at times sounds awful!

If the choir master had made better song choices I’d have stuck with that one for the convenience.

As it is I moved on to an audition choir that turned out to be very gossipy/lots of drama, and then to a different community choir that is less convenient but sticks to the pop standards the people can actually sing, so it works much better for me.

So maybe arrange to do taster sessions at the non-audition choirs and do an audition and just see how it goes/which one clicks for you.

I would go to all of them within a week when they start back after Christmas, see which ones you gel with, see what the musical director is like, you might like one more than another. Although a few people in my choir are in more than one choir! Good luck!

Do it! I joined a community choir 2 years ago after years away from singing. I love it. DS comes with me too - he started coming to help GCSE Music, but has kept coming.

This is good advice.

I have sung in loads of choirs over the years but have stuck with the one with the nicest and most competent music director.

Thank you all. I've signed up to various newsletters and will see what happens after Christmas. Am excited!