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Membership Information

Here is some information about being a member of the Choir:

Concert Season

• Rehearsals for the concert season begin in late January or early February. We perform our last concert in early December.
• The Choir produces a subscription series each year, with 1 performance of each programme. Handel's Messiah is also frequently programmed and programmes for the other concerts are taken from the major classical choral literature.
• The popular Last Night of the Proms concert, presented by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, has also become a concert season tradition.
• The Christchurch Town Hall was the performance venue for most of our subscription series concerts. For 2011 our venues are the Lincoln Event Centre and Christ's College Auditorium. We have also sung at the CBS Arena.

Rehearsals

• Regular rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., usually at Rutland Street Chapel, 188 Rutland Street, St Albans.
• Extra rehearsals may also be scheduled, typically as Saturday morning or afternoon sessions, one or two per concert preparation.
• In the week before a concert, one orchestra rehearsal and one dress rehearsal at Town Hall are customary.
• A schedule of the extra rehearsals and concert-week rehearsals for the year is provided at the beginning of the year.

Performing Member’s Subscription

The Choir has an all-volunteer membership. For the 2011 season the performing member’s subscription fee is $140 (reduced to $120 for prompt payment by the end of March). The subscription fee is prorated on a quarterly basis for singers entering mid-year. Tertiary students pay a concession rate of 50%.

Choir Uniform

The Choir performs wearing a standard uniform.

Ladies

Smart black trousers (not jeans) or long black skirt. Long-sleeved black top. Uniform silk stole  -  supplied by the Choir  -  $20 rental. For the Last Night of the Proms: Black skirt/trousers and top. Uniform red or blue sequined scarf, worn around the neck  -  purchased from Choir $5. Boater hats may be worn during the second half of the Proms.  

Men

The men’s uniform is a standard evening suit consisting of black jacket, black trousers, white long-sleeved shirt, black bow tie, and black socks and shoes, all to be provided by the singer.  ‘Last Night of the Proms’ Formal choir dress as above, without the jacket and tie. Red or blue waistcoat, rented from Choir. Long sleeved black dress shirt is sometimes worn.

Music

Members of the Choir provide their own copies of Handel’s Messiah (Watkins-Shaw edition, approx. $40) and a black music cover (approx. $8). These items are available from the Choir’s librarian.

All other music scores are loaned to members by the Choir.