Common Questions

Where and when do you rehearse?
At Chafyn Grove school in Bourne Avenue Salisbury, Thursdays from 7.15pm to 9.15pm.

Do I have to audition?
No, anyone can come and sing.

What happens at a typical rehearsal?
Everyone signs in at the door. We practise a variety of music. There is always a break in the middle with notices and time to chat.

How much is the subscription?
This varies, depending on when in the year you join. The annual subscription at present is £170.

I’ve never sung in a choir before, will I be able to cope?
Salisbury Community choir exists for people like you. You will be surprised how quickly you will pick things up and don’t be afraid to ask if you’re unsure of anything.

What kind of music do you sing?
All sorts! From Abba to Mozart to specially commissioned works.

Where do concerts take place?
In various local churches including Wilton church for our Christmas Concert. For special concerts we perform in Salisbury Cathedral. Occasionally concerts occur further afield (approximately every 18 months)

What do you wear to concerts?
The ladies wear long black skirts or trousers and long-sleeved black tops and a blue choir scarf. The men wear a royal blue shirt and black trousers. The choir scarves and shirts are available to buy from the choir, you will also need a black choir music folder. Ask a Committee member about the scarves, shirts and folders.

Do I have to buy the music?
Your subscription covers all new music for the year but music the choir has sung in previous years will need to be purchased from the music librarian. Some items which the choir uses regularly, such as ‘100 Carols for choirs’ and ‘Encores for choirs’ can be purchased from a music shop or online.

I can’t read music very well, is this a problem?
Not at all, as there will be people to help you. There is also help available in the members section of the website for those who would like to learn more.

Do I have to come to every rehearsal?
We understand it’s not always possible to come every week, but if you want to sing in a concert, you have to attend enough rehearsals to be fully prepared, including the rehearsal on the day of the concert.

What will happen at my first rehearsal?
You will be met by our Membership secretary who will take your details and explain how you join. You can attend up to three rehearsals for free, to find out if you enjoy singing with us. You will receive a welcome sheet with additional information and a member of the choir in your voice part will be asked to look after you. You will sit next to them and they can answer any more questions you may have. There are some additional packs of music available for new members to use during the rehearsal.

How do I join?
You fill in the membership forms you have been given and arrange payment. Then give or send the form to the Membership secretary, when you will be given a New Members Pack containing further information.

Where can I park at Chafyn Grove?
You can park in Bourne Avenue and in the first car park at the lower end of the school, but not in the inner car park next to the tennis courts.

General Information

We are very proud of our name. It is important to us that we are part of a wider community and that we support it, in various ways. Equally importantly the choir itself is a community in which we all have a part to play. We hope that you will come along to a rehearsal to find out what we are like, where you will be welcomed and introduced to other members. You don’t need to have sung in a choir before, but just want to give it a go.

First you will meet our membership secretary who will take some details from you and then ask a representative from the voice part you wish to sing in to find you a seat and introduce you to some choir members.

Like most choirs, we have 4 parts: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass, and each of those has a first and a second section.

The first section usually sings the higher notes. Don’t worry if you’re not sure where your voice fits. You can always change later. And don’t worry if you’ve never sung before. You will be amazed at how quickly you pick it up. But if you do struggle let us know and we’ll find someone to help.

The annual subscription is £170.

If you join part way through the year (which runs from September to September), you will be asked to pay a proportion of the subscription.

Your subscription covers all new music for the year but as a new member you will have to buy some music the choir uses regularly or may have sung in previous years.

We meet on Thursdays at 7.15, finishing about 9.15pm. Most rehearsals are at Chafyn Grove school in Bourne Avenue in Salisbury. You can park in the street and in the first car park at the lower end of the school, but not in the inner car park next to the tennis courts.

Our rehearsals are to prepare us for performances; we have about three concerts a year and the music can range from Abba to Mozart to specially commissioned works. There’s something for everyone.

Once you’ve joined we will make sure you are on the choir email list, so that you are kept informed. If you don’t have access to email, let us know so we can make alternative arrangements.

To find out more about joining, contact the Membership Secretary on membership@salisburycommunitychoir.org.

What you can expect from the choir

a friendly atmosphere
a varied, challenging and enjoyable repertoire
your views and concerns heard and responded to
as much notice of important dates as possible
clear and fair rules on attendance so that our performances are of a good standard

What the choir can expect from you

to ‘bring a pencil’ to rehearsals
to attend the required number of rehearsals if you want to take part in a performance
to let the membership secretary know in good time if this causes you any problems
you check that you can attend the rehearsals on the day of a concert, (which are always compulsory) before signing up to sing in a concert
to treat other members of the choir with respect

Some useful names

Conductor: Graham Coatman
Accompanist: Brian Moles
Chair: Jan Edrich
Membership Secretary: Gill Gledhill
Music Librarian: TBA