Our choir is for anyone and everyone. We don’t audition and you don’t have to read music. Fun, accessibility and quality is very important to us. We don’t have any exclusions or age limits, but if you are under 16 we do ask that you are accompanied by an adult – your adult doesn’t need to be a choir member.
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Do I need experience?
How much does it cost and how is my donation used?
What if I can’t afford to donate?
Where do we rehearse / perform?
What kind of music will we sing?
Can I come for a taster session?
How do I join online?
What else will I get from the choir?
I have more questions – who can I ask?
Can I support the choir in other ways?
Do I need experience?
No, you don’t need any previous experience and there are no auditions. One of our great strengths is to provide quality support for both accomplished singers and first step beginners. We think there will be more than enough to challenge and excite all kinds of voices with all kinds of previous experience! During the choir sessions, you will have the opportunity to develop good singing technique, listening skills, singing in harmony, and reading music if you want to.
How much does it cost and how is my donation used?
The suggested termly donation is £65. This contributes towards the cost of 9 rehearsals, professional musicians’ fees, learning resources, planning and administration, marketing and concert planning and all our production costs. And – of course – hours of fun!
Your donation also contributes to the running costs of the charity, Love Music, and helps to support our other projects including our Junior Choir.
What if I can’t afford to donate?
You are welcome to donate what you can afford or to let us know you would like a free place when you book. You don’t have to prove your eligibility; we won’t ask you any questions about your personal circumstances.
Where do we rehearse / perform?
We rehearse at the Usher Hall and online and we hold public events at the end of most terms. We also look for opportunities to take our work into the community in ways that will benefit others. For the last few terms we’ve broadcast our concerts live online, or recorded them for people to watch afterwards for a short time.
What kind of music will we sing?
Our choir programme is wide-ranging and diverse in style and genre and our choice of repertoire often makes connections to the current season of artists performing at the Usher Hall. We sing a rich mix of great music, some of which you might not have tried before, some in different languages. You don’t need to know how to read music but there are opportunities to try if you would like to.
We want to promote a spirit of adventure and explore many different styles and cultures of singing. Love Music is known for highly imaginative commissions of new works and also for bringing internationally renowned artists and communities together. Both form an important part of our artistic planning. We also collaborate with other community groups and invite them to perform with us in concerts. We’ve sung everything from Bach to Metallica, and have sung on stage with artists such as James, Karine Polwart and Denys Baptiste.
Can I come for a taster session?
Yes, you are welcome to try us out for a week.
To try a session online, please email us and we’ll send you a link to take part.
To try a session in-person, please let us know to expect you at least a few days in advance of the rehearsal, and make yourself known to us when you arrive. There is a waiting list for in-person members and you should join the list if you’d like to come every week.
How do I join online?
Please read the information on the Hybrid Choir page.
What else will I get from the choir?
The health benefits of singing are both psychological and physical, reducing your stress levels and releasing feel-good endorphins. We aim to give you a weekly life-affirming, emotional lift! To read about some of the health and wellbeing benefits our choir members have experienced, visit the choir member stories page.
We also provide opportunities to join in with additional participation events that Love Music produces throughout the year, and you can read about some of those on our Past Events pages.
I have more questions – who can I ask?
Please fill out the contact form on the contact page. We aim to respond to questions within 5 working days.
Can I support the choir in other ways?
We greatly appreciate help with marketing for our concerts, so spreading the word around your communities and friends to help sell tickets will always be appreciated – we love to perform to a full Usher Hall! We usually have fliers, e-newsletters and social media posts to circulate.
If you can afford to give financial support, we would welcome contributions via the donate button at the bottom of the page.
Please put us in touch with colleagues in local businesses or companies that might be interested in supporting Love Music’s outreach and community engagement plans.
Image by Louise Mather