We would be delighted if you would consider singing with The Choristers. The choir actively seeks singers for all voice parts before each concert season until two weeks after the first rehearsal. Please find below some basic introductory information about singing with The Choristers.
The Choristers strongly encourages audition submissions from minority group members, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and anyone who can add to the artistic merit and vision of The Choristers. Auditions are individually scheduled with the prospective singer any time after a concert through two weeks into rehearsals for the following concert.
The choir generally performs two concerts per year: a fall concert (mid-November) and a spring concert (mid to late-April).
Click here to view The Choristers’ Attendance Expectations.
Yes. Dues and music fees are due at the beginning of the fall and spring concert seasons. Membership dues and music fees are currently $150/season. Singers keep their music at the completion of the season.
However, cost must not be a barrier to participation. Scholarships from the Donna Boesler Scholarship Fund are always available for those singers who have such a need. For all new singers, the first season of dues, music, and uniform will automatically be covered by the Donna Boesler Scholarship Fund.
The Choristers seeks to foster an appreciation of music within the community by offering performances of challenging and/or neglected choral works. The Choristers’ repertoire spans a variety of styles, centuries, cultures, and languages. While the choir does present many sacred works as most of the choral repertoire is such, it also performs secular music.
Pre-Covid the choir had 50-55 volunteer singers. (We have 6 paid section singers: one soprano, one alto, two tenors and two basses.) Last spring, we performed with 38 volunteers. At the present time, with an aggressive recruitment initiative this August, we expect the choir will have 45 volunteer singers, maybe a few more. Time will tell.
The Choristers is privileged to have many singers who have added their voice to our number for many years - however, we are an open and welcoming group! We have a good blend of new and seasoned members. As of last spring, the breakdown was: Ten years or more: 15 singers; Ten to five years: 10 singers; Five years or less: 13 singers.
Yes. We take a 10 minute break during every rehearsal. Members of the choir volunteer to bring “goodies” each week along with a liquid (usually water). During the break – about ¾ of the choir socialize while eating. Before the first rehearsal, there is a pizza dinner for everyone to reconnect after the passage of the summer. In October, the choir will have a cabaret fundraiser with members of the choir/friends performing. Finally, after the concert around 25 members meet at an area restaurant to jointly experience our post-concert glow.
Both move things along quickly. Each rehearsal starts with a warm-up period. For the first 8-9 rehearsals, the choir rehearses music that we rehearsed in sectionals previously. Then we break into soprano/alto and tenor/bass sectionals in two different spaces to work on notes. This is to avoid singers sitting there while other sections are working on notes. Then, the choir has its break mentioned above. Then there is a period of announcements. Then the last 40-45 minutes are used to practice jointly the music just practiced in sectionals. Click here to view the rehearsal plan for October 14, 2022. Very typical.
The choir rehearses at Supplee Presbyterian in Maple Glen until 5-6 rehearsals before a concert. Then it moves to its performance space: Trinity Lutheran in Lansdale. The sectionals end 2-3 rehearsals before we move to Trinity. The two Friday nights before the concert, any accompaniment (other than piano) and soloists join the choir. The Sunday night between these two rehearsals is a critical rehearsal in which we clean up any parts of the concert that are less than what we expect of ourselves.
The Choristers does not mind at all so long as the singer complies with the attendance policy. We have many members who also sing in church choirs, and we have a few members who sing with another concert choir. Click here to view the choir’s schedule. Click here to view the choir’s attendance policy.