General Guidance for Singers
Everything you need to know to sing with Winchester Music Club.
Rehearsals
Friday nights 7.30pm – 9.30pm September to March, at Winchester College Music School. See map and parking advice.
There are compulsory rehearsals preceding the November concert, which takes place on a Thursday evening. One is on the afternoon of the concert itself from approx 2-5pm, the other the night before (Wednesday) from 7-9pm.
The spring concert usually takes place on a Saturday evening with a compulsory rehearsal that afternoon.
Registers
Please sign the register at each rehearsal. If you have not attended the proper quota of rehearsals, you may not be allowed to sing in the concert. The registers, one per voice part, may be found on the unused grand piano.
Be sure that you have put in your height & whether you sing first or second voice.
Absences
In an ideal world, every singer should attend every rehearsal. This is not always practicable. If, however, a singer misses more than two rehearsals, he or she must seek NPW’s permission to sing in the concert. This decision is entirely at his discretion.
Fees
For 2011/2012 £70 per year (£65 if paid by the first two rehearsals). We are also introducing a new rate for students under 25 of £25 per year.
Cheques should be made payable to ‘Winchester Music Club’ and given to the treasurer Andrew Carruthers. Please use a Gift Aid declaration form if you have not already done so. View printable Gift Aid declaration form.
Concert Dress
Ladies: Long-sleeved black tops, floor-length black skirts. No trousers
Gentlemen: November concert: dark suits and ties, white shirts.
March /April concert: Dinner jackets, bow ties and white shirts.
Concert Protocol
Stands & sits
These will be given by NPW during the final rehearsals
Entering & leaving the stage
Specific instructions will be given for each concert. Golden rule: never wave to any audience members!
Applause (important-read carefully).
A good choir knows that this is an integral part of the performance. Note that the choir never applauds while standing.
At the end of the performance, we stay standing and still until NPW relaxes and the audience begins to applaud.
The Choir does NOT applaud at this stage, even when NPW gestures for the orchestra to stand, as the audience is acknowledging all the performers.
NPW leads off the soloists and we sit when the leader of the orchestra sits.
NPW and the soloists return. Bouquets are presented and we all applaud.
***NPW then acknowledges soloists, orchestra, organist at will and we applaud.
When he indicates the Choir, we stand and stop applauding.
When NPW and the soloists go out again we sit when the orchestra leader sits.
We resume applauding when NPW and the soloists return again.
… and so on from *** above.
WMC Constitution
To view the Winchester Music Club Constitution and Rules, click here.