Victoria Chorale
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WELCOME TO 2024 WITH VICTORIA CHORALE!
SETTING OUR SHARED EXPECTATIONS
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A very warm welcome to both returning and new singers with Victoria Chorale for 2024.
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Proudly celebrating its 31st year in 2024, Victoria Chorale has earned a reputation for the excellence, diversity and warmth of its performances and the camaraderie amongst the choir members. To achieve this aim, it is important that every chorister, both continuing and new, commits to our shared expectations.
What are the core expectations?
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In a nutshell, the four core expectations of every chorister are:
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Singing capability in a SATB choir.
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Commitment to knowing your music and regular practice between rehearsals.
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Commitment to attend rehearsals and concerts.
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Providing an enjoyable and safe experience and environment for all choristers, our Music Director, rehearsal accompanists, orchestra members, concert soloists, and support staff.
Singing capability
Our shared expectation is that each chorister is able to hold a part, sing in tune, have the ability to read their music and learn their parts by practicing between rehearsals. We expect all choristers to work on sections of the music they are having difficulty with and listen at rehearsals to others singing and recognise areas in which they need to improve.
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New choristers will have a short voice placement check with the Music Director during their first few weeks to assess their current ability and appropriate voice part.
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Commitment to knowing your music and regular practice between rehearsals
Maintaining and improving singing ability and ensuring a quality concert requires all choristers to commit to learning their music and practice between rehearsals. Learning aids are provided on our website (www.victoriachorale.org.au/rehearsals). Key parts of the score and/or areas to work on will also be advised by the Music Director.
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Continuous improvement requires self awareness and an openness to constructive feedback, including confidential feedback to choristers from our Music Director.
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Commitment to attend rehearsals and concerts
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We expect every chorister to arrive on time, to attend all rehearsals that they possibly can and to sing in the concert. We understand that illness, emergencies, work and family commitments and other factors occur and may mean not being able to attend a rehearsal or sing in a concert. In these circumstances, the chorister must promptly advise the Membership Secretary by email or telephone in advance.
Repeated absences and/or an unexpected late inability to sing in a concert creates difficulties for other choristers in your section and for our Music Director. It also creates problems for blending of voices and provision of a quality concert. Where a chorister is repeatedly absent from rehearsals without prior advice and explanation, the Membership Secretary will refer the matter to the Music Director.
Choristers who wish to attend rehearsals only and not sing in the concert must advise the Membership Secretary when registering for that concert term and request prior approval. Agreement to this request is subject to advice from the Music Director.
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Providing an enjoyable and safe experience and environment for all choristers
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We pride ourselves on being a friendly choir in which singers treat each other in a supportive, cordial, cooperative and respectful manner. We strongly encourage wearing name tags.
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All choristers should avoid conduct which adversely affects fellow choristers’ singing or hearing of directions from the Music Director. We expect all choristers to comply with directions of the Music Director at rehearsals.
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Positioning in rehearsals and concerts will take account both of voice placement and the importance of seeing the conductor. Seating at rehearsal is normally in subdivided voice parts (S1, S2, T1, T2, B1, B2, A1, A2). Singers are expected to be flexible with respect to singing first or second in their voice part, to ensure there are balanced numbers. We expect all choristers to comply with instructions of your Section Leader and the Concert Manager at the concert.
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We also need to provide a safe environment and adherence to our Covid Safety policy is important.
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Contributing to the Choir
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Victoria Chorale is a non-profit organisation run by a voluntary Committee. We need all members to contribute to the operation of the choir in some way. This can range from helping set up at rehearsals and concerts, distributing posters and flyers, serving on Committee or taking responsibility for a particular aspect of the choir. The choir is only able to operate by having many people assist with the activities which make it successful.
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Please do your utmost to encourage family, friends and your contacts to buy tickets for each concert. You will be supported in this by being provided with flyers and email messages you can send to them.
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Welcome once again to 2024 with Victoria Chorale! Your Committee welcomes your feedback and ideas on how we can collectively build and strengthen Victoria Chorale.
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