When and where do you rehearse?

We rehearse at Charvil Village Hall, The Hawthorns, Charvil, Reading RG10 9TR on Tuesday mornings from 10.30 - 12.30 during term time. We have a short break for refreshments, notices and some social time together.

What do I have to do to join the choir?

First of all, get in touch with us at glassensemble@gmail.com and we can arrange for you to come along to a couple of rehearsals to see if we are the right choir for you. After this, if you decide that you would like to join us, we can arrange for you to have an audition.

What happens at the audition?

The audition will take place after a rehearsal, with the MD. It will only take a few minutes and will involve some vocal exercises to assess your range. You will then be asked to sing something familiar to you, such as one of the pieces we have been working on at the trial rehearsals you have attended. This will be followed by a short section of sight reading.

Do I need to have a musical background?

You don’t need to be a fluent, accomplished performer to join us, but an ability to read music is helpful.

Do I need to attend every rehearsal?

We ask for a good attendance at rehearsals but obviously, from time to time, other commitments arise and missing the occasional rehearsal is fine.

Do I need to sing in every concert?

As with rehearsals, we understand that occasionally you may not be able to make a concert. If you find that this is the case then you are still very welcome to come along to rehearsals to enjoy the benefits of singing regularly with others, but we might suggest that you miss the final session before the concert so that the rest of the choir are used to singing without you there.

How much is the annual subscription?

At the moment the annual subscription is £270. This can be paid in instalments if you prefer.

What kind of performances do you give?

We enjoy keeping our performances varied and do this by learning a wide repertoire. Some of our concerts may include a larger scale work, or feature composers from a particular period or genre. Other concerts include a more varied programme based on a theme and feature a wider range of music from different times and places. Please have a look at our past concert programmes for examples of performances we have given.

We also enjoy using a range of accompaniments for our performances. We have been fortunate to perform with an array of talented musicians including: pianists, organists, harpists, string quartets, a folk singer, a jazz trio, a lute player and even a pipe and tabor performer! Of course, we also enjoy singing a cappella, performing with and without a conductor.

If you would like to arrange a visit to one of our rehearsals or would like to find out more about the choir please contact us.