User:Illuminismus/sandbox

Reading has many choirs ranging from traditional choral societies to operatic societies and rock choirs. Between them, the different choirs cater for all levels of ability from people who have not sung in a choir before to singers of near-professional quality. They include barbershop, gospel and community choirs.

Where a choir is only available to members of some other organisation it is not listed below. These choirs include, notably:
 * School choirs: most schools have one or more choirs
 * Church choirs: many churches and faith groups have choirs and other music groups that take a role in their acts of worship.

New to singing in a choir?
If you are thinking about joining one of Reading's choirs but you're feeling a little uncertain because you've not sung in a choir before it's worth providing a few words of encouragement and guidance.

Why sing?
Singing in a choir is fun and sociable. It is enjoyable to sing music you like with other people.

It can also, if you wish, be "stretching". Maybe you're just finding what it's like to sing in a choir, maybe you're learning how to read music, maybe you're trying to sing a simple piece of music really well, or maybe you're wanting to perform a complex classical piece of music. There's always more to learn.

What abilities do I need?
The abilities required of a singer vary with different choirs.
 * At one end of the spectrum the choirs simply hope you will enjoy singing in a friendly environment. You're not expected to have a great singing voice or to read music.
 * In more advanced choirs, you are expected already to have significant singing experience, good sight reading ability and commitment to rehearsals so they can maintain their high standards.

Whatever choir you join, the main attribute you need is the committment and enthusiasm to join in and sing. You don't need to be at the front "leading the charge" but, if you're more comfortable "at the back", you'll get the most out of it if you join in and making a noise. Do that even if you have ever been told, "you can't sing." If you feel uncertain, sit alongside some confident singers and join in. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised at the result.

If you're joining a traditional mixed voice choir, an ability to read music is obviously an advantage but don't let that be an obstacle. There will be plenty of people on hand to help you with the music. Beyond that it's worth listing a few skills. They may seem obvious but they are too easily overlooked. They include:
 * Listening to your colleagues singing. If you're not sure what to sing, listen to your colleagues and match them. This is done at every level of singing.
 * Watching the conductor. They'll show you when to sing, when not to sing, how fast to sing and, particularly in expressive music, how to sing.
 * Counting. Getting the rhythm right can sometimes be more important than getting the note right. If you don't already read music, learning how rhythms are expressed in standard music notation is straightforward.
 * Making a noise. It may seem a stupid thing to say but when people sit down to sing "properly" they sometimes forget to sing out. Be bold! Let the conductor hear you! As likely as not you'll be right! If they hear something wrong they will work with the choir to correct it. If they can't hear anything there's not a thing they can do to help!

How do I choose the right choir?
Look at the choirs listed below, see if you fancy them and get in touch. They will all be pleased to hear from you.

If you like the look of a choir but are not ready yet ready to get in touch, find out when their next concert is, go along, enjoy it and, perhaps, have a chat with some of the members.

Young People's Choirs
There are a number of choirs in the Reading area aimed at school-aged children.