Join Us !
Interested in singing ?
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Carmina Burana & Grand Opera Chorus` Concert November 2016 at Saga Pavilion
New singing members are always welcome ! If you would like to experience the thrill of singing with a large choir of mixed voices, professional orchestra and soloists then we would be delighted to meet you.
You will find varying degrees of talent within our ranks and although the ability to read music is a great asset it is not entirely essential. Obviously there are a few basics to master but you do not need to be supremely competent.
If you feel out of your depth after one rehearsal, please do not give up. Many of us had not sung seriously since our school-choir days and also found it quite daunting to start with, so give it a few weeks before you decide whether it is for you.
Our aim is to produce high quality performances with first rate professional soloists and orchestras. Your Chairman and Committee hope that you will thoroughly enjoy being part of the great sound that is THE FOLKESTONE CHORAL SOCIETY. If you are interested in joining us a singing member, we rehearse on Monday evenings at 7.15 pm in Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone. Come along one evening in term time. Or have a chat beforehand with the Membership Secretary, Audrey Ritchie on 01303 230959 or 07958 288134. See more details of being a member below.
Our musical director is Stephen Hope. He has been Music Director for the West Sussex Philharmonic Choir (WSPC) since 2002 and is also Musical Director for the Basildon Choral Society (BCS). In 2002 Stephen formed his own orchestra, Sinfonia da Chiesa and in 2003 he founded the Sussex Festival Choir (SFC). The SFC is primarily made up of singers from the WSPC and BCS, with individual singers joining in from around Sussex, Surrey and Kent, forming a choir of some 200 singers.
At the piano as our accompanist is Tim Parsons, organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone who also sings bass when not required in the orchestra.
Our venues for our concerts have been varied over the years but in recent times and for the forthcoming programmes the venues are Leas Cliff Hall, Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone. St. Leonard`s, Hythe, Arundel Cathedral and the Saga Pavilion, Sandgate.
Music scores for rehearsal and concerts can be purchased or at nominal rates hired through the choral society.
You will find varying degrees of talent within our ranks and although the ability to read music is a great asset it is not entirely essential. Obviously there are a few basics to master but you do not need to be supremely competent.
If you feel out of your depth after one rehearsal, please do not give up. Many of us had not sung seriously since our school-choir days and also found it quite daunting to start with, so give it a few weeks before you decide whether it is for you.
Our aim is to produce high quality performances with first rate professional soloists and orchestras. Your Chairman and Committee hope that you will thoroughly enjoy being part of the great sound that is THE FOLKESTONE CHORAL SOCIETY. If you are interested in joining us a singing member, we rehearse on Monday evenings at 7.15 pm in Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone. Come along one evening in term time. Or have a chat beforehand with the Membership Secretary, Audrey Ritchie on 01303 230959 or 07958 288134. See more details of being a member below.
Our musical director is Stephen Hope. He has been Music Director for the West Sussex Philharmonic Choir (WSPC) since 2002 and is also Musical Director for the Basildon Choral Society (BCS). In 2002 Stephen formed his own orchestra, Sinfonia da Chiesa and in 2003 he founded the Sussex Festival Choir (SFC). The SFC is primarily made up of singers from the WSPC and BCS, with individual singers joining in from around Sussex, Surrey and Kent, forming a choir of some 200 singers.
At the piano as our accompanist is Tim Parsons, organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone who also sings bass when not required in the orchestra.
Our venues for our concerts have been varied over the years but in recent times and for the forthcoming programmes the venues are Leas Cliff Hall, Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone. St. Leonard`s, Hythe, Arundel Cathedral and the Saga Pavilion, Sandgate.
Music scores for rehearsal and concerts can be purchased or at nominal rates hired through the choral society.
Although the choir works to a very high standard, there are no auditions. However, occasionally everyone is given a simple `voice assessment` ....just to make sure they are singing in the section of the choir best suited to their voice. You are welcome to come along at any rehearsal and sit in and perhaps join in and get the unique experience of choral singing.
If you are still unsure, check out out list of frequently given excues for not joining. We have heard them all and here are our responses :
If you are still unsure, check out out list of frequently given excues for not joining. We have heard them all and here are our responses :
1. I have never sung in a choir. |
Good! We prefer a `blank canvas` |
2. I am afraid of auditions. |
So are we - we do not have any ! |
3. I usually sing off key. |
That is fine: we sing off sheet music. |
4. I cannot read music. |
Neither can Sir Paul McCartney, Lionel Bart, Irving Berlin or Vera Lynn. |
5. I have a terrible voice. |
Do not worry we can put you next to some loud mouths. |
6. I have a hearing difficulty. |
So did Beethoven and the French composer Gabriel Fauré. |
7. I am tone deaf. |
As long as it is the right tone........ |
8. I do not have the time. |
We can find you a watch. |
9. I cannot sing solo. |
Relax : we always get professionals in for those. |
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We are currently recruiting singers in all sections of the choir. Gentlemen are especially welcome !
We have three exciting concerts planned for 2020. Why not join us ? Ring 07958 288134 or complete E Mail Enquiries form opposite on this page and submit. 
Folkestone Choral Society singing Handel`s Samson at the Holy Trinity church on 28th November 2015
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Voice Part Representatives
For help, direction & advice voice part representatives are available to assist both new members and existing members. Currently the following representatives are:
Soprano Section - Vacant Alto Section - Jill Page Tenor Section - Mike Barr Bass Section - Bob Steer
Soprano Section - Vacant Alto Section - Jill Page Tenor Section - Mike Barr Bass Section - Bob Steer
REHEARSALS
Rehearsals are held weekly on a Monday evening at 7.15 pm to 9.15 pm from September to July in Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, where we prepare for the concerts we perform. Rehearsals are quite intense but fun and rewarding. If you are interested in joining us a singing member come along one evening in term time. Or have a chat beforehand with the Membership Secretary, Audrey Ritchie on 07958 288134.
The Google map below shows the location of our rehearsal venue :- Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 3QU
The school is close to the junction of Coolinge Lane and Bathhurst Road.
On rehearsal nights there is parking in the school grounds. However, there is plenty of street parking both in Coolinge Lane and Bathurst Road.
The Google map below shows the location of our rehearsal venue :- Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 3QU
The school is close to the junction of Coolinge Lane and Bathhurst Road.
On rehearsal nights there is parking in the school grounds. However, there is plenty of street parking both in Coolinge Lane and Bathurst Road.
COSTS
Current annual membership subscription is £100. This is due in September, but may be paid by three monthly installments (September, October and November, two of £33 and one of £34) by Bank Transfer or 3 post dated cheques. For details contact our Treasurer, Betty Black on 01303 230959. To encourage young people to join we do not charge a membership subscription for young persons up to the age of 25. For any further details of membership please contact Audrey Ritchie at 01303 262036 or Margret Barr on 01303 210094.
VOICE ASSESSMENT
We do not audition new members, but occasionally everyone is given a simple "voice assessment".....just to make sure they are singing in the section of the choir most suited to their voice. This merely involves a few simple vocal exercises. There is absolutely no reason to be worried about this.
CONCERT DRESS CODE
Dress code for concerts is normally Black Dinner Suit, white shirt and black bow tie for gentlemen and black evening dress/skirt or trousers with a black top for ladies. Slight departures from this dress code are sometimes made in order to accommodate factors such as nature and mood of concert, hot weather etc.
LEARNING AIDS
Learning aids for some of the music we perform is available "online" from Choraline. This consists of MP3 downloads of the music with emphasis on your part, be it Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass. With the correct software installed on your computer, for example "CreativeMediaSource" you can slow the music down and repeat and re-run selected sections. Learning the notes this way helps with the rehearsals in that other aspects of the music can be focused on and time is saved "notebashing". Also, see our "HANDBOOK AND LEARNING AIDS" page for tips, tricks and You Tube Videos to help with your part for current rehearsal pieces.
NOTICE FROM OUR LIBRARIAN - HIRED MUSIC
The music we perform is hired from libraries and other sources by our librarian, Lynn Clarke (01303 266940, lrclarke@yahoo.co.uk). A small hire fee is charged to cover our costs. All music to be handed in at the end of each concert in order for it to be returned promptly. In the case of members being unable to sing in any concert it is important to get the music back to Lynn so that fines may be avoided. She also requests that markings in the score should be minimal, using a soft pencil, as they often need to be erased before return.
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The Google map opposite shows the location of our rehearsal venue :- Sandgate Primary School, Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 3QU
The school is close to the junction of Coolinge Lane and Bathhurst Road. On rehearsal nights there is parking in the school grounds. However, there is plenty of street parking both in Coolinge Lane and Bathurst Road. |
SOPRANO SECTION. BASSES AND TENORS. ALTO SECTION.
Click on images to enlarge.