Contact
If you would like more information about auditioning for the Berkeley Community Chorus, please send us a message on Facebook! you can also send an email to jpoland47@gmail.com or call (540) 431-8422 Thank you for your interest in our organization!
Membership
Open to singers 18 years of age and older. This is a face-to-face personal and musical gathering to interact through making music together and sharing our experience with our listeners. Auditions will be held in the fall and spring for new members. The ability to read music is recommended not required. Selected chorus members are available to provide additional help with learning voice parts. Singers will be volunteers in the chorus. Leadership roles will be given to officers elected by the membership who serve as the Executive Committee. Chorus members are encouraged to recruit singers and support arts activities in the region.
Auditions
Auditions will be held in the fall and spring for new members. An audition consists of simple vocalizing to assess the singer’s range and tone quality. This information is used to assign a voice part in soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections. A prepared solo is optional, and the ability to read music is recommended but not required. Please like our Facebook page or see our home page for upcoming audition information.
Attendance and Participation
In order to participate in the current choral season, singers must be able to commit to regular rehearsals, which are held on Tuesday nights from 7pm-9pm . The BCC meets for a holiday season (with rehearsals beginning in October) and a spring season (rehearsals begin in March). The rehearsal schedule is not year-round, so every one of the ten sessions is extraordinarily important. Each member is an adult and is personally responsible for rehearsal attendance. The Music Director accepts that missing three rehearsals may be acceptable if necessary for illness or circumstances beyond control. Please notify the Music Director with a minimum two hours’ notice if you are unable to attend a rehearsal.
Dues
A large percentage of operating costs will come from membership dues payable at the beginning of each concert season, or half-year amounts for members who join in the spring. Dues will be used primarily for the purchase of music. As an example, one hour-long concert may require 15-20 pieces. One of those pieces per individual copy will average $1.90, resulting in a cost per singer of $28-$38 per concert. Two concerts per year are planned. Current dues have been established by the chorus officers at $30 per concert, in effect Fall 2014. Financial hardship issues may be addressed with a chorus officer or the Music Director, in strict confidence for personal privacy.
Concerts
The concert season will include a holiday performance and a spring performance. Generally, repertoire will encompass choral art song (classical), mini-masterworks, folksongs and spirituals, “pop” song arrangements, and Broadway medleys. This eclectic combination of musical styles will hopefully appeal to a broad spectrum of local singers and listeners. Additionally, singers must commit to the current season’s concert.
BCC concert dates are fixed as follows:
- The holiday concert will be held on the second Saturday in December.
- The spring concert will be held on the third Saturday in May.
Please provide a black 3-ring notebook to hold your music. Hole punches can be provided.
Concert attire is as follows:
- Women: Black dress, or black skirt/pants and black blouse, black dress shoes.
- Men: Black slacks, white shirt, dark color long-hand tie, black dress shoes.