I live in Reading, Berkshire, UK, and am 15 years old (female). I really want to join a choir, but am having trouble in finding one in my area.

Does anyone know of any choirs that I could join around this area which aren't hugely expensive?

Any idea's are really appreciate, sorry if this is slightly off topic!

Laura

Hello!

I don't know of any in Reading; I live in London and there are lots of choirs here. Depending on how nice they are and what sort of choir (amateur or semi-professional) they may have age limits (correct me if I'm wrong) or if they don't some don't charge a subscription to someone so young. I went to a choir when I was your age and though I only sung with them for a year they didn't charge me.

I can look up a few choirs for you if you like? I sing in 2 in London but as I say, it's difficult for you being 15 coming all the way into London, and some of them go on really late as well.

I'll take a look for you! Hope you find something...!

Oh I forgot... there is this list:

http://www.choirs.org.uk/I.html

It has the details of choirs from the UK, you just have to find some in Reading. There are other lists about I know there are, but I can't remember where to find them!

Hi!

Thanks for the link and everything, I will have a look! I won't be able to travel to London for a choir though which is a shame....

I've found a couple of choirs in my area, but I can't seem to find any links or anything to contact them, and I think they might be for adults! But I'll keep looking!

Laura

ps - Just seen in your signature that you did a degree at Royal Holloway? That's where I want to go! Do you have any tips or anything on how to get in, or just any comments about it?! I'd be really interested to see what you thought of it....the website and prospectus looks amazing!!

There must surely be a choir organised by the county? Reading may come under the blanket of Berkshire, and the most county music services do offer choirs and other orchestras/bands. Go on line to Berkshire music service...

Singing in a choir is an excellent way to develop your musicianship. Best of luck with your musical studies.
hero

Have a look at http://www.gerontius.net - this has listings of quite a few choirs. The only choir I know of in Reading is the Reading Phoenix Choir, as a friend's mum sang with them a long time ago.

Why not ask your music teacher at school, or even your singing teacher? Chances are they'll be aware of what happens locally.

Don't worry about being 15 - most choirs would welcome someone who'd have such a reducing effect on the average age of their membership.

what about your local church?

Berkshire is well known for its excellent youth choirs. I know Peter Hunt, who is the Head of Voice/Choral Studies, very well, and can contact him for you if you would like.

Otherwise, try the Berkshire Maestros website - I'm sure the details must be on there.

Please let me know if I can help at all.



PS A Kodály student of mine is just about to start studying Music and Psychology at Royal Holloway (she also got a scholarship to have cello lessons at RCM!) - she is sooooo excited because of the whole place, the course, everything!

Here's what I guess will be your answer:

See Vivace Girls' Choir (heading is "Charvil Girls' Choir") at:

http://www.berkshire-websites.co.uk/category/music/

which is well established and highly recommended.

I've known some people who've very much enjoyed it over the years, and I know it is good quality and very well run.

There are some other adult or follow-on choirs also run by the director (assuming it's still the original director - it started in 1990).

Thanks everyone for your replies...I've found a couple of choirs and have contacted them, and am waiting for replies!!

Thanks again,

Laura

hi! i run the charvil girls' choir. i used to run vivace girls' choir but we closed this earlier this year and have started a new choir. the choir is for 11 - 19 year olds. we meet in charvil, near twyford on sunday evenings. if you want more details, let me know! we have 42 girls in the choir at the moment. suzanne

Hiya, thanks for your reply!

My best friend actually goes to your choir and has singing lessons with you (Lydia Cialis). I'm singing Shenandah with her in the Maidenhead Festival!!

I would love to join your choir but I'm not available on Sundays! Which is a shame, as it seems perfect otherwise!

Laura

Reading has a barbershop chorus! It's a mens barbershop chorus, though, but it's always good to spread the word! They're very good...

Reading Choral Society?

http://www.readingchoral.org/

Best wishes

barry

hi! thats a shame! i look forward to meeting you for the festival. i'll let lydia know if i can think of any other choirs. suzanne

Hi - I've moved out of the area now, but when I was about 17/18 I sang with Wokingham Choral Society who offer a bursary for young singers so it's free! They're a fantastic choir and always have very good directors so great experience. I guess it also depends on which side of Reading you're on and whether you have very kind parents who can give you a lift to rehearsals!

Thank you for this suggestion - I've emailed them and it looks promising as Wokingham is literally 10 minutes away from me and easy to get to....plus the day and fees seem perfect!

Laura

Great - good luck and let us know how you get on

Just to let everyone know (especially katy_mezzo), I'm going to a rehearsal at Wokingham Choral Society next week, and if I like it then I should be able to join (providing I make it through the audition!) next term

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions,

Laura

More information here about Berkshire Youth Choir. I haven't heard it recently, but it's been Sainsbury's Choir of the Year in the past. It's for singers aged 15-19:
http://www.berkshiremaestros.org.uk/maestr...hp?categoryid=3

I live near Reading and enjoy singing in Reading Festival Chorus (conductor Janet Lincé - excellent!). There's a really good mixture of choirs around the area. I used to sing with Wokingham Choral Society but it was quite far for me. I hope you will find just the right choir for you.

Slightly off-topic because this isn't about Berkshire choirs - but the 'other place' that used to share initials with Berkshire Young Musicians' Trust (before it became Maestros), the Bromley Youth Music Trust, has just started up a new adult choir.

The new head of vocal teaching, a German singer called Simon Sunderman, has set it up and it is FAB. Bagpuss and Willard and I are all in it. I haven't sung in a choir for years because I hate the note-bashing choral society scene - and this couldn't be further from...

Highly recommended to anyone in the Bromley area!

Generally, it's on the wrong day for me, which is a great pity. If they don't mind, and I have a free evening, would they mind me coming 'just for a sing' Cyrilla?

I'm sure they wouldn't mind! If you could just let me know beforehand because, although at the moment it's at BYMT they might be using the school next door in future.

The new boss of BYMT (whom I think you know from Bexley) is singing tenor!

Last night there were only 5 basses and 4 tenors but I think there will be some more next week.

Simon (I love the German pronunciation of 'Zee-mon') is not only pleasing on the eye but extremely good at what he does. I think he's going to turn vocal stuff right round in Bromley, HUZZAH!

He doesn't know anything about Kodály, though....YET....

Cool. Thanks for that Cyrilla.

What makes me think that Simon will, in the not too distant future, suddenly know quite a lot about Kodaly...