The Society normally gives four concerts a year—in November, December, March/April and June. The venue is usually St James's Church, Wetherby. There is generally a rehearsal with soloists and orchestra in the afternoon before the evening's concert performance.
Concert tickets
All choir members are responsible for selling tickets for each concert. Sales are organised by a choir member, commencing one month prior to a concert. Each choir member will receive two tickets to sell, but we hope everyone will try to sell as many as possible!
Soloists' hospitality
Many of our soloists live outside the area, so they usually need a light meal between the rehearsal and concert, and occasionally a bed for the night. If you are able to provide either occasionally, please see the Committee member who organises hospitality.
Concert dress
Men: dinner suit, white shirt with collar, black bow tie, black shoes.
For summer concert ONLY: Black open-necked shirt (any braces under), black trousers, black shoes.
Women: long black skirt or smart black trousers, black blouse with full-length or three-quarter-length sleeves, black shoes.
Concert attendance
If you will not be singing in a concert, please do not attend the final Monday rehearsal before that concert, and return your score(s) before then. If you are singing in the concert, please make sure you tick the list that circulates a few weeks beforehand; seating is set out for the exact number of names on the list, so failure to sign up will mean there is no seat allocated for you!
If you are unable to attend the afternoon rehearsal, please ensure someone knows and can keep a seat for you for the performance.
If you planned to sing in the concert but then are unable to do so, please ensure that you contact the Chairman before 1.45pm on the day of the concert so that the seating can be adjusted.
Final rehearsal and concert set-up
We need a team of people to set up the church for the concert. This involves bringing staging up from the crypt, setting it up, and arranging chairs for orchestra, choir and audience. We usually start at 11:15am on the morning of the concert and it takes around 45 minutes to do, depending on the amount of help available.
If you are able to help with this - or have non-singing family members who could help - please join us. Some members find a pair of gloves helps with lifting items. The set-up includes jobs which don’t involve heavy lifting, so do come and help even if you can’t do any lifting. A guide to setting up the staging can be found here.
The afternoon rehearsal usually starts at 1:30pm. Please be in your seat by 1.20pm. Because the performance area is a different shape and orientation from the rehearsal space, it can take time for everyone to be seated in positions where they can see the conductor. You may find that you have to sit beside different people; please be flexible.
The approximate finishing time will be announced at the Monday evening rehearsal before the concert.
If you feel the need for refreshment, you'll need to bring your own. The facilities in the Church and Church Centre are reserved for the needs of the soloists and orchestra.
The concert normally starts at 7.30pm.
For the evening performance, please assemble in the Parish Centre by 7.10pm.
- At 7.20pm, we order ourselves into lines so that the staging fills up from the back, tenors and sopranos on the left, basses and altos on the right.
- At 7.25pm, we make our way to the church and file neatly in to our seats. Remain standing until a front-row soprano indicates for us all to sit down, hopefully together!
- At 7.30pm, the conductor and soloists will enter the church. Choir members may applaud while seated but when the conductor steps onto the podium, the choir stops applauding and stands up.
After the concert, we receive applause while standing. Once the soloists have left the floor, the choir can sit down and start applauding the soloists. We do not applaud whilst standing.
Concert programmes will be available to purchase at the afternoon rehearsal.
After the concert, we have to restore the church to its normal layout, so it's all hands on deck to clear everything away. Please help if you can - the more the merrier.
