Thinking of joining us? To find out more please see below, we would love to hear from you!
To find out more about joining us and becoming a member, why not get in touch and arrange to come along and have a look at us? From time to time we hold 'Come and Sing' courses for potential new members, keep an eye on our home page for latest events. If, after visiting us, you are still interested in joining, we invite you to become a Prospective Member so you can get to know us and our music better. The Music Director can advise you which of our four sections is best suited to your vocal range - Leads and Tenors (equivalent to sopranos) or Baritones and Basses for lower voices (equivalent to alto and contralto).
When you feel ready, the next step is to take your audition, for which friendly support is available from your section leader and other Chorus members. It consists of learning a short four-part song which you sing to the Music Director with chorus members taking the other three parts. There are opportunities to practise with the other parts beforehand. Most Prospective Members take their audition after about 6–8 weeks and by agreement with your section leader you can take it more than once.
After passing your audition you become a Full Member and will have access to our audio teach tracks and sheet music to help you practise at home. As soon as your section leader feels you are ready you will join in our performances and wear the appropriate costume! Full members also become members of LABBS, the Ladies Association of British Barber Shop Singers (see FAQs).
Prospective and Full members pay a fee, to cover Chorus expenses. This is a yearly fee, which we allow people to pay in monthly installments. It includes hire of venue, Music Director's fees, refreshments and use of sheet music, audio tracks and costume. There is also an annual subscription to LABBS which on occasion is subsidised by the chorus. We are a not-for-profit organisation, and any surplus goes into developing the Chorus.
Do make contact and give us a try! We are a long established, friendly Chorus and actively welcome new members.
Here is the experiece of one of our newest members:
Janet - BaritoneI was inspired to join Thameside Harmony Chorus after hearing them sing at Sunbury Walled Garden in July 2017. I was so impressed by the quality of the singing and when I learned they were running a free Come and Sing course in the September, I decided to go along and try it out.
I had always yearned to join a singing group but lacked the confidence to do so, as I am profoundly deaf in one ear. I found all the chorus members and the Musical Director so encouraging that at the end of the course I stayed on and then became a full member in March 2018.
I have never looked back and get pleasure from every aspect of being a chorus member. Singing to the public is very rewarding especially when we go into care homes and the residents join in with some of the more familiar songs. To see the smiles on their faces is uplifting and makes all the hard work we put into rehearsals, worthwhile. I would encourage anyone to come along and give us a try even, if like me, you think you cannot sing, you may be pleasantly surprised. I found the group very friendly and welcoming and would love others to experience the joy of singing.
