Here are a few things you may find helpful to know about the choir. If there’s anything we’ve missed then just let us know and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have…
We start the singing at 7:30 but the doors are open shortly after 7:00 for people to register and come, grab some refreshments and catch up with friends before we kick off. We have another break later in the evening at around 8:15 and try to finish promptly at 9. All refreshments are free of charge, so help yourself to as much as you like.
During the rehearsal itself, we’ll go through the songs for that term, working through the different parts and tweaking things we’ve already done. You don’t need to be able to read music and the words will all be up on the screen (that way people have their heads up and can see what’s happening rather than being buried in bits of paper!) You’ll never be asked to sing a solo unless you volunteer to try out for one – so don’t panic!
This is a good question! If you’re a man, then that should be fairly obvious!
However, when it comes to the ladies, it’s not so straightforward. If you like to sing high and can make a half-decent sound when you do, then please head for the Sop 1s. Slightly lower, then the sop 2s and if you sing in your boots, then head for the altos!
Having said all that, someone will direct you and help you on your first night, so don’t worry! If you’re really unsure, come and talk to Chris who will be able to help further.
Not at all! If you can’t always make it along on a Sunday evening then it’s not a problem, you can always visit the website which will have any important news or information on it from the last rehearsal. You can also use the downloadsMemory sticks/CDs to just carry on learning your parts and words and catch up when you’re back the following week.
Facebook and Twitter are also used to communicate info, so worth following and liking. Just search for Ashford Sings! on both.
We wear clothing with our logo on for any performances we do and there will be an opportunity to buy tops, hoodies, jackets, beanies or caps at some point each term. The cost of the items isn’t too much and are sold at cost. If money really is a problem, we have some second-hand tops or we can help you with the purchase of one. There are a range of styles available to choose from. For performances, we wear the AS! tops with smart black trousers/skirts and smart, black shoes.
We use email as one of our main ways of keeping in touch with people in the choir, so it’s really helpful for us to have an email address for you. It may also be the case that we sometimes need to contact you at short notice about performance details, which is why it’s also helpful to have a phone number for you. If your details change at all, please try to keep us up to date! Last minute changes will nearly always be communicated by text.
We are fully GDPR compliant and our data is securely stored and used only in accordance with AS! If at anytime you wish to see the data or have it removed, you need only ask 🙂
Absolutely. We don’t have an upper limit on numbers and as far as we’re concerned, the more the merrier! We even have the policy that if you bring someone new to a rehearsal, you don’t have to pay that week…can’t say fairer than that! Oh, also, the friend you bring along doesn’t have to pay for the first week either! So, the money they would have spent can be put towards buying you a drink at the pub to say thanks for introducing them to AS!
Well, AS! is run under the charity of Pneuma Church and the choir doesn’t pay anyone a salary. The money covers some expenses (equipment, tour recces, some items of clothing etc) and also pays to keep the thing running! That’s where a lot of the money goes. Aside from that, a contribution is made to Pneuma Church for the use of the premises and this money specifically goes for use in the various projects in the community and in bringing life to the city (we think maybe one day Ashford will be a city!)
Sometimes, we make a donation towards Pilgrims Hospice for whom we have raised over £50,000 since the choir started! It’s an amazing amount of money! They are our chosen charity that we invariably will have collection pots out for at gigs. Over the years we have raised money for, and supported, many, many schools and charities. Occasionally, we charge to do a gig and when we do, we give that money to charity too! By the way, we’ve sung at a number of choir weddings too!
Technically, the money is a donation and we may ask you to complete a Gift Aid form if you pay tax, as Pneuma Church can recover extra money at no cost to you, to further their valuable work in the community.
We always look to keep the cost low and there hasn’t been a price increase since about 2017! That said, money is never allowed to be a reason you don’t come, so if you’re having problems, then you can come and speak to either Chris or Nic and they will help to find a way!
The Ashford Sings! website is the authority for everything you need to know and we update it regularly with any news or information you may need about rehearsals, performances etc. If you can, make sure you visit this website regularly to keep up-to-date. We also have an active Facebook group where people keep in touch about what’s going on within the choir. As well as Facebook, we’re also on Twitter, so search for us and then like/join/follow!
The main thing you need to know is that Ashford Sings! is all about having fun, so come along ready to join a community of people who love to sing together and laugh at the same time. No one will be asking for your singing CV and, as Chris tells people, if you do sing a duff note…just look at the person next to you and frown!
As we say to people, just come once and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to come back!