General notes for choir members regarding rehearsals, attendance at rehearsals, concert instructions and other matters relevant to the choir.
Joining the Choir
Choir rehearsals for the next session begin on Thursday 4 September 2025 at Wesley Methodist Church, St John Street, Chester, CH1 1DA. New members in all voice parts are welcome to attend rehearsals in September or January (8 January 2026) with a view to taking the audition.
Choir Membership Audition
Admission to the choir is by audition; either in September, at the start of the new season, or in January, at the beginning of the second session of the season.
Auditions are held within the first few weeks of the session prior to a rehearsal. You will be given a date and asked to prepare and bring a short, simple piece of music of your choosing to sing. (Please bring 2 copies). You will also sing a few scales to determine your range and voice part. We make every effort to put you at your ease during auditions, which are conducted in a friendly, relaxed manner. The result will be communicated promptly by letter or email.
Full details of admission procedures can be obtained from the Membership Secretary: 0151 336 5088 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals take place at Wesley Church, St John Street, Chester, CH1 1DA . You will be informed of any change in venue, if necessary. Please be seated ready for a prompt start at 19.30. Rehearsals will finish at 21.15; if you must leave before then, please speak to the Music Director beforehand. Latecomers must not disrupt rehearsals by walking in front of the Director.
Rehearsal resources such as Cyberbass - and others - can be found readily on the Web. YouTube usually provides several video performances of works we are rehearsing.
Attendance
Please tick the register each week to confirm your attendance. To sing in a concert you must not have missed any more than three rehearsals for that programme. Attendance at the Saturday afternoon rehearsal in the cathedral prior to a concert performance is obligatory. It is expected that every choir member is committed to sing in all concerts and will do necessary practice at home between rehearsals
Music
The librarian who will send you a request form by email before each concert asking you to confirm your participation in the performance, and whether you wish to hire a score. If you do not return the request form you will be deemed to have hired a copy and you will be charged accordingly. Alternatively, you may purchase your own copy. This is best done by way of the many websites (e.g. Amazon and Abe Books) which are now available
Hired copies must be returned within the week following the concert in good condition with all pencil markings erased. If you hand them in late, damaged or marked other than in pencil you may be liable for the full cost of the copy.
Concert Performance
Confirm that you are singing in the concert
As soon as possible during rehearsals, and in any event not later than three weeks before each concert, inform your voice rep and mark in the register whether or not you intend to take part in the performance.
Dress Code
Ladies wear long-sleeved white blouses (tucked in), black fabric jackets, ankle-length black skirts or trousers, black tights and shoes. No sparkling jewellery should be worn.
Gentlemen wear a dress suit, black socks and shoes, white shirt and black bow-tie.
Please do not wear strong perfume or after-shave
A lapel flower will be provided on the night of the concert.
At Christmas concerts the dress code is more relaxed: Ladies wear a blouse of any plain colour; Gentlemen wear a bow tie of any colour.
Folders
You will need a plain black music folder for the performance. These can be bought from a Committee member if required.
Rehearsals in the Cathedral
We rehearse in Wesley as usual on the Thursday before the concert from 19.30 to 21.15. Please be sure to follow the place cards which have been set out in advance. (These will 'mirror' the seating in the cathedral.) You should make every effort to attend this rehearsal and it is essential that you let the Concert Manager know if you cannot be there. (If you do not intend to sing in the concert you may still attend this rehearsal, but please do not occupy a seat marked with a place card.)
On concert day, the rehearsal is in the cathedral from 12.15 to 15.15; you must be in your place in the South Transept by 12.00. Attendance at this rehearsal is obligatory.
Performances in the Cathedral
In the evening of the performance arrive in good time, leave coats and bags in the designated area and collect your lapel flower (which you must return after the concert). The performance starts at 19.30 and you should take your place in the South Transept by 19.15 at the latest. It is important to remain quiet at all times after we assemble and once on the stage so as to present a professional appearance. File onto the stage to the directions of the Concert Manager.
Soft drink refreshments will be provided during the interval. Return to the South Transept 10 minutes after the conclusion of the first half. (10 minutes before the commencement of the second half of the performance) Wait quietly again. Please remember that toilet facilities are limited: make sure you allow enough time without being late back to the South Transept.
Note that eating and drinking - other than bottled water - is not permitted in the Cathedral (Nave and Transepts). Drinks should not be taken onto the platform during the performance.
Concert Deportment
Upon going onto the stage, hold your folder in the left hand. Only a small clutch bag should be taken on stage.
When onstage, sit quietly and do not talk to your neighbours (and especially to the singers behind you)
Do not wave to friends in the audience
The Choir stands altogether (as one unit) as the conductor comes onto the platform
Turn pages quietly by holding the bottom right corner of the music between thumb and finger and turn deliberately. Do not flick the page and do not turn the page until you reach the end. Do not turn when your part ends.
Remember to look at the conductor and hold the vocal score lower in front of you. ('Heads in copies' is not a good 'look'!)
In especially quiet and sensitive sections at the end of a passage or movement, do not turn the page at all until the conductor’s body language indicates “OK”. Similarly, do not close the score at the end of the work until it is clearly over and the audience have started to applaud.
At the end of the performance remain standing until directed otherwise by the conductor. When seated at the end of the performance you may applaud the soloists and orchestra.
Getting on and off the stage: 'Stands and Sits'
Take great care accessing and leaving the stage. Hold your folder in your left hand and hold onto any handrails with your right hand. Always use the steps at the side of the stage, and do not clamber down the stage levels. Leave the stage in the reverse order from which you entered. Take your music with you when you leave the platform during the interval. If you have any difficulty in accessing the stage or in standing, please speak to the Concert Manager well in advance.
When you reach your place on the staging, sit down. When the conductor enters, stand as he reaches the centre of the Nave and turns towards the choir and thereafter follow his cues. Sit when he leaves the platform. During the performance stand smartly and quietly as indicated. (You should take care to mark stands and sits in your score as directed during the final rehearsals.)
After the Performance
After the performance hired music should be put into the appropriate box at the side of the stage with all pencil markings erased. If this is not possible please return them to the librarian at the next rehearsal following the performance. (If you are not attending further rehearsals please arrange with a colleague to return them, or email the librarian - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - to arrange a hand-over.) Return your lapel flower.
It is important that we restore the Cathedral to its normal state before we leave. This includes packing music stands, removing chairs from the stage and platform and – if required - helping to return the choir stalls and altar to the platform. Your help in this is appreciated. These few minutes of support gain the Choir immeasurable goodwill form the Cathedral staff and ensures their continued support for the choir.
And Another Thing...
Funding
The cost of putting on these concerts is considerable: the hire of the cathedral and fees to the professional orchestra and soloists is a very significant expense. (You may not be aware of this, but the cost of a single concert performance can be in the region of £10,000). And the society has no income other than your membership subscriptions and the sale of tickets. We do not receive any grants.
Annual subscriptions are determined each year by the committee. Payment for either a full year or half year is due not later than the second rehearsal in September. Those not paying promptly may lose their places to new applicants. Members who have allowed their subscriptions to lapse for more than one season will be asked to re-audition if they wish to resume membership; however no priority over new applicants will be given. (If you have genuine difficulty in meeting these payments please speak in confidence to the choir chairman.)
Our biggest source of income is ticket sales. Choir members are expected to sell at least two tickets for each concert. (100 members x 2 x £30 = £6,000)
We also have sales tables on the Wesley foyer from time to time. Please support these.
Publicity
It is essential we publicise each concert as widely as possible. About six weeks before each concert date the publicity secretary will bring posters and flyers to the register table at the entrance to Wesley. Please make every effort to publicise concerts by helping to distribute/place this publicity material in your area, informing the Publicity Secretary and marking the distribution list to show the area you are covering.
Social media are an increasingly popular means of publicity. CMS Choir has a presence on Facebook (Chester Music Society Choir), Instagram (@chestermusicsocchoir) and X (@Chester_Sings). If you are on any of these platforms you can help by Following CMS Choir and Liking and Sharing any posts they make. You can of course write your own posts to friends to advertise the forthcoming concert and otherwise extolling the virtues of CMS.