QUEER CHOIR AUDITIONS
Following a massive interest from local queer singers and our open taster session on Jan 20th, we are now inviting singers to apply to be a part of our new semi-professional queer choir.
As we have had so much interest already, this will be a two-stage application process so we can shortlist and select singers to form the initial choir.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
STAGE ONE: an online application form, including sending a recording of you singing (the application form is at the bottom of this page).
STAGE TWO: shortlisted singers from STAGE ONE will be invited to attend a group workshop (which will be much like a choir rehearsal) where we will learn some more challenging music together to finalise singers for the choir.
After the group workshops we will make offers to singers to join this first iteration of the choir.
If you have any questions please email hello@fattprojects.org
TIMELINE:
Mon 10th Feb (10am) - Deadline to send applications.
Thurs 13th Feb - everyone will be notified of whether they are invited to the group workshop audition.
Monday 17th Feb (7-9pm) - Group Workshop Audition at CBSO Centre. Please note we may add a second workshop depending on the number of people shortlisted.
Friday 21st Feb - everyone will be notified of whether they are invited to officially join the choir (we will aim to do this earlier than Fri 21st if possible).
Monday 24th Feb - First official rehearsal at B:Music.
HOW DO I APPLY TO BE PART OF THE CHOIR?
There is an application form at the bottom of this page with some questions about you, your experience, and to help us get to know you a bit.
A copy of the application questions can be found here, please use the form below to submit your application.
As part of the application form you will be asked to share a recording of you singing a song of your choice. This does not need to be a professional recording, we are more than happy to get a voice recording or video taken on your phone. You should record yourself singing along to a backing track (live accompaniment is also fine if you happen to play an instrument), there are 1000s of backing tracks available for free on youtube.
WHAT SHOULD I SING FOR THE AUDITION?
Whatever you want, we want to hear what you sound like - so please pick a song you enjoy singing, and that you feel best showcases your voice. There isn’t a right song or right style of music. Although we are asking people not to sing ‘This Is Me’ from the Greatest Showman… the world has suffered enough.
INFO ABOUT THE CHOIR
WHAT IS THIS CHOIR?
The Fatt Projects Choir (we will come up with a proper name soon) is going to be a semi-professional* queer choir specialising in performing contemporary and popular music.
The aim of this choir will be to bring together queer singers (and allies) from across Birmingham with the aim of coming together to make a beautiful collective sound, packed with sexy harmonies and good vibes. This is not a community choir (there are already great community choirs in Birmingham and we’re not trying to step on their toes). We recognise that for a lot of queer singers it’s rare to have a space to be together and make music, despite this being essential for our development and wellbeing. Lots of choral environments are very traditional, or are attached to religious practice which we know can be difficult for queer people to navigate.
We really want to emphasise the performance of choral music, this isn’t going to be a traditional formal choir. Our ideas at the moment include live instruments, DJs, dancing, and bringing audiences together with a gig-like atmosphere - our aim is for the choir to perform at nightclubs & festivals as well as more traditional and community settings.
The music we will perform will draw on a wide range of genres from club-classics to folk, rock, R&B, jazz, soul, pop, and original compositions pulled together around a particular theme or idea. The music we choose to perform will be shaped by the members of the choir, their interests, the sounds we make, and the various contexts we might perform in.
This is very much the beginning of a thing, and we’re looking to develop it, see what happens, and be responsive to what we make together. We are delighted to say that the choir is being supported by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) as part of a new partnership.
What do we mean by semi-professional?
To start with, the choir will be unpaid. Everyone involved is giving their time voluntarily to make it happen because they want to do it and want to be a part of it. However, we are aiming for a professional quality sound and performance.
Our intention is that we will work to a point where we are able to pay singers for gigs (eg. if we’re booked at festivals/events) - but we want to be upfront that it will take some time to get to that stage, so it’s an intention rather than a promise.
Do I need to be a professional singer to join?
No, you don’t need to be a professional singer to be part of the choir (although you absolutely might be).
We understand that people sing for lots of different reasons and everyone will be coming from different kinds of experience, so you don’t need any formal singing training or experience to be a part of the choir. Here’s what you do need:
to be a confident singer, and comfortable singing in front of people. Ideally we want everyone to feel able to take on singing solo if desired.
to be able to sing to a good standard, have good musicality, and to feel comfortable singing a harmony line with others.
to be able to bring your personality to singing and feel comfortable performing in front of other people.
To identify as LGBTQ+ or consider yourself an active ally to our community.
This choir might not be the place to try singing for the first time. We will be ambitious with the music we perform and the sound we make together.
Please note you must be over the age of 18 to join the choir, there is no upper age limit.
What kind of voices are we looking for?
We don’t have a fixed idea of who can or should sing in a choir, we want to do lots of different styles of music and create different vocal sounds so we’re going to need a range of singing styles. Don’t worry that you sound too much like one thing or another, we want this choir to be a place where the unique qualities of your voice are celebrated.
Our initial plan is for the choir to be split into four voice parts - Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass, although this might change once we have formed the choir and got a sense of the voices we have. If you aren’t sure which voice part you sing, we can help you figure that out in rehearsal.
We particularly want to connect with singers who haven’t felt comfortable in other choral settings including trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming singers whose vocal ranges may not match traditionally gendered voice parts - we hope this will be a space where you are able to bring your full self to singing. Voice parts will be based on range only and are open to people of any gender to sing with the part they are most comfortable with.
Do I need to be able to read music?
No, you do not need to be able to read sheet music - although if you are able to read music this will be helpful. We will provide everyone with sheet music and lyrics to follow, but we will teach the parts by ear and repetition. No-one will be expected to sight-read.
What is the rehearsal commitment?
We will rehearse once a week on Monday evenings from 7-9pm at the CBSO Centre, Berkley St, Birmingham B1 2LF.
Is there a cost to being in the choir?
No, there isn’t a membership fee or a cost to being in the choir. However, as the choir is currently running without funding we will ask for people to either print their own sheet music, bring it with them digitally (eg. on a tablet) or to cover the costs of us providing printed music.
Is the rehearsal venue accessible?
The CBSO building has good accessibility, and step free access throughout. Our rehearsal space is on the 1st floor, which can be accessed via a lift. If you have any specific questions about access please email hello@fattprojects.org and we’ll get back to you asap.
What if I’m not successful?
This is very much the beginning of something, and something we hope will grow. At the beginning of the process we need to limit the numbers so that we can focus on getting the choir on its feet and properly established before we look to expand it. We hope we’ll be able to offer lots of other opportunities for people to come together and sing as the choir develops. You can absolutely re-apply when we re-open auditions.
