Welcome! Each and every singer is a valued member of our choir. We are happy to have you join us and hope your experience will be rewarding and enjoyable.
“From the community, for the community” truly represents our membership and our goal of presenting two quality concerts each year. The Stamford Chorale (TSC) has been the greater Stamford area’s community chorus for 75 years!
Purpose and Membership
The Stamford Chorale offers the opportunity to sing under professional leadership and to perform the finest choral music for the public. We encourage anyone who loves to sing and can sing in tune, 18 years or older, to join us. Rehearsals include instruction in vocal technique, sight-reading, and performance. Resources are provided to help members learn their parts. There are no auditions, but a screening process at the first rehearsal to ensure new members can sing on pitch.
Member Dues
Member dues are payable per semester – options are to pay in full at the start of each season or in installments – all of which can be taken care of online through our Chorus Connection portal.
*Scholarships and other installment plans are available if this is a challenge – we do not wish to exclude anyone who wants to participate.
Rates are:
- General Member: $180
- Young Member: $100
- Student Member: $50
Please email Treasurer@thestamfordchorale.org to request a dues arrangement or scholarship request; this will be kept confidential. Any arrangement will require (re)ratification each season.
Rules and Restrictions:
- To qualify for a Young Membership you must be the age of 30 or under at the time of performances.
- To apply for a Student Membership you must be enrolled full time at a high school or college/university.
- Dues must be up to date in order to perform in the concert.
Concert Information
Venue:
First Presbyterian (Fish) Church
1101 Bedford (Stamford, CT 06905)
Dress Rehearsal:
- Tuesday, May 12th – @ Fish Church – 7p call time
- Thursday, May 15th – @ Fish Church – 7p call time
Concert:
- Sunday, May 17th, 3 p.m. (1:30 p.m. call for warm-up)
Concert Dress Code
Members will wear all black for concerts (long sleeves, floor-length, black dress shoes, black hose/tights/socks). More details on concert dress will be shared closer to the concert date.
Additional Fundraising
We depend on every member to participate and raise money through TSC’s various fundraisers to help cover costs. TSC asks each member to raise at least an additional $100 in contributions each semester through any combination of:
- Sales of concert tickets
- Individual donations
- Business donations/employer match programs
- Fundraising events
Contribution to our Community
We ask that each member play an active role in building and maintaining our community. In addition to providing high-quality performances, we believe that an important part of a community chorus is creating bonds between members. We make time at rehearsals for members to mingle (and snack!) and organize a number of social events throughout the year.
Our organization is run by volunteers, and we are always looking for members to contribute to the running of TSC. Please contact membership@thestamfordchorale.org if you have skills/experience/talents that you can offer; this is also a great opportunity if you wish to learn/develop new skills and a resumé-builder, too!
Code of Conduct
The Stamford Chorale is an organization that strives to be inclusive. We are committed to providing a welcoming environment for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, marital or parental status, ethnicity, veteran status, socioeconomic or educational status. We strive for diversity and inclusion among our audience, singers, artists, staff, and board of directors, as well as in the repertoire we perform.
In participating in The Stamford Chorale, members agree to uphold the spirit of inclusivity valued by the group and inherent in choral singing.
Rehearsal Information
Location:
Unitarian Universalist Congregation (UUC), 20 Forest Street, Stamford, CT
Parking is available across the street in Bedford Street Garage behind the CVS, or on Forest Street. Enter through the side door of the church – off of Forest Street.
Rehearsal Schedule
Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Click here for the full season schedule
Rehearsals begin promptly at 7:30 (with the exception of sectionals, which start at 7p.m.). You should be in your seat and ready to sing at that time. Cell phones should be turned off during rehearsals.
Please do not wear perfume or scented products.
Please bring
- All music. This includes music that has been previously rehearsed because the music director may review the pieces or sections of music at any time.
- A pencil with eraser for marking your music for the phrasing and musical dynamics that the music director provides, as well as any additional markings that will catch your attention and help you remember corrections.
- (optional) A highlighter to mark your part and tab inserts to separate music selections.
- If you prefer to use your own iPad, we recommend the ForScore app.
You can download PDFs from Chorus Connection
Preparation
You are expected to practice your music on your own between rehearsals.
As a general rule, this will involve (i) making sure director’s marks as posted on Chorus Connection are copied into your music (this will be checked on 2/17) (ii) reviewing music that TSC has already rehearsed in prior rehearsals (recordings will be made available) and (iii) practicing the music that the music Director plans to rehearse in the upcoming rehearsal. At the end of or shortly after each weekly rehearsal, the Director will communicate his expectations for what music to practice prior to the next week’s rehearsal. Practice tracks for all music are available on Chorus Connection.
*NEW* To help everyone stay on the same page, the director has shared official choir markings in Chorus Connection. Please be sure to transfer these markings into your own score before the rehearsal where that piece will be worked on.
The director will let you know several days in advance which pieces we’ll be rehearsing, so you can break up the work and add the markings a little at a time.
To help keep everyone accountable, we’ll do a quick notation check: all scores should be fully marked by Tuesday, February 17, and the check will happen at the start of rehearsal that day.
Absences
Please email OR text your section leader before rehearsal if you are unable to be there. (Individual contact information is below). Attendance at all rehearsals and learning/practicing between rehearsals are directly related to performing in the concert.
***Each member is allowed two rehearsal absences per season after the conclusion of open rehearsals. In the event of a third absence, the music director may request to meet with you for a note check to ensure mastery of repertoire.
***All Stamford Chorale members are expected to perform in concerts. If you have a pre-existing conflict with a concert (family wedding, etc.) and cannot participate but would like to attend rehearsals you may do so up until three weeks prior to the concert with director approval.
Late Arrivals
For security purposes, we lock the door to UUC at 7:45 p.m. during each rehearsal. If you are later than 7:45 p.m., please text the designated members of the choir; contact information will be provided to members at the first rehearsal of the season.
Rehearsal Cancellation
An email notification will be sent by 4:00 p.m. on rehearsal day if a rehearsal will be cancelled, e.g., due to inclement weather.
Chorus Connection Portal
We use Chorus Connection to send rehearsal notes, practice links, cancellation notices, schedule changes, information, and news of music events to members of TSC.
We need your correct email address; please let us know if it has changed.
Portal Login: https://app.chorusconnection.com/stamchoral
Upon first login, please update your member profile as fully as possible, including a photo. This helps us get to know each other.
You can update directly here: https://app.chorusconnection.com/stamchoral/my_profile
Website/Social
Information for The Stamford Chorale is available on www.thestamfordchorale.org, Facebook, Instagram and Meetup. Please follow us!
#thestamfordchorale @thestamfordchorale
ADA Inclusion Statement
The Stamford Chorale rehearses for and presents several concerts each calendar year to promote and cultivate community choral singing at locations that comply with accessibility guidelines of the American Disability Act (ADA),
The Stamford Chorale does not currently own or operate rehearsal or performance facilities. TSC chooses sites that are accessible for people with disabilities.
TSC provides opportunities for all who enjoy ensemble singing. Its concerts offer an outlet of expression for singers and a means of entertainment for others. Reasonable accommodations are applied on a case-by-case basis according to TSC’s charter and by-laws.