JOIN US

New singers are welcome! Our first rehearsal/OPEN SING is Monday, September 13th at 7pm (Bethany Covenant Church Pavilion, 1 Covenant Way in Bedford, NH).  Auditions may be scheduled then or in advance.  Our Fall 2021 repertoire includes two concert series:

1. James Whitbourn's oratorio Annelies, based on Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
2. Holiday Family Pops - familiar and fun music for the season!

                          SCROLL DOWN TO READ COVID-19 POLICY!

Active, returning singers (who sang in spring 2021) need not audition, but should complete this registration form.  Please complete this form prior to the Open Sing to expedite our check-in process. 

2021-2022 Audition Requirements 

All new singers and singers returning after an absence will be asked to audition for the
​MCS 2021-2022 Season. 
These private, annual auditions are designed to assess your capabilities and to place you appropriately in the choir.
To schedule your audition, you will need to complete ​this audition form.  We will then contact you to arrange your audition date and time.

Your audition will include the following:

1.  Singing your part in the Annelies excerpt attached to the audition form, either alone or with a quartet of other singers auditioning.
2.  Individual vocalization.
3.  A brief sight-singing exercise.​

REGISTRATION
Additionally, please complete this separate registration form. Please complete this form prior to the Open Sing to expedite our check-in process. If you have any questions that this form cannot answer, please send a message to info@mcsnh.org or call 603-512-4743. 

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MEMBER OBLIGATIONS

•  Dues = $150 per year or $100 per semester. (Students = $75 per year or $50 per semester; scholarships available) PLEASE PAY BY CHECK OR CASH IF POSSIBLE!
• Purchase of music = $37 for the fall semester (unless you already own Annelies, $25, and/or the Holiday Pops music, $12); $25 for spring semester; $62 for full season
• Assist with selling tickets to concerts
• Assist with selling advertisements for program booklet
• Serve on committees and volunteer to help where needed 
• Be prompt to rehearsals and bring a pencil
• Practice and prepare music during the week on your own.
• Bring a high level of preparation and commitment to each rehearsal.
• Do your best to memorize music according to the assigned schedule. Committing some of our music to memory will enhance the level of communication between choir and conductor, and provide greater interpretive nuance and freedom.​​

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDIT

     Music Educators can earn Professional Development Hours!  
     Full Year 75 hours - Half Year 30 hours. Contact Kirsten Mohring, kirsten.mohring@gmail.com, for more information. 

CONCERT DRESS

 MODEST, elegant black concert attire:

• dress slacks, skirts, dress pants
• blouse, long sleeved button up dress shirts
• top should have sleeves or should be worn with jacket/sweater (no off- the-shoulder, no cleavage, no bare belly)
• black stockings, black socks, black shoes
• Tasteful jewelry and bling are encouraged.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

• Rehearsals will be held on Monday nights from 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST and will be simultaneously broadcast via Zoom for singers who are ill or cannot attend in person.  There will be no "sick bay" at in person rehearsals.
• No more than two absences per semester; additional absence approved by the Music Director
• Attend a minimum of two sectionals per concert series. Fall sectional dates can be found on the calendar page. ​ Section leaders may also schedule additional sectionals. These sectionals may be led by section leaders or a  capable designee. Sectionals should be at least 1 hour in length preferably not on Monday evenings.
• Mandatory attendance at dress rehearsals; singers participate in rehearsals only if they plan to sing in concert.  ​​​​

Covid-19  policy

Manchester Choral Society COVID-19 Policy
Effective September 13, 2021
 
Welcome to Season 61! We want you to feel safe and secure so that you can sing with us! To that end, we have developed the following policies, aligned with the State of New Hampshire’s Health guidelines on COVID-19, to create the safest possible environment for all. This policy is subject to change at the discretion of the Board and will be updated to align with any State guidelines should they change their policies.

This season is going to require us to be flexible as the pandemic continues. The board unanimously decided that to protect our membership and our audience, we will require all of our singers to be fully vaccinated. Vaccination is safe, effective, and the strongest defense that we have against the virus. It will allow us to rehearse and perform safely without the fear of spreading it to our loved ones and each other. The board also reserves the right to ask singers to wear masks for rehearsals based on the recent community spread.

PROOF OF VACCINATION IS REQUIRED
The Manchester Choral Society requires that all singers prove they have received the vaccine in full for COVID-19. A digital attestation form will be made available for you to fill out  (below). Alternatively, please be ready with your vaccine card when you arrive at our first rehearsal as we will prohibit admission without it.

To the best of our ability, all of our rehearsals will be broadcast live on zoom. Please note, if you choose to join us virtually for rehearsals and wish to sing in the concerts, you must show proof of vaccination in order to participate.

STAY HOME IF YOU ARE ILL
If you are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, have been in contact with someone known to be or suspected to have been infected with COVID-19 within the last 14 days, or if you are subject to quarantine or under isolation order, please stay home.   
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We appreciate everyone’s flexibility and willingness to make adjustments for the safety of everyone. If you feel like you cannot make these adjustments we welcome you back in for future performances.
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​​​DOCUMENTS AND FORMS
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Click here to access the 2021-2022 Registration Form
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Click here to access the Fall 2021 Audition Form

MCS COVID-19 Acknowledgement - Google Forms
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