Any singer interested in choral music is welcome to join us. We enjoy our singing and are a friendly choir with about 100 members.
The aim of the Society is to give concerts to a high standard and perform a wide variety of classical sacred and secular choral music. We also welcome any non-singers who would like to help at our concerts. (To find out more, email one of the contacts at the bottom of this page.)
Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings during school term time in Ranelagh School, Ranelagh Drive, Bracknell from September to June. Click here for a map. The rehearsals are led by our Musical Director, Greg Hallam with piano accompaniment provided by Nick Austin, our expert pianist. Both are professional musicians. Singing starts promptly at 7.30 pm, with a short break for refreshments at 8.30 pm. Our busy but enjoyable and stretching rehearsals finish at 9.30 pm. For the first rehearsal of each term, members need to arrive at 7.15 pm to allow for the issue of new music, in time for the rehearsal to begin at 7.30 pm. Music can be purchased, or hired for a small charge, from our Librarian, Penny Hopkins.
Part Stewards record attendance for each section of the choir, i.e. Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor, and Bass. All members are strongly encouraged to attend the maximum number of rehearsals possible and should speak to their Part Steward if they miss more than two rehearsals for a concert. Our Musical Director, Greg Hallam, liaises with Part Stewards before every concert to ensure that all those members planning to take part in the concert are thoroughly familiar with the work and are able to make a positive contribution to the performance.
When you arrive for your first rehearsal, as a potential new member of Bracknell Choral Society, you should be:-
When you arrive for your third rehearsal it will be assumed that you have now decided to join the choir. Therefore, would you please:-
We have a computer-based system for producing practice music to help people learn the music for our concerts. If you are interested contact
Alan Douglas
You need to buy Noteworthy Composer software from BCS for £15. You also receive a detailed description of how to load the software onto your computer. Once you have the software you can buy practice music for a concert which normally costs £3-4. The practice music is also loaded onto your computer. When a practice music file is opened, the full musical score for the piece appears on screen with all parts set to p (soft). You then alter your own part to f and click a play button to hear the music over the pc's loudspeakers with your part loud and the others in the background. When the music is playing the current notes are shown in red so that you know exactly where you are in the music. You can stop the music playing at any time and restart wherever you want.
The music is prepared using a piano-style sound as this makes it easy to pick the parts. Each piece has its speed initially set to the speed for the performance. However you can alter the speed setting as necessary to slow it down to make it easier to learn.
It is possible to produce files in mp3 format which can then be played on portable mp3 players or recorded onto cds. To do this the file has to be saved in NC as midi Type 1. You then need a programme to convert midi to mp3. Many of the programmes to do this are shown as 'free' on the internet, but in fact you have to buy after a few weeks. One that is genuinely free is Foxtab Music Converter at http://mp3-tools.com/free-midi-to-mp3-converter.html When you download it make sure you don't click on any of the other offers.
These are normally on a Saturday or Sunday evening in late November, March and June. We usually perform our November and March concerts at the Reading Concert Hall or at Newbold College Church, Binfield. The venue for the summer concerts is often Wellington College in Crowthorne, and our Christmas carol concert is usually on the Thursday before Christmas in a local church.
The final rehearsal for each concert is held with the soloists and orchestra and generally takes place during the afternoon of concert day. Concerts usually start at 7.30 pm and choir members must be at the venue by 7.10 pm.
We aim to put on a smart and uniform appearance which is appropriate for the music.
Ladies wear a black full-length skirt (touching shoes), no slits , or trousers - with black top. Long or short sleeves but not off-the-shoulder; alternatively a long black dress, not off the shoulder. Black stockings and shoes. Discreet jewellery only and small black handbag (evening bag size)
Gentlemen wear either black dinner jackets, black trousers, black shoes, and a white shirt with a black bow tie or a black open necked shirt instead of a white shirt and bow tie, at our Musical Director's discretion.
However, for our Christmas concerts, ladies wear plain coloured blouses, which must consist of one colour only - no patterned blouses - and long black skirts or trousers. Gentlemen wear coloured bow ties, instead of black. Coloured concert dress may be worn at our summer concerts, at the discretion of our Musical Director.
The music for our concerts is chosen a year or more in advance to enable acquisition of scores, booking of venues and soloists, and to make applications for grants. We are all invited to put forward suggestions for music and these suggestions, coupled with information on special events e.g. anniversary of a composer's birth, anniversary of a coronation, are taken into account when choosing a balanced and financially viable programme.
These are determined annually at a General Meeting. The Society is a registered Charity and members are asked to sign a Gift Aid form available from the Treasurer so that a tax rebate can be claimed from the Inland Revenue.
The subscription for the 2011/12 season for a full member is £120, and for a student or young person, £30. People joining after December pay 40% of the annual subscription for each term, except students who pay £10 per term.
The Society is active in pursuing grants from Southern Arts and Local Councils. We are seeking to expand sponsorship, from local firms in particular, and the Committee welcomes all your innovative ideas and contacts in this area. Click the "Sponsor Us" button for more details.
We are sure you would enjoy singing with us. Your Part Steward, the Secretary or any member of the Committee will be able to help with any queries or comments you may have. Their photographs are on the notice board, and contact numbers are also included for the Part Stewards.
If you would like more information please contact our secretary, Margaret Haynes