Are you a woman who wants to sing?
Do you live in or near Brooklyn, NY?
Come Join Us!
We meet once a week on Tuesday nights from 6:30 – 8:00, at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture at 269 Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. We have a wonderful new director, Caroline Kuhn. Our first meeting for the new semester is Tuesday, September 10th , 2024 and we would love for you to join us.
We always welcome new members! Some of us have been with the chorus a long time, and some are relatively new, but we have all felt like we were jumping into the pool when we began. The philosophy of the chorus is that everyone can sing – as long as they can listen!
The membership fee is $14 per week. A new member could pay this fee for attendance at 4 rehearsals (first session is free) and then decide if she wants to join the chorus. If yes, dues are payable weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. To assist in the budgeting process, we request members pay at least on a monthly basis, if at all possible.
Our long-time director, Bev Grant, retired in mid-2022. Bev loved the chorus, and we loved her right back.
Here are some tips that might help, as well as information that you will need:
- When you first come to chorus, Caroline will ask you what range of voice feels comfortable to you. If you find after a while that you want to change sections, please feel free – just let her know. She may ask you to sit between two long-time members who can help you learn the parts.
- Helpful hint: if you can’t hear the person next to you, you are probably singing too loudly!
- Please arrive on time (6:30 PM). We start with warm-up exercises. If you must be late, try to warm up before you arrive.
- You will be given music for our songs. You don’t have to be able to read music, although a few of us do – and some of us are learning.
- Please keep your music in a black binder (which looks better if you are holding it while performing). Some of us use alphabetical tabs to make it easier to find a particular song during rehearsal. And some of us have also gotten plastic page protectors, so they rustle less while turning. If you need to bring music to a performance, bring only the music you need, in the order we will perform it. The best thing to do, however, is try to memorize the music so you don’t have to use it at all.
- Watch the director or conductor at all times while singing (another reason to memorize the music). She keeps the beat and signals to us while we sing. If we aren’t looking, we can miss something important (for example, certain sections of a song when we may be instructed to sing softly, or loudly).
- Many of our members find it helpful to record the songs on their cell phone at rehearsals so you can practice with the recordings at home. You can also buy our CD to help you learn our older songs.
- We sometimes have extra rehearsals for individual sections. These are in addition to the regular Tuesday night meetings and may take place in a chorus member’s home. These section rehearsals are necessary; we try to schedule them so as many members as possible can attend. If you can’t make it to a section rehearsal, try to get a copy of someone’s recording of that rehearsal.
- When we perform, we usually wear a colorful top and black pants or skirt.
- Prior to the pandemic, we had an annual concert in May, as well as other performances throughout the year at venues such as hospitals, nursing homes, at political gatherings and more. We also used to perform a few songs for the Ethical Culture Sunday Platform (their Sunday morning “service”) once every few months. When we are invited to perform, the director asks if we are willing and how many can attend. If you agree to the performance and say you will be there, please consider it a commitment. On the other hand, although we welcome women who can only come for a short time or whose schedules fluctuate, or women who have left for a while and then come back, please choose not to perform if you haven’t been to most of the last several rehearsals before a performance.
- One of our members, Linda Wheeler keeps a list of all Chorus members with their addresses, phone numbers and email addresses (the “Listserv”) which she then distributes to all of us. We often communicate with each other by email, so please be sure you get onto the Listserv and that your information stays up-to-date.
- The Brooklyn Women’s Chorus has grown into more than a group that sings together. Many contribute their talents in various ways as poets, graphic artists, seamstresses, yoga instructors, breathing exercises, and more, as well as in sharing their joys and struggles with us all. We are happy to have you join us.during