Quick links
On this page you can find information about joining the choir; our bursary scheme for students, younger members and those experiencing financial hardship; and how to become a Friend of the choir and be kept informed about our upcoming concerts.
For any other enquiries, please email our Chair Milly Clark (Phone: 01323 737432 Mobile: 07751 935011)
Join our choir !
If you like the sound of our lively and friendly choir do get in touch with us. (See below for details of rehearsals, etc).
We need to maintain a balance within each voice part, but we are always happy to hear from people either new to choral singing or new to the area. If you're interested in joining, please contact our Membership Secretary by email.
If you want to hear us, here is a short video of the choir singing the final movement from Handel’s Samson.
Some practical details
Rehearsals
We rehearse on Thursday evenings at the Hailsham Community Hall from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. (Click here for map). The address is:
Hailsham Civic Community Hall,
Vicarage Lane,
Hailsham,
BN27 2AX.
For the spring and autumn concerts, which typically feature more major works, there is also an extra rehearsal on the afternoon of the performance which you must attend if you’re taking part.
An all-day workshop is held on a Saturday during the rehearsal season for each of our spring and autumn concerts. Workshop days are very enjoyable and popular with the choir. A full day typically runs from 10am - 4pm, but it’s OK if you can only manage part of it.
Thursday night rehearsals usually end with a trip to the pub. You’re welcome to join us if you would like to.
Taster sessions
You are welcome to try singing with us by coming to the first few rehearsals at the start of a new concert season. This will give you the chance to get to know people in the choir and find out what we’re about. If possible please let us know that you’re coming so that we can make you welcome and arrange practical details - like making sure you have a copy of the music.
Concerts
We perform at least four concerts a year, in November, at Christmas, in March/April and in late June/July, usually in Hailsham or Eastbourne. (See here for dates of future events). We regularly perform with professional soloists and at least one concert a year includes an orchestra.
There are also occasional opportunities for the choir to sing abroad, most recently in France.
Our programme is mainly drawn from the classical repertoire, although we also perform lighter music like Christmas Carols, Folk Songs and songs from musicals. Recent larger concerts have included:
- Spring 2024: Verdi: Requiem
- Autumn 2023: Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle
- Spring 2023: Handel: Samson (Click here for video of last movement).
- Autumn 2022: Haydn: Nelson Mass, Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary and Te Deum Laudamus & Jubilate Deo in D
- Spring 2022: Handel: Messiah
- Autumn 2019: Vivaldi: Gloria, Haydn: Te Deum & Fauré: Requiem
- Spring 2019: Haydn: The Creation
- Autumn 2018: Choral Masterpieces - Parry: Songs of Farewell; Haddow: The Whispering Mass
See here for more details.
No Voice Trials
You will not be asked to take part in a voice trial before you can join the choir. We used to do voice trials just to assess people’s previous experience but have decided to discontinue them.
Music
Music will normally be provided by the choir, with any hire costs included in the subscription.
Occasionally we may ask you to print off some sheet music for shorter pieces where copyright allows. Help is available if you don’t have access to a computer.
Learning the music
Some people in the choir are good sight readers, but not all of us. It’s only necessary to have some ability to read music.
Part of each rehearsal is spent learning the notes, but we also spend time working on quality and interpretation. We are lucky to have Jozik Kotz as our Musical Director, who helps us perform to a high standard. Jozik is an experienced singer who has performed for the ENO, Glyndebourne and at the proms.
You will need to spend some time away from rehearsals looking at the music and we can offer resources to help you with note learning. For example many of the works we sing are available on-line in Noteworthy Composer format. This free Windows music program lets you listen to your part in isolation or with the rest of the voice parts, and lets you slow the music down or loop it for tricky sections. To learn more about Noteworthy Composer, click here.
Subscription
The subscription for 2024-2025 is £170 for the year, which works out around £4 per rehearsal. The subscription can be paid in instalments.
In addition you are asked to sell two or more tickets for each concert if at all possible.
If you are under 30 years old, the first year of membership of the choir is free. In addition, students, younger members and those experiencing financial hardship may be able to take advantage of our Bursary scheme.
Bursary Scheme
Hailsham Choral Society is pleased to announce a new bursary scheme with a range of benefits including free annual membership, starting in September 2022.
Applications are open to those aged 18 to 25, students in full or part-time education or people of any age experiencing financial hardship. For more information about the scheme please see here.
Please note that the first year of choir membership is free for members under 30 years old and there is no need to apply for a bursary in your first year.
Become our Friend
We are fortunate to have a number of people, (not all of them partners or family members!), who regularly attend our concerts and support us in a great many other ways. We would like to thank them all and acknowledge their loyal support.
Why not become a ‘Friend’ of the choir? As a Friend, you will be kept informed of the choir’s upcoming concerts and other activities by email. It’s easy to become a Friend of Hailsham Choral and it doesn't cost anything - just email your contact details to our Friends Secretary. (We will not share your data and you can unsubscribe at any time).
If you shop on-line you can also help us to raise funds at no extra cost. It would be great if you are able to support us in this way. Please see here for further details.
Data Protection and Privacy
If you want to read our Data Protection policy, it is available here.