Preparing for concerts

On this page you will find arrangements for concerts, the rehearsal schedule, plus advice about preparing for concerts, including links to resources that will help you learn the works and rehearse at home. 

  • Listening to recordings is very valuable; it helps you learn the work overall and your voice part in context.
  • Rehearsal tracks provide the notes for each voice part (no words) and are useful for people who don’t play or have access to a piano but want to practise their notes – or for anyone who wants to practise a particularly difficult section.

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2025-26 season

Rehearsal Schedule Autumn 2025

Messiah at Cutler’s Hall on Monday 1 December 2025

Arrangements 1 Dec 2025 (click this title to download a copy for printing)

Cutler’s Hall

  • Directions are on their website https://cutlershall.co.uk/about/directions-to-cutlers-hall/
  • There is no parking at Cutler’s Hall, but the directions page (link above) has a discount code for Q-Park if you pre-book. 
  • On arrival, go in the main entrance (opposite the cathedral), up the main stairs (or use the lift) to the next floor. Go through the doors at the top and there is a room for choir on the right-hand side.
  • Please make sure you sign the attendance list.
  • The concert room can be accessed from the corridor and the bar. Staff and signage will guide you.
  • Toilets are on the ground floor (ladies & disabled) and basement (Gents). The lift serves all floors.

Rehearsal 

  • 4.30 – 5.30 please arrive in time to be seated and start singing at 4.30.
  • We know many of you can’t get to the rehearsal, please ask someone to save a seat for you, if that’s not possible contact Sarah Hogan shogan57@blueyonder.co.uk

Choir seating

  • There may be some rearranging to do on the day so please be patient and ready to follow instructions. Some seats will be on raised staging and some on the floor in front.
  • The staging isn’t very high, but plenty of space will be left around the seats on the staging to ensure everyone is safe, so please don’t move them closer to the edge!

Concert dress

  • For ladies – long black skirt or trousers and long-sleeved black tops.
  • For gentlemen – black/dinner suit, white shirt, and black bow tie.

Music

Please put your score in a plain black folder or cover your copy in black paper.  

Drinks

  • If you need to have a drink with you during the performance, please could this be in a clear container and used very discreetly?
  • Cold drinks will be served in the bar (payment by card only) both before the performance and during the interval. Feel free to take your own drinks if you prefer.

Tickets

If you have “sale or return” tickets to pay for or return. Please put them in an envelope clearly marked with your name and the details for return to Rachel or the team manning the ticket desk in the evening. 

Borrowed scores

If you borrowed a copy from us, please return your copy to Sarah or Chris after the concert.

Health and Safety

  • Do not attend if you have symptoms of Covid. Please don’t wear perfume or after shave.
  • Take care when using stairs or getting on or off the staging.
  • Be careful when carrying drinks, especially if they are hot; report any spills to a member of staff.
  • Ensure your belonging are stored away from any fire doors or thoroughfares.
  • Don’t take any unnecessary risks – use the lift if you need to and ask if you need help.
  • Make sure you have read and understand the emergency evacuation procedure (below).

Emergency evacuation

  • Leave the building via the nearest exit, leaving everything behind. Fire exits are clearly marked, and all are wheelchair accessible. Fire Marshals will be in attendance to check toilets etc.
  • Proceed to the assembly point at Cathedral Forecourt where you will be checked against the attendance list.
  • Do not re-enter the building until told it is safe.

Come and Sing Messiah at St James’s Norton on Monday 8 December

Bach’s Mass in B minor at St Mark’s on Saturday 14 March 2025

Summer concert at St John’s Ranmoor on Saturday 27 June 2025

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for other sources of rehearsal tracks, which you may prefer.

Link to rehearsal tracks and recordings of works alphabetically by composer

Preparing at home

  • Familiarise yourself with the score, making sure you know which line you should be on, and marking where it isn’t clear.
  • Clearly mark repeats, perhaps using a tab to easily find where the repeat starts.
  • Try using coloured tabs to make the different sections easier to find.
  • Use paper clips to close off any sections that are going to be missed out.
  • Find and mark where your note comes from for a new entry.
  • Always take a pencil to rehearsal.
  • Mark your score during a rehearsal,  recording breaths and all points provided by the Music Director.
  • At home, go through any sections that you find difficult.
  • Reciting the text in rhythm is really helpful, especially for fast sections and when singing in Latin or German.
  • Try to listen to a recording of the work so you get a sense of the work overall. You will find recordings of most classical works on YouTube or try the music streaming service Spotify.

Link to rehearsal tracks and recordings of works alphabetically by composer

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Rehearsal tracks  

Rehearsal tracks can help you learn your voice part by listening to it in isolation and/or with the other voice parts in the background. Some are based on recorded singers and include the words, while others feature the voice parts played on an instrument.

You can buy rehearsal tracks from Choraline, at choraline.com. These are great if you prefer to hear a recording of your voice part but they aren’t free.

For just notes (no words) you could try the following free sites:

If you have an IPad or IPhone there is an excellent App called ‘Learn my part’ by Steve Tyler; get it here. If you want to see what it offers and how to use it, have a look at this useful video.

Link to rehearsal tracks and recordings of works alphabetically by composer

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The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain has produced a free online musicianship course to help singers improve their skills in rhythm, tonal centering, and intervals. Some of the video lessons have worksheets or resources – find them at www.nycgb.org.uk/musicianship.

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