Join us

 

Join Us as a Singing Member

How do I join Loud & Proud as a Singing Member?

Simply get in touch with Loud & Proud’s membership secretary with your contact details and some information about your previous singing experience, if you have any.

Email the Membership Secretary, or you can contact us on social media using the Contact us page.

Who can join Loud & Proud?

Though not exclusively so, Loud & Proud is first and foremost a community choir for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people; our aims are to make music for ourselves, and to perform to as wide an audience as possible. It is not necessary that any member of the choir is L, G, B or T; all that is required is an open-minded attitude towards, and respect for, each other’s sexuality and gender identity.

Are there always singing membership spaces available?

The number of spaces that are available each term varies and depends on how many current members decide to either leave or take a break. This can differ from section to section – so one term we may have five spaces in the tenor section, two in the soprano section but none in the bass or alto sections.

If there is no space for you when you initially contact us, your name will be put on our waiting list and you will be contacted when a space becomes available. 

If you don’t want to sing with us but would like to contribute in other ways, we are always grateful to receiving any of your talents – for example, via volunteering as one of our front-of-house team or as a fundraiser!

Do I have to audition to be a singing member? What will that entail?

No, we do not have formal auditions. On the day you join, however, you may be asked to sing some basic scales if you need help finding your vocal range – just so that we can make sure you will be placed in the right section of the choir.

When and where do Loud & Proud rehearse?

We rehearse every Monday from 7pm – 9.30pm from January to May in preparation for our Spring Concert, from June to August for our Fringe Concert and from September to December for our Festive Concert. 

All rehearsals – apart from technical/dress – take place at the Edinburgh Academy, Henderson Row. Please note that this venue usually requires access up one flight of stairs, so let us know if you have any specific access issues and we can advise accordingly.

What kind of repertoire do Loud & Proud perform?

We have a broad repertoire which includes everything from protest and world music to pop songs, classical repertoire, show tunes, gospel, folk songs and Christmas carols. Most songs will be split into arrangements for Soprano/Alto/Tenor/Bass – a cappella – without any accompanying music.

How is the music taught?

All songs are taught by ear – you are not expected to be able to read music but most of the source material we use will have musical notation, so it can help in the short term if you do. Don’t be put off if you’ve not seen this before; our aim is to use it to get started, but to eventually be able to sing without looking at the words or music. A range of other resources are also provided to help you learn the music, such as sung files of your part.

How many concerts does Loud & Proud perform each year?

As a singing member you are welcome to perform at our three main concerts each year: a Spring concert in May, a Fringe festival concert in aid of Waverley Care (Scotland’s HIV/Hepatitis C charity) in August, and a Festive concert in December.

Every 1st December we also sing at a World AIDS Day service. We will consider singing at smaller or one-off events when requested. In the past, these have included venues such as the Scottish Parliament, Stirling Castle and Dunbar Grammar and Peebles High Schools.

The choir has also made a number of trips in the UK and abroad to sing with other choirs, and to attend ‘Various Voices’ – the international LGBT choir festival, held every few years in a different country around the world. Equally, we enjoy inviting other choirs to sing with us at our concerts. In addition to this, most years we have a residential weekend away for the choir – which are as much fun for the singing as for the socialising!

Do I need to provide my own performance outfits?

Yes. For our main concerts we generally wear a smart black outfit and one ‘rainbow’ colour, which we ask you to provide.

How many rehearsals do I need to attend each term?

It is important that singing members try to attend as many rehearsals as they possibly can. A minimum of 70% is encouraged, as any less can really slow down the learning progress for the whole choir. We understand that there will occasionally be circumstances which prevent members from attending – but the more often you come along, the more beautiful the music will be!

Do I have to pay anything to join as a singing member?

Yes. There is a subscription to pay for being a member of Loud & Proud; this helps us cover the hire of our rehearsal space, buying sheet music, etc. Our current subscription rates are £6 per month if you’re not earning and £17 per month if you are earning, payable monthly by standing order.

We don’t wish to exclude anybody from Loud & Proud for financial reasons however, and potential new members should not be deterred from joining because of this. Please let us know if you would need any assistance in paying your subs.

Is there a social element to the choir?

Oh yes – we are a very sociable group! A lot of people have joined Loud & Proud because they want to do something within the LGBT community that isn’t just going out to bars and clubs, and we welcome anybody who would like to make friends in this way. That said, we will often go out for a wee ‘refreshment’ after rehearsals and performances, and we’d be delighted if you’d like to join us. We also meet up to socialise outwith the rehearsal schedule, so feel free to invite us to barbecues, parties, or to arrange social excursions for us!