* Why can't I just register at the first rehearsal?
Much of the music we sing is contemporary and in almost all cases under copyright protection. This means we have to purchase copies rather than rent them as we did in the past. Additionally, much of the music we order from music publishers is now purchased as a digital package of, for example, 50, 75 or 100 copies. Obviously it costs more to order 75 or 100 than 50 c0pies. So we need to know well before the first rehearsal how many singers we anticipate each season, so we can order enough, but not too many copies of each work.
*Are auditions required for folks who have never sung with the Chorale before?
Currently we are not requiring auditions but we do ask that you arrive early at the first rehearsal so you may have an opportunity to meet our Music Director so she can get a sense of your experience and to determine your voice part placement. And why not come to our welcoming picnic on September 9th to meet your fellow Bagaducians!
* Why do I have to pay a $60 membership fee?
This fee covers your membership but also helps offset (partially) the cost of providing you with music. Music costs have skyrocketed over the past few years and we sing a lot of contemporary music that is under copyright. Please be aware that the Bagaduce Chorale is a volunteer organization, none of your fees, donations, or any of our concert ticket revenue goes to administrative costs. It all goes to making music and performing concerts for the Bagaduce Community. It should be noted that scholarships are provided for all student singers and a "pay what you can" option is available for those adult singers experiencing financial hardships.
*Do I have to be able to sight read to join the Bagaduce?
Not necessarily, some of singers are accomplished vocalists and sight readers, but many are folks who simply have a passion for choral singing. We provide tools to support the music learning/mastery process, including online rehearsal tracks, online videos of rehearsals, YouTube performances of pieces we are singing where available. What is required of ALL singers is a committment to spending the time outside of rehearsal to learn and master the music. Rehearsals alone are not enough to learn the music so the expectation is that EVERYONE is working on their own between rehearsals to learn the music.
* Why are you always fundraising, doesn't my membership fee cover my costs?
In most seasons membership fees do not cover the cost of purchasing music and those feess definitely do not cover the cost of renting rehearsal space and performance venues, paying the professional instrumentalists we hire to support our performances, paying insurance and storage costs, producing and printing programs, and covering all the miscellaneous costs associated with keeping the Chorale operating year to year. Our revenue--membership fees and our gate at concerts--covers about 40% or our annual operating budget. So we need to raise the remaining 60% through business sponsorships and through donations to the Friends of the Bagaduce Chorale.