How to Join The Glasgow Phoenix Choir

Updated

The Glasgow Phoenix Choir says it is always keen to recruit new members, and the route in is simple: contact the Choir Manager and use the "Join the Choir" section of phoenixchoir.org for further details. This applies to singers interested in a mixed-voice SATB choir of around 90 members; general enquiries unrelated to joining go to the Choir Secretary instead.

What the choir is looking for

The choir describes itself as one of Scotland's, and the UK's, foremost and longest-established choral groups. It was founded in 1951, when members of the disbanded Glasgow Orpheus Choir chose to carry on a tradition begun in 1901.

Key facts for a prospective member:

  • Voicing: mixed voice, SATB
  • Size: approximately 90 singing members
  • Ages: teenagers through octogenarians
  • Repertoire: more than 1,000 titles, spanning musicals, pop, Scottish song, oratorio, opera, chamber music and sacred music from major composers
  • Activity beyond concerts: over 30 albums recorded, plus television and radio appearances including the BBC Proms, Smooth Radio, Radio Scotland's "The Reel Blend" and an episode of BBC Scotland's "Still Game"
  • Performances: throughout Scotland, the wider UK and occasionally Europe

That range matters when deciding whether to apply: the choir is not a single-genre group, so new members should expect to sing across styles rather than specialise.

Steps to join

  1. Go to phoenixchoir.org. The homepage carries a "Join the Choir" item in its Latest News area alongside the line "We're always keen to recruit new members."
  2. Open the "Join the Choir" section. The site says this page provides further details; read it before making contact so you know what the choir asks of applicants.
  3. Contact the Choir Manager. The site names the Choir Manager as the contact for anyone interested in becoming a chorister. Use the contact route given on the site.
  4. Wait for a reply and follow the instructions you receive. The site does not publish audition requirements, rehearsal schedules, subscription costs or voice-part vacancies, so these should be confirmed directly with the Choir Manager rather than assumed.

Expected result: you will have registered your interest with the person the choir designates for recruitment and will have the choir's own guidance on what happens next.

Common sticking points

  • Contacting the wrong person. The site separates recruitment from general business: joining enquiries go to the Choir Manager, all other enquiries to the Choir Secretary. A message sent to the Secretary about joining may simply be redirected.
  • Assuming details the site doesn't state. Rehearsal times, fees, audition format and current vacancies for particular voice parts are not given on the page, so don't plan around guesses — ask.
  • Skipping the "Join the Choir" page. The homepage only points to it; the practical detail sits there.

If you're not ready to sing

The choir's public activity — its latest recording, All in the April Evening, its Christmas concert (listed as on sale), and its Facebook feed — is the way to see what membership involves before committing. Following the choir on Facebook is also how the site invites visitors to keep up with news.