If you’d like to join an ambitious, accomplished chamber choir which performs to a high standard in front of packed houses, then CML might be the place for you!
We rehearse every Wednesday at the elegant, Christopher Wren-designed church of St James Garlickhythe, near Cannon Street. The choir attracts a wide variety of singers from different age groups, occupations and ethnicities, and prides itself on the variety of its repertoire and ability to attract large audiences.
CML is a sociable and enthusiastic chamber ensemble which seeks to achieve high standards. New members are always welcome, so If you can read music, and want to sing with a dynamic and varied group, just fill out the form below to arrange a very straightforward audition. Once you have passed the audition you’ll take part in two probationary concerts where you can decide whether CML is the right choir for you, and the choir can gauge your suitability to become a full member.
Get to know us! See our members’ profile page…
The choir aims to sing around four concerts per year. Rehearsals take place on the day of the concert (generally Saturdays), and for however many Wednesday evenings are required to produce a polished performance (usually seven or eight weeks). Rehearsals run from 7.00 pm to 9.30/10 pm, at St James Garlickhythe, London EC4V 2AF (nearby tubes: Cannon Street, Mansion House). Most rehearsals are rounded off with a few drinks in a nearby pub.
Re-auditions are also held for the whole choir roughly once every four years.
Please note: members are expected to sing in all concerts, and take part in all rehearsals if possible. Attendance at the final two rehearsals before a concert is compulsory.
If you are looking to join us, please fill in the form at the foot of this page.
Auditions
Please fill in the form below or email the choir Fixer, Sebastian Borger, here with any queries you may have or to arrange an audition.
Following your audition, we will confirm within a day or two – usually by e-mail – if you have been accepted as a probationary member. During your probationary period you will be able to decide whether CML is the right group for you, and the choir will assess your singing standard, ability to blend with the existing voices, and whether the level of commitment you have shown is acceptable.
Probationary membership will extend for two of CML’s programmes.
Our Musical Director will write again, after your second concert, to say if he is happy for you to become a full member. And if you are content to continue singing with the choir at this point you will be required to pay the annual subscription (backdated and proportionate to when you first sang with the choir).
Please note: permanent acceptance into the choir does not guarantee that you will be invited to sing in every concert.
Format of the audition (10–15 mins)
For the audition, please prepare:
- One song of your own choice. If you wish to be accompanied, please bring two copies of the music with you.
- Please prepare this folksong to be sung unaccompanied at your audition. You may sing it in whichever key best suits your voice, though you may subsequently be asked to sing it in a different key as well.
- Please prepare your voice part of And The Glory of the Lord from Handel’s Messiah. You can download the music here.
- You will also be given a sight-reading/quick learning test.
In case you have any questions before filling in the form, please email the choir Fixer, Sebastian Borger, here.
Please fill out the form below, and check your spam folder for replies from either or .
Subscriptions
Some of our concerts are quite expensive to stage, if professional soloists or instrumentalists are engaged. In common with nearly all other choirs, our members pay subscriptions to assist towards expenses.
Yearly membership: a membership fee of £260 for the calendar year, payable in one go or in two instalmemts by all singers other than those still completing their two probationary concerts, those under 25 and those who qualify for concessionary rates.
Those on probation pay £65 for each probationary concert, and after a singer has successfully completed their two probationary concerts the remaining yearly membership will be payable.
Concessionary rates: 40.00 for each concert are available for full-time students and those who are unemployed. Please note that the concessionary rate is not applicable to pensioners, or those not working because they have retired.
Special rate: 10.00 per concert is available to all those under 25.
Singers who are in financial difficulties or who are finding it hard to meet their subscription obligations should contact the choir Treasurer in strictest confidence, when a reduction can often be arranged.
Note that membership confers a right to vote at General Meetings, and to stand for election to the Committee. Membership does not guarantee participation in every concert.
In order to reduce admin time, you are encouraged to pay all annual and concert subs at the beginning of the year.
