COME SING WITH US!
Southend Vox is a fun, sociable and welcoming choir open to anyone aged over 18. Our membership is currently full for sopranos and altos, but we still have some spaces available for baritone singers (usually male voices). We welcome people from all walks of life, and we strive to ensure our members have the most enjoyable experience being part of a choir.
To help you understand whether Vox might be the right choir for you, we've put together some FAQs to help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you rehearse?
Our rehearsals take place at St. Laurence Church Hall, Eastwoodbury Lane (by the large Tesco on the A127) every Wednesday evening from 7:30pm - 9:30pm (we operate 10-12 week terms with short breaks in-between).
We'd love to welcome you along, so get in touch for further information.
How much are subs?
We're a choir that prides itself on being exceptional value for money, as we are a not-for-profit organisation run by a voluntary committee.
Anyone wishing to try us out, can do so completely free of charge with no obligation to sign up and no hard sell. If you do decide you would like to join, subs are £45 per term (usually around 10-12 rehearsals) and are payable at the beginning of each term, or by monthly standing order. We have three terms a year. If you join midway through a term, the subs will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. Music/Words are issued to member electronically for each of our main performances.
Do I have to audition?
There are no scary auditions. Anyone who is willing to be a team player and give a consistent commitment is very welcome to join. We do pride ourselves on performing to a high standard and believe that practice makes permanence, but whether a complete novice, secret shower singer, or skilled musician, you will receive the warmest welcome at Vox.
We ask that members have an email address so that we can keep in touch with a weekly newsletter - most members find this incredibly helpful to recap on what we learnt at rehearsal and what's coming up in future weeks.
Do I have to be able to sing?
You don't need to have any singing experience or be a singer at all. If you enjoy singing and music, that is all we ask.
No-one will be listening to individual voices. We are there as a group and are always looking to create the best sound as a complete choir.
Do I have to be able to read music?
No, over half of our members do not read music. We do provide everyone with sheet music to learn from, although word sheets for most pieces are also available. Our Musical Director explains what is happening in the music so it is always clear for everyone, and most of our members have said that it's actually helped them to begin to understand how to read what's on the score.
What do I need to bring to rehearsal?
Please bring your music and a pencil (and room for tea and biscuits in the break!) or a tablet device as most pieces are now provided digitally. We also record each rehearsal so it's helpful to practice on your own, or catch up on something you've missed. We provide refreshments during the break in rehearsals.
What if I'm worried about moving and singing together?
We are primarily a choir, the age range currently extends to 70+ and we do not expect any of our members to be dancers. 80% of our rehearsals are purely about singing and over 75% of our concert programmes are done without any form of choreography.
It's actually harder not to move a little with most of the upbeat pieces we sing (!), but for the small amount of numbers where we do have specific movement, we provide YouTube videos so that you can practice at home.
Do I need to do anything at home?
As mentioned above, we do set ourselves high standards of performance as we want to be the best we can be, irrespective of the fact we are a community choir. To achieve that, most members do put in some additional practice at home in the run up to concerts or big performances, but day-to-day this is not required.