Singing
Members | Audition
FAQ | Sistrum Supporters
Sistrum is a women's community chorus. Lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual,
queer and transgender women are welcome. Sistrum membership is
open to women with varying musical skills, political interests,
physical abilities, religious beliefs, racial identities and
life experiences.
Sistrum holds open rehearsals in September and January. Interested women can find our about how the chorus is run, do a simple voice check with the Artistic Director and join in a warm-up and chorus rehearsal. Details about our next open rehearsals will be posted here about a month before. Sistrum rehearsals are held Monday evenings and are currently at Perspectives2 in Old Town Lansing.
Is Sistrum the right chorus for you?
Yes, if you are a woman who:
- loves singing a variety of repertoire (world music, feminist,
classical, pop and more)
- can commit to our rehearsal/ performance schedule
- can carry out Sistrum’s vision
statement
What can you tell me about the audition process?
The orientation to Sistrum consists of two parts—the
voice check and short meeting with the membership committee.
During the voice check, the Artistic Director will ask you to:
- sing scales and warm-ups (to determine tone quality and range)
- repeat simple melodic patterns (to ascertain tonal memory/pitch
recognition)
During the orientation, you will meet with the membership committee
who will share information on and can answer your questions about
the pace of the season, rehearsal logistics, performance protocols,
and member expectations.
What responsibilities will I have as a member of Sistrum?
Sistrum’s season typically runs from September through
May and consists of three (3) concert preparation periods.
Performances
- Major concerts are generally held in December and May, with
Friday and Saturday evening presentations of each concert.
- Community performances are scheduled from time to time.
- A detailed schedule of all confirmed dates for the upcoming
season will be provided at the time a member joins. Any additional
performance requests will be brought to the director, the Board,
and the chorus to determine feasibility.
Rehearsals
- Singers are expected to attend weekly rehearsals, currently held from 7pm-9pm Monday nights at the Perspectives2 at 319 E. Grand River Ave. in Lansing, MI from September through May. Occasional performances and/or festivals are also often scheduled in the summer months. For a map to Perspective2, click HERE.
- At least one additional rehearsal is held during the week prior to each major concert. Attendance is mandatory.
- If needed, extra rehearsals will be scheduled at the Artistic Director's discretion.
- We usually have one, 4 hour, Saturday, "retreat" rehearsal 6-8 weeks before each concert.
Financial Contributions
- A significant portion of our budget each year comes from
member donations. In addition to a non-refundable $40.00
music/facilities fee, each singer is asked to contribute as
she is able on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, or annually)
to help defray the chorus costs.
- A suggested pledge is a monthly donation equal to the wage
one earns per hour. Special circumstances can be discussed
with the treasurer or another member of the Finance committee.
- Other costs that members incur may include, but are not limited
to: festivals, retreats, concert attire, social events and
the purchase of promotional items. Scholarships may be available
for festivals.
Committees
- Singing members do a large portion of the administrative work
of the chorus.
- Each member of Sistrum is asked to serve on two committees
that do their business outside of rehearsal time. In
the first year new members should attend/tryout meetings for
at least one committee to begin to understand the structure
and responsibilities.
- Committees include the following: Finance, Repertoire,
Events/Marketing/Outreach (including Women in the Arts EMO, Winter
Concert EMO, and Spring Concert EMO), Production, Records, Festival,
Membership, Mission-Vision, and Communications. Each
member should serve on one EMO or Production committee during
the year.
Concert Attire
- For most performances, concert attire is dress black.
Please join our email and US mail list to receive more information
about upcoming performances or to volunteer to help at a concert:
Sistrum privacy information: You may unsubscribe at any time
by sending an email to mailinglist@sistrum.org.
Sistrum will not release your information to anyone.
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