Information about choir membership

Membership of the girls choir is open (through audition) to girls over the age of seven until the end of their schooling (including sixth form education at school or college). Being a member of this choir is a big commitment, you are not charged for the training and experience you receive, you are rewarded in various ways. Girls who wish to be in the choir (and their parents) are therefore expected to put choir before other out-of-school activities. Full attendance of all members at all times is essential for the smooth running of the choir and for your own development as a singer. You and your parents need to think carefully about whether you can make this commitment before you agree to join us.

When you are fully admitted to the choir as a Singing Girl you will make promises in church to the clergy, choir and congregation about your willingness to do your best in the choir. You will renew those promises later each time you are promoted in the choir. It is important that you realise that the church will have invested in you as a chorister to lead the worship of the people, many things will have been provided and given for you and you have made a commitment to the choir in return. After this, if you need to leave for any reason, you will need to give at least a month's notice and you will then be released from your promises at the end of one of the services.

Absence from a practice or service should only be for illness or an important school or family event. We work as a team and repeated absence or lateness lets the rest of the choir down and makes planning a music list very difficult. If a girl is going to be absent a form is available which should be given in a month in advance to allow time for alteration of planned music if necessary. Each family will receive a list of dates, usually at the start of each term. In case of illness please telephone as soon as possible. Email and text message are not to be used for absence other than illness, and messags must not be sent through other girls.

There is a waiting list for places in the choir; if any girl is unreliable and does not attend regularly she may be asked to give up her place to someone who is willing to make more commitment to the choir. Those who attend less than 85% are not paid.

Perhaps it is important to mention that families with choristers in both the boys and girls choir will be making a greater commitment. Most Sundays in the year will involve one choir or the other. Although, unlike most church choirs, we do try to give some time off around school holidays, it is important to understand that the choir will often be committed to rehearse or sing at these times.

Joining and Robes/Dress

Girls interested in joining should contact the Director of the Girls Choir by leaving a note at the back of church with their name, date of birth, address and telephone number. An informal audition will be arranged. New girls usually join the choir each September. Initially they only attend rehearsals to get a feel for being in the choir and begin to learn some of the music. Usually they receive their robe and begin to sit with the choir for services after about three months of regular attendance at practices.

For the first year or so new girls are called probationers - while they learn about being a chorister and decide if they enjoy being in the choir, can make a full commitment and wish to continue. Each one is looked after by one of the older girls (your buddy). The time you spend as a probationer works both ways, you are trying the choir out to see if it is the right thing for you, and we are trying you out to see if you will behave, concentrate and sing well and, most importantly, be reliable. You will be a probationer usually for about a year, after which, if you have made a significant contribution to the choir, you will be given a white collar in a ceremony in church and become a Singing Girl. Your attendance must be more than 85% to be promoted to singing girl.

The girls wear a crimson cassock with a ruff at first and a collar later. Please check them regularly for any repairs or letting down that may be needed. It is most important that everything that shows at the bottom of the robe should be black, (sensible shoes, trousers, tights). The cost of making these robes is now about £70-£90, depending on size, per girl; parents may wish to make a donation to the choir to help with the cost of robes, but should not feel obliged to do so. Hair should be tied away from the face for services and extreme hair colouring, accessories or make up are not compatible with our smart robes.

Training and Rewards

Members receive pocket money at Christmas for their years work in the choir, until they complete year 11. Those who are punctual, attend regularly and always notify the choir trainer of any absence in advance are paid more and will also complete their training more quickly. They are also more likely to be asked to sing for weddings (for which they are paid extra) and to be promoted or asked to sing a solo. Pay is reduced for lateness and unauthorised absence. Those with 100% attendance receive a bonus. Sixth form girls are choral scholars and are paid a termly amount, with heavy penalties for absence.

The girls follow a training scheme based on the recommendations of the Royal School of Church Music. Medals with coloured ribbons are awarded to recognise their achievement. Most girls will receive a light blue ribbon within two years of joining the choir, if their attendance is sufficient. Girls who show significant improvement, commitment and development of leadership qualities may receive a dark blue ribbon two or three years later. A few girls who show exceptional ability, commitment and leadership may receive a red ribbon two or three years after their dark blue. Further awards are available through the RSCM by examination. All of these rewards are only available to those who attend regularly, they are not a right.

Singing Commitment

Currently the main commitment for the choir other than rehearsals is the second Sunday each month at 8.50am for the 9.15am Morning Praise Service, and at 5.50pm for the 6.30pm evening Eucharist.

We also provide the choir for one of the Sundays in half term (usually the first).

We always sing morning and evening on Advent Sunday.

Occasionally there are extra services and events and members of the choir will need to attend other services including evensong and weddings as and when we are required.

At Christmas the Choir will usually sing at the town tree lighting and the main Carol Service (usually during the week before before Christmas). Older girls sing at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

At Easter the girls usually sing Maundy Thursday evening and (older girls) Easter Saturday evening.

We sing all the weddings in August and at half terms and may be required for other Saturdays if sufficient boys are not available.

Before joining the choir you should consider the fact that Advent, Christmas and Easter are our busiest times and membership of any church choir means making yourself available for these festivals.

Other Information

There are no toilet facilities in the church. It is important for girls to go to the toilet before they arrive at church. Parents of younger girls (under 14) should leave and collect them inside the building. This is recommended for older girls too, especially on dark nights as there are sometimes strangers near the church.

Dunstable Priory Girls Choir
Rules for the successful running of the choir

Choir members are expected to be at every practice and every service as required.

Absence should only be for an essential, important and unavoidable school or family event.

Requests for absence other than illness should be made only in writing on the form provided, a minimum of one month in advance.

Absence due to ill health must be genuine and only when attendance at choir is impossible or would seriously risk infection of others, i.e. where it necessitates absence from school.

Messages about absence must never be given verbally but only in the ways above and never through other girls.

Promotions and awards are not a matter of right but in return for reliable service and recognition of musical and leadership ability.

Joining another long or short term out of school activity which will have an impact on choir should be discussed first with the choir director.

Choir members need to be ready to sing well in practices and services, having had enough sleep and completed their homework. Incomplete homework is not a reason to miss choir - it is important to be organised.

Choir members are expected wherever possible to support extra choir singing events, such as cathedral visits.

Electronic means of communication may be used only for notification of illness and messages should always be courteous.

In the event of the chorister wishing to leave the choir, requests should only be made IN PERSON by the chorister with a parent and in particular NEVER by any electronic means. The date of the last service will need to be arranged with clergy and in the meantime the chorister will continue to attend choir. A minimum of a month's notice should be given (except probationers).

The church is providing this opportunity free of charge and choristers and their families respond by regular, reliable attendance and sacrifices that we make in other areas of our lives.

Singing Girls and Choristers with overall attendance over 85% are paid an amount per attendance which varies according to position in the choir, with deductions for lateness. Excused absence is paid at a reduced rate, but absence for poor reasons or without a month's notice is not paid and counts against promotions. Those with attendance below 85% are not paid as they are not fully committed to the choir.

Sixth formers are known as Choral Scholars and receive a payment of £30 per term. One absence is allowed without penalty so long as it is notified in advance. Thereafter there will be £5 deduction for each notified absence, £10 deduction for any absence which is not notified. (Message relating to illness will need to be received before the start of the pre-service rehearsal or choir practice, other reasons at least one month in advance on the form provided).

Roles and Expectations in the Girls Choir

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