New Member Frequently Asked Questions

Is Out Loud Chorus the right chorus for you?
Yes, if you:
• are lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, or questioning, or if you are straight and support the LGBTQ+ community,
• are at least 16 years old. If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form.
• love singing a wide variety of choral music (pop, Broadway, jazz, gospel, classic choral music, the occasional foreign language piece, and more),
• can memorize the music and complete simple choreography (with help from rehearsal tracks and videos),
• can commit to our rehearsal/ performance schedule, and
• can support Out Loud Chorus's mission to educate the general public about choral music and, through performances, to reduce bigotry and discrimination against our community.

Do I have to be LGBTQ+ to sing with Out Loud Chorus?
No! A sizable portion of our members identify as straight, and they sing with us because they love and support the LGBTQ+ people in their lives and they believe in our mission. And because we are fun people to be around!

What if I love singing, but I’m not a great singer?
We have members of all different singing and musical abilities. Our only requirement to sing with the choir is that you are able to match pitch. We have members who don't read music, members with college degrees in music, members who have never sung with a choir before and members who have sung with professional touring choirs, and everything else in between.

What happens at New Member Night?
Interested singers will find out about who the chorus is, how the chorus is run, meet our Artistic Director and current singers, and get to sing an easy song the Artistic Director will teach. We are a non-audition chorus so there's no need to prepare anything. During the second rehearsal, our Artistic Director will ask you to sing simple scales to confirm that you can match pitch and to determine your range to place you in the right section (that is, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass). We will describe how we conduct rehearsals in person, livestream it via Zoom, and our rehearsal attendance requirements. There will be lots of time to answer your questions.

What responsibilities will I have as a member of Out Loud Chorus?
Our season typically runs from September through May and consists of two concert preparation periods. Typically, we perform our major concerts in January and May with Friday and Saturday presentations of each concert. In the week before each performance, there are two mandatory additional rehearsals. We also sing in the community, such as at summer Pride events and other performances that are scheduled from time to time. Singers are expected to attend weekly rehearsals, Mondays 7-9:30pm in person at Trinity Lutheran Church, September through May. If needed, we will schedule extra rehearsals at the Artistic Director’s discretion. At New Member Night, we'll give you a detailed schedule of all confirmed dates for the upcoming season for performances and rehearsals.

How much does it cost to sing with Out Loud Chorus?
A sizable portion of our budget each year comes from member dues. Singing member dues for each concert preparation period is $100. In addition, singing members must purchase a OLC polo for community performances, and the current cost is about $30. Other potential costs are concert attire and optional social events. Our concert attire changes for each concert, but we intend that our costumes require no/little additional purchases. For many performances, our concert attire is some version of dress black. No one will be turned away because of the inability to pay these costs. These costs can be reduced or eliminated through by the individual taking on additional tasks in support of the chorus and our performances.

What is expected of me other than attending Monday rehearsals and practicing during the week?
Singing members do a substantial portion of the administrative work of the chorus. Each member of Out Loud Chorus is asked to serve on at least one committee that does its business outside of rehearsal time. Our two committees plan our seasons and choose the music we sing, design and execute our performances, advertise the chorus, and organize social events.

I love Out Loud Chorus, but I can’t sing. How can I support you?
There are also roles available for non-singing members! If you don't like to sing, you can still play an integral part! We need the help of choreographers, dancers, and musicians. We also often need people to help with producing the concerts, preparing receptions, helping with fundraisers and marketing, and other similar tasks. For more information, email us at outloudchorus@gmail.com.