FAQ
How do I join the choir?
When can I join the choir?
How much does it cost to join the choir?
What attire is required for the concerts?
Does the choir have an attendance policy?
Why do I need to take notes in the music during rehearsal?
How many members serve on the board of directors?
How is the Board of Directors selected?
How often does the Board of Directors meet?
If I have an idea that I’d like the Board to consider, what is the best way to communicate that idea?
Who selects the choir’s music?
How to I go about getting tickets for friends and family to our concerts?
Is it appropriate to bring children to Lawrence Civic Choir concerts?
Where does the choir perform?
Do we need to provide our own black folders for the concert?
If I am enrolled in a college or university, can I get credit hours for participation in the Lawrence Civic Choir?
What sources of income does the choir have, and what expenses or payments must come out of that income?
What are those grocery certificates I hear about?
Do I need to practice outside of rehearsals?
Who records each concert?
Who maintains the choir’s web site?
Can I get a Lawrence Civic Choir T-Shirt or Water Bottle?
What if I have to drop out of the choir mid-semester?
How do I join the choir?
You may sign up at our first rehearsal of the semester, usually in mid
to late August and mid-January. If you miss the first rehearsal, come
to the second – you can catch up. Formal auditions are not required,
but singers should be able to read music and sing tunefully.
When can I join the choir?
New members are welcome to join the Lawrence Civic Choir at our first
two rehearsals of each semester. Singers who wish to join after the
second rehearsal must get permission from the artistic director.
How much does it cost to join the choir?
Membership dues are $30 per person each semester, due at the start of
each semester. There is also the cost of the choir’s attire (tuxedos
for men and the black dress worn by the women), due a few weeks into
the semester. If this poses a hardship or if you need to make special
arrangements regarding payments, please contact one of the board members
to discuss. We have a benefactor who has provided funding out of which
we can handle these situations, so please let us know. It is not our
intent for the choir’s attire to prevent anyone from participating in
the choir.
What attire is required for the concerts?
The Lawrence Civic choir has adopted uniform dress as of the 2004-2005
Season. The women must purchase the choir’s dress. The men have
the option to procure their own tuxedo or they can participate in the
group order. Pricing is as stated below. Please note that special order
sizing will be slightly more expensive. All new members to the choir
will be contacted by the people in charge of helping you acquire this
new attire within the first 4 weeks of the semester.
For the Men: Black Tuxedos ($120)
For the Women: Black Dresses ($85)
Does the choir have an attendance policy?
We ask that you miss no more than 2 rehearsals each semester. Our
musical selections are often challenging and we strive for a high level
of precision and musicality. If you anticipate being absent
for more than this number of rehearsals please discuss your situation
with the artistic director.
Why do I need to take notes in the music during rehearsal?
The director often gives directions that need to be marked in the music
scores. These may include where to breathe, where not to breathe, when
to be extra sure to look up, pronunciations, etc. Further, you may need
notes for yourself as you go along, such as circling rests that you
tend to miss, marking areas that you need to be sure to go back and
practice, etc. All marks need to be made using a soft lead (#2) pencil.
Please assist the music librarians by erasing any marks you made before
turning your music in at the end of each semester. Never mark music in ink pen.
As Steve often tells us, singers don’t use pencils, but musicians do.
We are a choir of musicians.
How many members serve on the board of directors?
The board consists of 15 members, one of which is designated for a non-choir
member of the community. Board members are elected for three year terms,
and can serve two consecutive terms. Any vacancies on the board are
filled through a choir election each year at the first rehearsal in
April.
How are board members selected?
Members are nominated and elected by the choir. There are many activities
that the board engages in throughout the year, and we depend on a vibrant
and active board to carry out those activities. If you feel that you
have talents and energy to devote to the choir, please let one of the
existing board members know that you would be interested in serving
on the board.
How often does the board meet?
The board meets monthly during the rehearsal season and as-needed during the
summer months. Further, there are subcommittee meetings between the
board meetings to ensure that the choir activities and events run smoothly and that progress is made on board initiatives.
If I have an idea that I’d like the board to consider, what is the best way to communicate that idea?
Please use the Contact Us link to submit any ideas that you have or talk to a board member at rehearsal. They will be forwarded to the appropriate person for consideration/action.
Who selects the choir’s music?
An eight person music committee, made up of two members from each choral
section chosen by the artistic director, advises the artistic director
on music selection. If you are interested in serving on the music committee
please contact the artistic director.
How to I go about getting tickets for friends and family to our concerts?
Tickets are available about midway through the semester and will be
announced. We encourage you to invite friends, coworkers and family
to join us at each of our concerts. Tickets are also available at the
Lawrence Arts Center Box Office, starting about 4 weeks before the concert.
Further, a concert poster in .pdf format will be available via the web site
for you to send out via e-mail to your family, co-workers and friends
should you choose to do that. The Lawrence Civic Choir is one of the
best kept secrets in town, so we encourage you to spread the word and
invite people to come and hear our concerts.
Is it appropriate to bring children to Lawrence Civic Choir concerts?
Yes. However, please remind your family and friends that our concerts
are being recorded live, and that any talking, crying, or other noise
from the audience has a detrimental effect on the quality of the recording.
Where does the choir perform?
The choir has performed in several different venues over the years,
including the Lied Center for our 25th Anniversary concert in the spring
of 2000, Corpus Christi Catholic Church and the National Cathedral in
Washington DC in the fall of 2001, Central Junior High School in the
spring of 2002, and Free State High School in the spring of 2003. Our
2006 holiday concert will be performed at Free Methodist Church, and
our spring concert will be at Free State High School. In the spring,
we generally perform an encore concert in Topeka at Grace Episcopal
Cathedral, which is always fun and very well attended.
Do we need to provide our own black folders for the concert?
No. The choir has a full supply of folders. These folders are generally
made available to people 4 weeks before the concert, at which time you
can place your music in the folder and begin to practice with the folder.
Some members choose to provide their own black folders, which is also
acceptable, but not necessary. If you do provide your own folder, please
put your name in it, as these tend to look alike and can get mixed up.
These somewhat “fancy” folders are available for sale if you’d
like to acquire one.
Yes. Please see Steve Eubank for instructions.
What sources of income does the choir have, and what expenses or payments must come out of that income?
The choir has several sources of income, including membership dues,
Kansas Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts grants, Lawrence
Arts Council grants, concert revenue, donations, poinsettia sales, grocery
certificate sales, Avon fundraiser sales,
and CD sales. Our expenses include salaries for our director and accompanist,
costs associated with instrumentalists required for a concert, music
rental, music purchase, rehearsal space rental, concert space rental,
program printing, postage and printing for the various mailings, advertising,
the annual music scholarship, and piano tuning. Depending on the complexity
of a given concert and the number of tickets we are able to sell, some
concerts pay for themselves, and others do not. In general, the choir’s
fiscal situation is quite stable.
What are those grocery certificates I hear about every week at rehearsal?
Selling grocery gift certificates is one of the Lawrence Civic Choir’s
most successful and most painless fund raising projects. Choir members
can buy gift certificates that are worth exactly what they cost, then
the grocery store contributes either 5 or 6 percent of each sale to
the Lawrence Civic Choir. Currently four grocers participate in the
program: Checkers, Community Mercantile, Dillons, and Hyvee. See the
grocery certificate page for more information.
Do I need to practice outside of rehearsals?
Yes. There simply is not sufficient time during rehearsals to go over
individual parts to the extent required. It is expected that choir members
will spend time outside of the formal rehearsals going over their part.
If you require assistance in order to achieve this extra practice, please
discuss this with the director or your section leader. Rehearsal CD’s
are provided, and working with these CD’s generally allows members to
become familiar with their part.
Who records each concert?
Choir member Robert J. Vaughan has been making choir concert recordings
of a rather professional nature for many years. Thanks to his sound
equipment and mastering, the choir members are able to purchase a CD
of each concert for $15. If you are interested in purchasing CD’s
of past concerts, please contact Judy Veatch.
Who maintains the choir’s web site?
Katie Brown is the choir’s web master, but we are all responsible
for our website’s content. Please use the web site as a frequent
source of information, and let Katie know if you see anything
that needs to be changed or if there is information that you were seeking
that you could not find. The web site has midi rehearsal files, rehearsal
dates and places, concert dates, times, and places, a history of the
choir, some highlights from the choir’s past performances that
you can point your friends and family to, and many other pieces of valuable
information.
Can I get a Lawrence Civic Choir T-Shirt or Water Bottle?
There are limited colors, sizes, and styles of t-shirts from an order
we placed a couple of years ago and some additional water bottles from
last year. The short sleeved t-shirts are $12. The long sleeved t-shirts
are $15. The water bottles are $6. If you would like to buy any of these
items, please see Judy Veatch.
What if I have to drop out of the choir mid-semester?
Occasionally choir members have to drop out mid-semester due to family
demands, work schedules, or for other reasons. Generally, we do not
refund your registration fee, although there have been exceptions. We
do ask that you be sure to turn your music in to Dean Corwin so that
we do not have to find you at the end of the semester.
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