If you love singing, enjoy making music with other people and want to experience performing with some of the UK's top orchestras and soloists, join us!
We are a friendly choir that consists of four voice parts: Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses, each split into 1st and 2nd sections depending on voice range.
We rehearse on Wednesday evenings between 7.15 and 9.30pm in St Chad’s Church, Otley Road, Far Headingley, Leeds LS16 5JT.
We sing a mixture of contemporary and classical choral music, often on a large scale with professional orchestras, and sometimes in a more intimate setting accompanied by professional soloists.
Usually we perform five classical choral concerts in a season between September and July with a varied programme. These divide between our own promotions, and concerts within the Leeds International Concert Season (LICS); see our history pages for an account of our recent activities.
We sing in venues across Leeds, such as St Edmund’s Church, Roundhay, and Leeds Town Hall. In recent years we have performed in Glasgow, Sheffield, York, and Winchester Cathedral. The Chorus also makes trips abroad; we have performed in Spain, Poland, and Venice (in St Mark’s Cathedral).
Contact our Chorus Co-ordinator Fiona Kirkby directly for an informal chat before coming to a rehearsal. Alternatively, just come along to one of our Wednesday rehearsals.
Fiona will introduce you to an existing member of your voice section to look after you for the evening. At the end of the rehearsal Fiona will answer any questions you may have.
If you like us and would like to apply to join Leeds Festival Chorus, you will be invited to take an informal audition with our Conductor and Artistic Adviser Simon Wright.
The objective of the audition is to assess your voice, test your vocal range, and ensure that you are placed in the best section for you. We’ll ask you to prepare a short piece in advance (this can be in any musical genre you wish!) and there will be a short piece of sight-reading.
The audition is private and confidential, led by Simon with assistance from our accompanist Rebecca. You do not have to be a skilled musician, although an ability to read music is required. To maintain our high standards, the whole Chorus re-auditions every three years.
You have joined a choir whose reputation enables it to sing with the best soloists and orchestras in the UK. Occasionally we are engaged to accompany major artists (eg. Andrea Bocelli) in their concerts.
We are a very friendly, informal group of people and you will be very welcome to take part in any of our social activities which take your fancy.
The membership fee to join the choir is £185 per year, which works out at roughly £4.50 per rehearsal. This can be paid in one sum or spread across the year. For members who are under 26 at the start of the season (September), this is a reduced fee of £30. For full-time students over 26, the fee is £92.50.
Cost should not be a barrier to anyone wanting to join us, so if you're worried about the fee please get in touch, as we will try to find a solution.
