Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8.30pm at St Mary’s Catholic Academy, Longlands Road, New Mills SK22 3BL.

Autumn term 2024 dates

September 23, 30
October 7, 14, 21 (no rehearsal on 28 October)
November 4, 11, 18, 25
December 2

Choir ceilidh social event on Saturday 5th October
End-of-term concert on Saturday 7th December – venue and timings to be confirmed
To be confirmed: Optional carol singing in Trafalgar Square, London – Sunday 15 December at 2pm in aid of Samaritans

Cost

The cost per term is £90 (10 weeks / 15 hours of rehearsals plus music and end-of-term performance).

Please note that the cost of the term is fixed regardless of when you join, we do not offer a pro rata rate or pay-as-you-go option, or refunds for missed sessions.

A limited number of bursaries are available for adults aged 18+ who would like to attend the choir but due to their financial situation are unable to do so. We are particularly interested in awarding bursaries to singers where participation will have a positive impact on individuals’ physical or mental health. To apply, please complete the online bursary application form.

Who is the choir for?

High Peak Singers is a mixed voice choir (sopranos, altos, tenors and basses) for adults aged 18+. You don’t need to have singing experience, but if you can read music then you’ll find that helpful and we’ll be encouraging everyone to learn/follow the music. We will use sheet music for many pieces, and occasionally learn pieces by ear.

What music will we be singing?

I aim to offer a really rich variety of music, from folk songs to classical, to pop, to jazz and everything else. As a conductor I am reactive to the size, abilities and tastes of the group — each choir should have its own personality which is a combination of yours and mine.

What practice will I need to do in between rehearsals?

You will need to put in some work at home in between rehearsals – we suggest an hour a week, or 10 minutes a day to revise what we’ve have learned in each rehearsal and to practice the notes with the rehearsal resources provided. This is to ensure we make as much progress as possible in rehearsals when we are working together. Some singers may need to spend more time on note-learning outside rehearsals, depending on their level of experience and music reading ability. We are aspirational and aim to perform to a high standard.

I’ve never sung before, can I join?

Everyone aged 18+ is welcome. You don’t need to have any previous singing experience. There are no formal auditions, but we may ask you to take an ear test, either when you join or at some point later in your choir membership, and we may recommend that you take singing or music theory lessons. Choral singing skills take a little while to build up, but like any language the more we immerse ourselves, the more fluent we become.