Expectations for Singers
The Concert Singers of Cary is a volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Membership means you have joined a musical community and have taken on your share of the responsibility for bringing first-rate musical performances to Cary and the Triangle region.
Overview
The singers, the Board of Directors and staff, and special friends invest many hours in the rehearsing, planning, publicizing, staging and presentation of our concerts. Our concerts happen because we all contribute to meeting the needs of the organization by mastering the music, setting up chairs and risers, participating in fund-raising, promoting our events, and giving our time to rehearsing and performing.
The rewards of this labor are substantial. The exceptional quality of our concerts, year after year, reflects the commitment and hard work of every member. In addition, each member benefits personally from two semesters of superb teaching and vocal training under the tutelage of our music director Dr. Nathan Leaf.
Every member is encouraged to help with something to produce our concerts. Please support our efforts in these ways:
- Recruiting new singers to increase our ranks.
- Helping with marketing, publicity, and set up.
- Hosting our table at the annual Spring Daze and Lazy Daze Cary festivals.
- Making gifts and financial contributions over and above payment of dues.
- Suggesting ideas to your Section Leader or members of the Board to improve the organization.
- Serving on the Board of Directors or any of its committees.
Getting Involved
Member Expenses
Annual Dues
Like many organizations, CSC asks for a membership fee as part of being a member.
The amount is determined annually by the Board of Directors. For the current year, dues of $75 are required of each member for each half (semester) of the year, if participating at all in that half, and may not be prorated nor refunded. Dues must be paid within the first month of the semester unless special arrangements are made with the Membership Administrator (currently Thom Haynes). You are highly encouraged to pay thru Paypal.
We offer a Membership Fee Subsidy program, to help anyone unable to pay the entire amount. To ask for aid, simply email your request to our treasurer (treasurer at concertsingers.org, (919) 623-7934). We can only honor such requests if our membership-funded account can cover it. To donate to the program fund, or to contribute to the CSC General Fund, please earmark your donation here.
When you pay your dues for a semester you are signaling that you intend to perform in all scheduled Symphonic Choir concerts for that semester. Visit here for more concert information. If you will not be participating in a particular concert, please inform your section leader and membership admin as soon as possible. Knowing who will be singing helps us ensure a balanced sound.
Music
Music for each concert will be bundled and sold at the first rehearsals for that concert cycle. Singers only need to purchase the music for the concerts in which they are performing, but may not receive the music until they have paid for it. The music is yours to keep and mark however you like, and cannot be returned once you take it. On some occasions, music is provided on loan by one of our collaborating orchestras, or on a rental basis as dictated by the copyright holder. In those cases, mark only in pencil, and be sure that you return it. You are highly encouraged to pay thru Paypal, but we also accept cash or check (payable to ‘CSC’). We do not refund music payments.
A standard black three-ring binder for your music is fine, but specialized ‘string’ music folders are available from other sources such as mymusicfolders.com or MusicFolder.com. There are adapters you can buy that integrate 3-ring holders with string binders, and vice versa. Thick scores can be 3-hole punched by staff at office supply stores. Be sure to turn pages quietly. That goes too for foot taps 🙂
Some singers prefer electronic scores (e-music). We make these available as a choice when possible. Singers still have to pay the standard music cost. For Apple devices like iPad, the preferred app seems to be forScore for uploading, reading, and editing your digital scores. For Android/Windows, a popular choice is MobileSheets.
Concert Attire
There are three options for concert attire:
- A standard black tuxedo (no tails), white shirt, cummerbund, and black tie.
- The CSC black blouse and CSC black skirt, purchased through Formal Fashions.
- The CSC black blouse and CSC black dress slacks, purchased through Formal Fashions.
Details (including allowed jewelry) are available on the Other Guidelines page.
Weekly Rehearsals
On most weeks, Sept – May, these are held in the sanctuary at Good Shepherd United Church of Christ (1050 NW Maynard Rd, Cary). Rehearsals begin promptly at 7:30 PM. Singers are expected to be in their seats and ready to sing at that time (late-comers are very disruptive). Parking is available in the church lot . Rehearsals on unusual days of the week or at different times will be pre-announced; the online calendar always has the latest updates on schedule. Rehearsals begin and end promptly as published.
Members are personally responsible for learning their individual parts. You are encouraged to practice between rehearsals. Online resources are provided on the Practice Files page when available which are very helpful in learning the music.
Rehearsal cancellations due to inclement weather will be posted on the private CSC Singers Facebook page.
Pre-concert (‘Dress’) Rehearsals
Attendance at these rehearsals (usually held day-of or the day-before concerts), especially those with hired musicians, is required as we are interested in balancing sound, seeing how we look on stage, and practicing our entrances and exits as a group. Please do NOT ask questions during these rehearsals and be especially careful to follow rehearsal etiquette. Use your music folder, to help check for spacing concerns in the seating.
Rehearsal Etiquette
Turn off your phone completely – no texting or browsing. If you have a night where work or family requires you to be on call during rehearsal, please set it for silent or vibrate and quietly go to the hall if you need to respond. Otherwise, consider this to be your break from all of that. Follow along with the music so that you are ready to sing again when the conductor indicates. Even when we isolate one section in a group rehearsal, the instructions usually apply to everyone. Keep side conversation to an absolute whispery, rare minimum. Every sound you make can keep others (and yourself) from hearing what the director says. Only raise a hand to ask a question if it can’t be taken care of during a break, or answered by your section leader. Bring a water bottle and sharpened pencils!
Concert Etiquette
Call time varies – 30-60 minutes before ‘curtain’ usually. Please arrive in your formal attire as we often take photos during this time.
When walking onto the stage at the beginning of the concert, don’t be late, and have your closed black folder down in your upstage hand (the one furthest from the audience). Do not clap. Don’t wave or point to friends in the audience – refrain from drawing attention to yourself. If you must take your phone onstage, be SURE it is off and do not touch it during the show.
Turn pages VERY quietly and freeze at the end of songs/movements (until released by the conductor). Look up and out at the director to see his body communication (and so the audience can see your face) as much as you can (hold your music folder in a way to ease this). Know when to stand/sit, and raise/lower your music. SMILE and have fun, convey how thrilled you are to be performing for those watching!
If you bring water onstage, please ensure the bottle color is subtle and blends with black, and no plastic that makes crinkly noise when squeezed. Only drink while audience is clapping.
We appreciate you! Our members are carefully chosen using criteria such as talent, expertise, dedication, a cooperative spirit, and a love of music. Mutual cooperation and respect among the singers and leaders are the cornerstone of our success. That said – professional demeanor is expected at all events. Members causing embarrassment to the chorus or behaving disrespectfully to fellow singers are subject to dismissal.
Finally, please remind friends coming to the show that no video or still photography is allowed, and that they should keep perfume/cologne to a minimum 🙂
Attendance
Members are strongly encouraged to attend every rehearsal and sing in all concerts scheduled for the season whenever possible. If you do miss a rehearsal, you are responsible for knowing the music that was rehearsed and for entering into your score any markings added during that session.
We ask that members not miss more than 20% of rehearsals (not including those required on a concert weekend) for any given project. Any exceptions to the policy will be made at the discretion of the director. You may be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the music. If you are feeling unwell and unable to sing but are not contagious, please feel free to sit in a corner and listen in order to get the markings and notes from the week.
Section Leaders
Your section leader is the person who tracks attendance, so make sure that they know when you arrive. If you know in advance that you must be absent from any rehearsal notify your section leader beforehand. If you have any questions about our rehearsals, policies or other Concert Singers matters, please contact your section leader before or after rehearsal. Names and contact info are here.
COVID Protocols
The Concert Singers Board of Directors and staff are following guidelines found on the Centers for Disease Control web site.
We are also guided by best practices and research provided by choral agencies such as Chorus America and the American Choral Directors Association.
Rehearsals
Section Leaders (S, A, T, B)
Names and contact info is available on our Communications page.
Note: NO fragrances at rehearsals or concerts — no perfume, cologne, scented lotions or hair products.
The Concert Singers of Cary
Cary Arts Center
101 Dry Avenue
Cary, NC 27511-3312
910-242-4314
The Concert Singers of Cary have earned a Silver Seal from Candid.
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We're a proud member of the Cary Chamber of Commerce, Chorus America, The Heart of Cary Association, and ArtsNC.
Concert Singers of Cary is supported by United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County as well as the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources