ORGANISATION

The Choir is a registered charity, no.1074813, and has a constitution approved by the Charity Commission. The elected Charity Trustees act as a Management Committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee) of up to 8, including officers.

Committee members serve for a year at a time, but are eligible for re-election at the AGM, which is usually held at the beginning of a rehearsal in October/November. The Committee meets at least three-monthly and choir members are encouraged to raise items for discussion. The Choir is run on a voluntary basis so help from members is essential and much appreciated including fundraising, publicity, reinstating the church for services following concerts and rehearsals and help with audience management and refreshments on concert days.

CHOIR COMMITTEE

Carol Scotland (Alto) Chair

Mike Cooper (Bass) Treasurer

Marian Stephens (Soprano) Secretary

Glynis Buckmaster (Soprano) Librarian

Jenny Haxell (Soprano) Section Reps co-ordinator

Terence Gaussen (Bass) Committee member

Anthony Mason (Tenor) Committee member

Benedict Collins Rice (Music Director) Ex-Officio

OBJECTIVES AND ETHOS OF THE CHOIR

We aim for high standards with a choir of around 40 singers for concerts, giving our audience the opportunity to hear more intimate performances. Our size makes for a flexible and versatile group, allowing members the satisfaction of knowing they make an important personal contribution to our artistic success, but with the support of other voices in their section. It does demand a high level of commitment from each member so members are expected to learn their part at home and practise between rehearsals.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Choir is by application, with a voice check carried out by the Music Director after one or two rehearsals. The part to be sung will be allocated to suit the singer’s range and the balance of the choir. Membership is at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may refuse or terminate a membership only if, acting reasonably and properly, they consider it to be in the best interests of the Choir to do so.

REHEARSALS

Tuesday evenings 7.15pm – 9.30 pm, currently between September and May/June.

Venue – St. Mary-le-Tower Church,

Tower Street, Ipswich, IP1 3BN

Members who know they will not be able to sing in a concert may attend rehearsals, but will be asked not to attend the last two rehearsals. We ask members to attend 70% of rehearsals and without fail, the last rehearsal. If this is not possible, a decision regarding singing in the concert will be made at the discretion of the Music Director and the Committee. Members who are unwell, particularly with respiratory symptoms, should not attend rehearsals.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

These fees are set by vote at the AGM, following proposals from the Treasurer on behalf of the Committee.

We offer free membership for full-time students and those on the Apprenticeship scheme.

The subscription is for membership of the Choir, irrespective of the number of concerts in which a member takes part. At the discretion of the Committee, the subscription of a member who joins for the first time during the course of the year may be reduced.

Payment can be made online: ICC bank account number 80480991, sort code 20-44-51. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Ipswich Chamber Choir’ and handed to the Treasurer or another committee member, within one month of the AGM, or within one month of joining the Choir. Anyone with concerns regarding payment, is encouraged to discuss this with the Treasurer.

Tax payers’ subscriptions can be worth considerably more to the Choir through Gift Aid, as the choir is a registered charity. Gift Aid Declaration forms are available from the Treasurer who can provide guidance on eligibility.

The annual subscriptions and associated gift aid funds the Music Director, Assistant Music Director and choir running costs including website, insurance, PRS payments and subscriptions. To afford good quality soloists and orchestral players, large audiences are needed, so all members are requested to advertise the concert personally and endeavour to sell tickets.

CONCERT ARRANGEMENTS

Concerts normally take place at St. Mary-le-Tower Church, Ipswich or St Andrew’s Church in Rushmere, although the Choir has performed at other venues including Snape Maltings, Ipswich School Great Hall and Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.

Concert details, rehearsal times and other information will be provided by email and on the website www.ipswichchamberchoir.org.uk

Dress: Women: all black, with sleeves, long skirt/trousers, black shoes and discrete jewellery.

Men: dinner jackets, black trousers, black shirts, no ties and black shoes.

The Concert/Stage Manager arranges the seating and manner in which the choir will process on to and off the stage