9 Essential Steps to Starting a Successful Choir
Starting a choir is an incredibly rewarding experience, bringing people together through music, building a sense of community, and creating memorable performances. But what does it take to set up a choir that thrives? Here’s a structured guide based on my experience founding MicWire, highlighting key steps to ensure success.
1. Define Your Choir’s Identity
Before diving in, consider the type of choir you want to establish. Ask yourself:
What’s the local demand? Are there gaps in the current choir offerings?
Will it be open to all or audition-based?
What genre will you focus on? Classical, pop, folk, gospel, or something unique?
Defining these elements from the outset gives clarity to both prospective members and future marketing efforts.
2. Gather Insights and Support
A great choir is built around its singers, so ask potential members what they’d like to see in a new choir. When I set up MicWire, I incorporated ideas from prospective members, ensuring the choir was something truly unique. I still regularly ask MicWire for feedback because their ongoing feedback is invaluable for growth and evolution.
3. Establish a Clear Focus
There’s an abundance of amazing music, and it’s easy to get carried away. However, having a defined repertoire helps with branding, recruitment, and performances. MicWire initially focused on Soul and Motown but gradually evolved into a mix of rock, pop, folk, sea shanties, musical theatre, and film music. Knowing your niche helps with advertising and audience-building.
4. Choose the Right Rehearsal Location
Your rehearsal space needs to be accessible, safe, and practical. Consider:
Proximity to public transport
Parking availability
Evening safety for members
Avoiding clashes with other local choirs to encourage cross-membership
The timing of rehearsals also plays a role in attendance. A midweek slot often works best to accommodate different schedules. Try to avoid being on the same night as the other local choirs so that singers are able to come along to both if they want to: Singers just love singing!
5. Find a Choir Leader (If Not You)
If you’re not leading the choir yourself, you’ll need a skilled and engaging leader who aligns with your vision. You may also need an accompanist or musicians depending on your setup. This leads us to...
6. Plan Finances and Funding
Running a choir comes with costs:
Hiring a rehearsal venue
Paying a choir leader or accompanist
Purchasing sheet music or arranging licenses
Buying backing tracks and recording software
Advertising, branding, and web hosting
Possible funding sources include local arts grants, sponsorships, and member fees. Over time, performance bookings can also generate income.
7. Recruit Members to Sing in Your Choir
The best way to recruit members is through word of mouth, but don’t stop there. Use:
Social media advertising
Posters in local businesses
Community bulletin boards and council websites
A dedicated website for sign-ups
Encourage existing members to bring friends or offer referral incentives to grow your choir organically.
8. Master Administration and Organisation
Behind every great choir is strong organisation. Key administrative tasks include:
Selecting and arranging music
Creating rehearsal materials and backing tracks
Marketing for new members and concerts
Maintaining an online presence (website and social media)
Managing finances and funding applications
Booking and coordinating performances
Ensuring rehearsals are productive and enjoyable
Keeping track of all these elements is essential for smooth operations and long-term success.
9. Keep Your Singers Happy
Your wonderful choir members make all of this possible (and worthwhile!). In MicWire everyone is so eager to help, to join in, to promote concerts, sing in concerts and to host concerts. Most of the performances we have done have been organised by singers in the choir putting us in touch with the right people. We have performed in several charity events, on the radio, at private gigs and at community days.
Collaboration is great and the local community is wonderful to get involved with. Get out and perform at local events - its a great way to boost the bank balance as well as advertising the choir to potential new members!
Use personal choir connections: Singers like music, they like concerts and they will likely sing elsewhere too. They may even know other musicians who you can collaborate with. There are endless suggestions from MicWire members of repertoire they would like to sing, people they would like to sing with and places they would like to perform. These may be both appropriate, inappropriate and even hilarious(!) but better to have too many options than not enough.
Final Thoughts
Starting a choir requires dedication, but the rewards are immense. You’ll bring joy to others, create unforgettable musical moments, and contribute to your local arts scene. If launching a choir alone feels overwhelming, consider forming a committee or joining an existing choir to gain experience.
Where will your choir take you?
Good luck, and happy singing!