Do you love to sing (even though you might not consider yourself “a singer” or only feel comfortable singing alone in the car)? Singing in a group has significant benefits whether you’re on key or not – science says it’s like “an infusion of the perfect tranquilizer, the kind that both soothes your nerves and elevates your spirits.”

PLAYING WITH CHOIR is an opportunity to come together in a large group to learn simple 2 or 3 part harmonies for popular songs of today and past decades and belt them out for the simple joy of singing. No auditions, no solos, no stars, just fun.

Fall 2016 Term

The Fall 2016 term schedule will begin Monday, October 24 and conclude Monday, December 12. The sessions will be from 7:00 – 9:00. There will be no session on Monday, October 31 (so we can all go trick or treating). In this first term, we’ll be learning original arrangements for:

Lean On Me (Bill Withers)

One Fine Day (The Chiffons)

Tell Him (The Exciters)

Every Breath You Take (Police)

Have You Ever Seen The Rain (CCR)

Peaceful Easy Feeling (Eagles)

Killing Me Softly (Fugees)

Hey Ho (Lumineers)

With Or Without You (U2)

FAQs

What’s the fee?

The registration fee for this initial 7-week term is $70, which covers the costs involved in creating original arrangements of the awesome songs we’ll sing, a Choir Director to teach us our parts and lead our singing, an accompanist, space, promotion, administration, communication/coordination, and printing.

How often are sessions?

Each year, we aim to have Fall, Winter and Spring terms consisting of 7-10 weekly 2-hour sessions.

Where are the sessions?

For this first term, our home base will be The Guild, 111 Queen St. Doors (and the bar) will open at 6:30. We will go on one "field trip" during this first term (because The Guild is busy with some other awesome thing that night). On November 21, we'll be at the Pourhouse (second floor of The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St). There will be bar and food service starting at 6:00, and we'll begin at our usual time of 7:00.

Who can join?

If you are an adult 19+ who loves to sing and plays well with others, we’d be thrilled to welcome you to the gang. No singing experience is necessary, and you will not be required to read music. Our focus is on fun and comfort – there are no auditions and you will never have to sing alone.

What if I can't make a session?

We’ll miss you. But we won’t be mad.

Does the choir perform?

There are currently no plans for performance, however, there may be opportunities arise as we progress. When those opportunities do come up, they will be completely optional. Our focus truly is on coming together to sing and have fun.

What should I expect at a session?

The Choir Director (the amazing Jill Chandler) will begin each session with some physical and vocal warm ups. She will focus each session on teaching one or two new songs, breaking the group into two or three sections, each learning their part of the song’s harmony. By the end of the night we’ll bring it all together in a gorgeous full-choir rendition that we’ll video so you can boast to your friends and family about how awesome you sound. While we will be expected to listen to the Choir Director, and do as she instructs, the setting will be casual and fun. While we expect that most of the songs we’ll learn will be songs you know and love, we will give you a heads up regarding the line-up in case you want to familiarize yourself with a song before the evening begins. New songs will be added throughout the term and by the end, we’ll have a repertoire of great songs and feel like stars.

Who chooses the songs and do choir members get a say?

Songs are chosen before each term begins by the admin team and we are happy to have suggestions for following terms. We'll be soliciting your ideas and preferences before the end of the first term!

Do I have to audition or sing alone?

No! We’re all about fun and comfort. Skill levels and experience will vary and that’s totally cool. There will be no solos or auditions. It’s all about one voice.

What if I really can’t sing?

Don’t worry! There will be so many voices, it will all come together.

Do I need to know how to read music?

Nope! We’ll hand out a lyric sheet and you’ll learn the notes by listening to the director and through repetition.

Do I need singing experience?

If your only singing experience is alone in the car, that’s cool with us. As long as you love to sing, you’re in.

Can I pay as I go?

Sorry, in order for us to feel confident we’ll be able to cover our expenses, we require registration and payment in advance of the term.

Who are you awesome people and how did this start?

Emma Fugate loves to sing, but had no outlet to do so in a group. She heard about the world-wide trend of pop choirs and lobbed the idea at a ton of people over the past two years until it stuck to one of them. She and Kirstin Lund spent the better part of a drive home from a conference in Boston scheming about how to create one in PEI. When they got home, they roped their very talented friend, singer-songwriter Jill Chandler, into partnering with them to create this cool new venture. They are all super fun.

What is the refund policy?

Let us know before the first night of first term begins and we'll happily refund your registration fee or transfer it to someone else's name. Once the term begins, there will be no refunds and the registration is not transferable.