Cantala gathers at Forest Hill United Church (2 Wembley road) on Monday evenings. Many people arrive early (6:30pm) to chat, have a bite to eat or practise. It is encouraged that everyone help out to set up the chairs, the piano and individual music stands for people to use. Often the space is tight-but that means we have lots of singers!-or sometimes it is not (maybe everyone is late, or sick). Nevertheless, rehearsal starts at 7pm sharp.

The general schedule of the evening follows this schedule:

Warm up: 7pm-7:15pm. This is often longer in the early months of the season and shorter in the later ones. This is because time is needed to shape the sound and create a magical atmosphere. Soon it will be familiar as to what the director wants and you will bounce into gear very quickly. This is a very important part of rehearsal -try to not be late.

Following the warm up we dive into the repertoire we are preparing for our next concert. At the beginning of learning a new piece we sight read the whole piece, in all parts, all at once. This can be daunting for those that are not used to this approach, but you will begin to find your footing fast.

We will work on each piece for up to 15 minutes, covering 5 pieces. We end the rehearsal at 8:30pm on weeks when we are not in the late stages of preparing for a concert. Be prepared that we will rehearse to 9pm or later, if needed, close to a concert date.

NOTE: When you are not at choir your work doesn’t end. It is expected that you listen and learn your part to the pieces that we have covered in rehearsal that past week. The amount of time you need to learn the music will depend on your ability to read music. Questions are welcome in the Whatapp chat.

Rehearsal vibes are fun-but also focused and fast paced. Note that it is not a chatty time to socialize. It is encouraged to keep the chats to a minimum during rehearsal unless you are solving a musical problem on your own. I know this is hard-I was a chatty choir person too-but we need complete quiet when working as a group.

Upon returning to next week’s rehearsal it is expected that you have solved many of your own learning challenges (notes/language pronunciation). Questions are encouraged and mistakes are ok. The director looks for progress, however small and is understanding when there is a tricky part that needs more workshoping. That’s the game of choral singing!

Book your audition today-Cantala is a fun, vibrant place to make music.