By GALA Expert
September 27, 2023
Once you have selected your new singers it is important to KEEP them! Here are some tips for singer retention.
Because our chorus serves as a social community as well as a singing group, we especially want to find ways to welcome new members.
Membership Committee
Plan a welcoming party before the first Chorus rehearsal of the fall season.
Make sure that name tags are prepared for the first rehearsal and for the welcoming party. Consider nametags for the front and back of each singer!
Greet new section members at the first rehearsal and make sure they are introduced to their Section Leader and several members of their section.
Plan a new member orientation 30 minutes before the first rehearsal of the season:
Introduce Membership Committee, Music Section Leaders, Board Chairs and staff.
Invite questions.
Be an upbeat cheerleader for the chorus!
Chorus Administrator
Prepare the Singer Handbook and other intro documents for packets.
Update and circulate a current member roster.
Artistic Director
Greet and welcome new members at the orientation and recognize them at the first rehearsal.
Acknowledge the challenges of new membership especially for the first few rehearsals that involve lots of sight-reading.
Plan several introductory activities as a part of the first rehearsal (in sections and as a full group).
Give an overview of the upcoming season at the first rehearsal.
Buddy System
Membership Committee will solicit current singers who have interest in being a buddy for a new singer during the first four weeks of rehearsal. Membership Committee will assign Buddies to new members within their own section if possible. Buddies are encouraged to:
Phone call during the first week
Invite the new singers to a chorus social event
Regularly make contact during the first 4 weeks of rehearsal
Check in with a phone call if a new singer misses a rehearsal
At their First Concert
Recognize all the new singers that joined since the beginning of the season.
“Pin” the new singers with some kind of award or button.