Our Mission Statement

The Providence Singers is dedicated to providing high-quality choral performances that enrich the lives of singers and audience members and to creating educational programs and opportunities for singers and audiences of all ages. We perform diverse choral masterworks to sustain the choral tradition and commission new works to advance the choral art.

Comment:
We recognize a dual responsibility as a Providence performing arts organization. On the one hand, we want to keep the choral tradition alive and in the ears of our audience, so we perform great works of Western choral literature, from the earliest motets to music written last year. On the other hand, we are more than an aural museum, so we do our part to advance the choral art by commissioning and performing serious new choral music and by reaching out to new audiences and new singers.

The Singers

The Providence Singers is an auditioned chorus of 120 voices from Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. We have been singing for 35 years, performing a wide range of choral music with orchestra, with small ensembles, with keyboard accompaniment or just straight-up a cappella. In the early years, as now, it is the music – musical discoveries, mastery of repertoire, and growth of musical understanding – that keeps us together and draws us on.

We work in a variety of fields – as educators, lawyers, business people, communicators, retailers, health providers, and socialworkers – and some of us are students or retirees, but we are all proud to be musical amateurs in the best sense of the word. We love learning choral music and offering thoughtful performances of professional caliber. We take our music and our performing seriously, but we do enjoy one another’s company in rehearsal and performance as well as at post-concert receptions and other gatherings.

Communication: The Web Site

The Providence Singers Web site is the primary information resource for the Singers. It has lots of useful information including the complete rehearsal and concert calendar, program notes, directions to venues, press releases, Singers history, bylaws, and – especially important – a members’ roster with clickable color photos. The Member area of the Web site is password-protected and available only to members. Please do not share your username or password with anyone. Anyone who is entitled to use the Members area and needs a username and password should contact the Webmaster.

Communication: Rehearsal Announcements

During a typical rehearsal there will be one break which includes no more than five minutes of announcements for the chorus. Announcements must be germane to the work of the chorus or about concerts members might want to attend. The Membership Director and Section Leaders are available during break and after rehearsal or can be reached outside of rehearsal for any questions you may have about the Singers.

Communication: e-Notes

Announcements and information are conveyed to Singers in weekly e-Notes, e-mailed by the Executive Director. Notices to be included in the e-Notes should be e-mailed to the Executive Director by 10 a.m. Monday. If your e-mail address, telephone number or any other personal information changes during the year, please alert your Section Leader and the Operations Manager.

Governance

The Providence Singers is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of as many as 18 members drawn both from among the membership and from the community. Trustees serve staggered three-year terms. In addition, the Artistic Director and Executive Director serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Board. The Board of Trustees is responsible for strategic planning, the financial health of the organization, and ensuring that the activities of The Providence Singers are consistent with its mission.

Artistic Staff

Andrew Clark began serving as our artistic director on July 1, 2006. Andy had been our resident conductor for the previous four years. He also serves as director of choral activities for the Singers’ choral education parthership with the Rhode Island Philharmonic. He was formerly conducting assistant to Robert Page with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. Andy is Director of Choral Activities at Tufts University. (More)

Patrice Newman is our accompanist, joining us in the 2007-08 season. Patrice is a Boston University graduate and is the founding artistic director of Chamber Music Mystic in Connecticut. She performs frequently and teaches at Connecticut College and St. George’s School in Newport, R.I.

Management Staff

Allison McMillan is the Singers’ first Executive Director, hired in August 2001 after serving three years as Singers’ President. Alli was formerly a fundraiser and a director in the Development Office at Brown University, where she received her degree in music. Alli works primarily from her home office in Portsmouth. She joined the Singers in 1991. In June 2007, Alli was elected to the Board of Directors of Chorus America, the leading choral service organization for North America.

Christine Hauck is the Singers’ Marketing Director, a paid position that became full-time July 1, 2006. (Chris worked part-time in 2005-06 and was a volunteer prior to that.) A Brown University graduate in psychology, she also has a fine arts degree in sculpture from Rhode Island College. She has been a been a member of the Singers since 2002.

Marrie Hadfield joined the staff in 2005 as part-time Operations Manager, handling concert logistics, box office and database records. Marrie staffs the Singers’ office at Community Church, 372 Wayland Avenue in Providence. Office hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. during winter; 9 a.m. until noon in summer. Marrie is a professional ballet instructor.

The Managing Committee

Led by the Executive Director, the Managing Committee is responsible for the operational functions of the organization. It includes the Marketing Director, Operations Manager, and volunteer positions of Business Manager, Membership Director, Education Coordinator and Music Services Director. The Managing Committee meets monthly prior to rehearsal and welcomes Singers to join them.

Section Leaders

Each section has a leader (or sometimes two) chosen for leadership ability to help the section sound its best. Section leaders are expected to note absences and preparedness. They may call a special sectional rehearsal, and they may arrange or rearrange seating and concert positions for maximum musical effect. Your Section Leader is your primary point of communication regarding your attendance, music markings, concert requirements and questions you may have regarding the music. Section Leaders are responsible for funneling this information to the Membership Director and the Artistic Director for review and answers.

Membership Roster and Name Tags

A roster of all Singers members and staff, with contact information and photos, is available in the members-only section of the Web site. Make it your business to learn names and faces. All members receive a laminated name tag. Please wear yours during every rehearsal. You might know everyone, but not everyone might know you.

Meetings

Any member is welcome to attend any regular meeting of the Managing Committee or the Board of Trustees. These meetings are posted on the Web site calendar and announced through e-Notes. Our Annual Meeting is held in June; all Singers are expected to attend.

Membership Defined

The Bylaws of The Providence Singers Inc. set out three criteria for membership: 1) Successfully pass an audition before the Artistic Director or the director’s designated auditor; 2) Pay membership dues, which are determined by the Board of Trustees; and 3) Participate fully and consistently in all rehearsals and concerts of the regular season.

I. Auditions and Re-Auditions

Candidates for membership are heard in audition each summer and most years in January. Criteria for the audition include sight-reading, vocal technique and ensemble performance experience.

The Providence Singers periodically holds re-auditions for continuing membership. The re-auditions generally take place during the summer between concert seasons. These auditions are intended to ensure the continued high quality and performance standards of the Providence Singers and to ensure that each member has maintained the necessary level of preparation, vocal standards and musical skills to contribute to the ensemble.

II. Member Dues

Annual dues for 2007-08 are $110, payable by September 1. Dues for singers auditioning and joining in January are $55. Flexible payment plans are available by arrangement with the assistant business manager. Singers membership is for the entire year. Only those who audition in January are eligible for the half-year rate. Singers who were members in the preceding season pay the full year dues amount even if schedule conflicts prevent them from singing the entire season. Likewise, singers who know they will be leaving the group (moving etc.) in January, or at another time before the end of the season, still pay the full year dues amount. Dues are non-refundable.

III. Attendance and Quality Quartets

If you must miss a rehearsal, please notify your Section Leader at least 24 hours in advance or as soon as possible if there is an emergency involved.

If you know that you will not be able to sing a concert, you are still welcome to attend rehearsals at the beginning of the cycle. However, please do not attendthe last four rehearsals (the dress rehearsal and the three regular rehearsals prior to the performance), since the Artistic Director will need to know how the ensemble will sound.

A Singer who has not met the rehearsal requirements for a given concert will be asked to sing in a quartet or octet to demonstrate satisfactory preparation and mastery of the material. Generally, missing more than two rehearsals means a Singer will need to attend the Quality Quartets. These are typically scheduled for the week prior to the concert; specific dates will be posted on the Web site.

A Singer who misses the dress rehearsal may not sing in the concert without the permission of the Artistic Director or concert conductor.

Concert schedule

At the beginning of each year, singers are expected to review the rehearsal and concert schedule which is posted on our Web site. Members of the chorus are expected to sing the full complement of concerts. If you have an unavoidable conflict, please inform your Section Leader as soon as possible.

Rehearsal Responsibilities

The downbeat for Tuesday rehearsals is at 7:15 p.m. Please try to arrive by 7 o’clock so that we can begin on time. Noise must be kept to a minimum during the rehearsal. Rehearsal time is precious. You should refrain from talking, as it is very distracting to the conductor and other singers. Talking – even when it is directly related to the music – makes it difficult to hear the conductor’s instructions and thus reduces the efficiency of our time together.

During rehearsals, the conductor will provide instructions and musical markings to the chorus. Ideally, these will be given once. Members of the chorus are expected to bring pencils to each rehearsal and record these instructions in their music. If you miss a rehearsal or are not clear about an instruction, you are responsible for obtaining the musical markings from your Section Leader or another singer.

Individual Responsibility

Each singer is expected to learn his or her part outside of rehearsal time. We usually have about 10 weeks to prepare a concert, but we have prepared in as little as four weeks. In rehearsal, we work on the ensemble sound, intrepretation and the artistic quality of the music; we spend minimal time teaching notes and rhythms. Learn your music well and learn it early.

Solos and Small Groups

When the music requires it, the artistic director may ask individual singers to sing solo passages or perform in a small chamber group. Members of the Providence Singers are not paid for those opportunities.

Dress Rehearsals and Concert Dress

The “dress” rehearsal is held in the hall with whatever accompaniment is needed for that concert. Dress casually for the dress rehearsal, but please be punctual. We pay our instrumentalists union scale. Time is, in fact, money, and overtime is expensive. Late arrival reduces effectiveness and eats into rehearsal time.

During concerts, we use black folders for our music. Your music must be in your black folder for the dress rehearsal.

Because a professional appearance adds to the artistry of our concerts and the enjoyment of our audience, we mandate the following conventions for concert dress:

Men wear tuxedos (standard black and white) with black bow tie. Black vests or black cummerbunds are optional. Black socks and comfortable black shoes are required (not cordovan, not brown, not even very, very dark brown).

Women wear plain black from wrist to ankle. Black is black, not navy blue, not black that has faded to dark gray. Plain is plain, not sequined, not lace, not sparkling. Embellishments detract from the uniform look we seek to achieve. Women may not wear pants unless they opt for a tuxedo.

Women will wear:

• Either a long-sleeved plain black blouse with ankle- or floor-length black skirt or a long-sleeved ankle- or floor-length plain black dress.
• Solid black (opaque – not sheer) tights or socks.
• Plain closed-toe comfortable black shoes. Sneakers are not permissible unless they are all-black and have no decorations, logos, swooshes or stray marks.
• Jewelry should be simple, small and inconspicuous.

We highly encourage Singers who are unsure whether their outfits meet these guidelines to speak with their section leader. Do not wait until the day of the concert.

If you are not wearing concert dress as described above, you may be asked not to sing the concert.

Do not wear perfumes, colognes or aftershave; do wear deodorant.

Concert Recordings

We record our concerts for archival purposes. Singers may purchase a copy of the CD recording of an individual concert or subscribe for the entire year. CD’s are sold at cost. We cannot sell recordings to the general public unless we have secured the necessary licenses.

Music Fees

Singers purchase their own music which generally costs $20-$30 per concert. (Music that has been rented or borrowed, of course, must be returned.)

Ticket Sales

Ticket sales provide a major portion –30 to 40 percent – of our income. Singers are generally expected to sell five tickets per concert, which can be covered all or in part by selling season subscriptions. We like to sing for full houses and appreciate all singers helping to sell tickets.

Ways You Can Help

We welcome you, your voice, your ideas and your help. We survive on the volunteer efforts of our members. We value our cooperative spirit and work hard to avoid unnecessary costs. There are many ways you can help with this effort – and you will be asked. Don’t be shy. There are all sorts of jobs to do at all skill levels with wide range of time requirements to fit your life!

• Make your skills and interests known to the Membership Director, or any Section Leader. If you have experience in marketing, accounting, fundraising, event planning etc. that you’d be willing to share, let us know!
• Tell your friends about the music and concerts. Share your enthusiasm for singing and performing with the Providence Singers. Help get the buzz going!
• Sell tickets to your friends, relatives, and colleagues. Saves them the cost of “convenience fees” charged by the online ticket services.
• Make a tax-deductible gift in addition to paying your dues. See whether your employer will match your gift. We support what we love and what we value.
• Add names to the mailing list – Get the names of your friends and acquaintances onto the Singers mailing list by emailing the information to info@providencesingers.org.
• Sell wrapping paper as part of our annual fall fundraiser. You’ll hears about it. Buy some for yourself!
• Sell a program ad to your employer or any other business, firm, or office you deal with, or buy an ad yourself for an organization you want to support.
• Buy an ad in another organization’s program and have the ad be for the Providence Singers. Programs for high school performances are an inexpensive way to reach young singers. Check with the Marketing Director for ad copy.
• Post our flyers and brochures in your workplace, place of worship, community center or other gathering places.
• Recruit ushers and house staff (house manager, box office volunteers) for our concerts. Ushers and house staff hear the concert for free!
• Help set up chairs prior to rehearsal and put them away after rehearsal.

And above all, be part of joyful music-making.