CALL OUT: SINGERS & VOCALISTS
We are looking to recruit 8 professional singers/vocalists to form a queer choral ensemble for ‘Congregational’ - an upcoming R&D performance of newly composed choral music created specifically for performance in LGBTQ+ nightclubs, created by drag artist & vocalist Fatt Butcher.
KEY INFO:
Dates: rehearsals Mon 14th - Fri 18th October 2024 inclusive, & final performance on Sat 19th October 2024*
Location: Birmingham, UK.
Fees: £925 per person, based on 6 days - 5 days rehearsal & 1 performance day (including technical rehearsal and performance), plus travel + accommodation costs where required, access budget available to support anyone with access needs participating.
TIMELINE:
Deadline to apply - Midday on Mon 9th September, a short application form is at the bottom of this page.
We will let everyone who has applied know on Thurs 12th Sept if we want to invite them to an online audition.
Online auditions (via zoom) will take place on Tues 17th & Weds 18th Sept (times to be agreed with individuals).
Final casting confirmed Friday 20th Sept.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We are looking to recruit singers who:
are currently working (or have worked) as a professional singer/vocalist (this is not an opportunity for amateur or community vocalists). We welcome singers from a range of musical styles and traditions, we anticipate that the music we will perform will draw on classical and contemporary choral music, as well as popular music.
Are comfortable and able to sing as part of a group, and have significant experience of close harmony and/or choral singing with the ability to comfortably hold independent vocal harmony lines in group settings.
we are particularly keen to work with singers who identify as LGBTQ+.
Are over the age of 18+ (there is no upper age limit).
Are based in England, Scotland, or Wales, we are particularly keen to work with vocalists based in Birmingham or the West Midlands.
Are able to learn music quickly to a performance standard - sheet music will be provided, we are also happy to consider applications from singers who cannot read music if they are able to learn quickly by ear.
are comfortable working in a creative environment with singers from different backgrounds, music styles & experiences.
are confident performing in smaller ensembles, conveying emotion and character through the performance. This project will be as much about creating a feeling as it will about technical musicality, and there is likely to be some basic movement/staging.
are comfortable with/open to singing different styles of music (the music being composed for the project will draw on traditional sacred music and contemporary choral music, as well as dance music, popular music, and club sounds).
are excited about the possibilities of bringing choral music into a nightclub environment.
are comfortable performing material with adult themes/subjects (see ‘A NOTE ON CONTENT’ section for further).
are self-employed and responsible for paying their own taxes & national insurance contributions.
AUDITION PROCESS:
We will invite anyone we are interested in working with to attend a short audition via zoom. During this we’ll ask you to sing an unaccompanied song of your choice, and have an informal conversation about you, your experience, and the project. This will include an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have.
NOTE ABOUT CASTING:
We don’t have a fixed idea of who can or should be a choral singer, we encourage you to be yourself and not feel restricted by the conventions of formal choral music. Whilst quality of sound is our absolute priority, we want this experience to be joyful and to feel like we’re building something beautiful together.
We particularly want to connect with singers who may have experiences of marginalisation in choral music settings including trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming singers whose vocal ranges may not match traditionally gendered voice parts - we hope this will be a space where you are able to bring your full self to choral singing.
Budget is available to support access costs for any performers who may require additional support in order to participate. We will discuss this on a case by case basis with individuals.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Congregational is a new performance project from Birmingham based cabaret artist, drag performer, & vocalist Fatt Butcher. The project will imagine the possibilities of choral music performance for nightclubs, exploring the nightclub as a queer spiritual space, and creating new hymns for the dancefloor to be performed by Fatt and a live choir in a nightclub setting.
This project is at the beginning of its development and is very much an experiment, this performance will be a sharing of new work created over a five week development period in September and October 2024. The project is being written by Fatt Butcher in collaboration with Nicky Harris (musical supervisor/arranger) and Tobre (music production), and produced by SJ Watkinson.
This research & development period will end with a public test performance and sharing of the work developed at Birmingham’s Fierce Festival (Fierce is an international performance and theatre festival that happens bi-annually in Birmingham, find out more here: https://wearefierce.org/about/). We anticipate that the final performance will share approximately 20-30 minutes of material developed. Whilst it will not be a performance of a finished work, the performance will include production elements, technical support, costuming etc.
We are looking to recruit 8 professional LGBTQ+ vocalists to form a choral ensemble to work with us on staging this performance, performing the music developed. This ensemble will be joined by a student vocal ensemble to form the choir for the final performance.
Rehearsals will take place from Mon 14th - Fri 19th October at B:Music, Birmingham, with the final performance happening on Saturday 19th October as part of Fierce’s ‘Club Fierce’ event. You must be available for all days of this process.
We will also be looking for a smaller group of 4 vocalists to help test ideas during the project development process in Cambridge for 1-2 days during w/c 30th Sept, 2024, these will be paid in addition to the fee below (you will be asked to indicate if you are available for this in the application process).
This project has been funded by the Arts Council, England with support from Fierce Festival, Cambridge Junction, B:Music, & Wysing Arts Centre.
A NOTE ON CONTENT:
As well as exploring music, spirituality, and the dancefloor, this work is likely to contain references to sex/sexuality as well as references to drug/alcohol/substance use, it will be explicitly queer. It will take place in the context of a queer night club event as part of a major international performance art festival, the event will include additional performances from DJs, dancers, drag & performance artists.
If you would not be comfortable performing this material in this context then this probably isn’t the project for you.
HOW TO APPLY:
To apply, please complete the application form below by Midday on Monday 9th September
If you have any questions or require any further information please email SJ on choircongregational@gmail.com .
