Good Stuff: All Choired Up

All Choired Up is a new, friendly and free Choir based in St Leonards, East Sussex for the local LGBTQ+ community. All ages and abilities are welcome from singers in showers and karaoke crooners to budding Pavarottis and closet divas – there is a place for all of you at All Choired Up.

COVID 19: Due to the recent lockdown situation, All Choired Up is meeting the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm on Zoom. Email them on info@goodstuffinstlens.com and they will send you an invitation (and help you get set up on zoom if you don’t already know – all you need is a smartphone or a laptop with a camera).

What happens at All Choired Up?

You will spend time practising a variety of songs and there is always a break in the middle with time to chat.

Ideally everyone will aim to make all the rehearsals, to get the most out of the experience (and to be well practised for any upcoming performances) but  this may not always be possible for everyone, so come to as many as you can and they will make sure all the song parts/lyrics are available online to view at anytime.

What type of songs will we sing and where will we sing them?

You will sing songs in glorious multi-layered acappella harmonies drawn from a rich repertoire of many musical genres and traditions including World Folk, Gospel, Pop, Rock, Blues, Musical Theatre, Jazz, as well as original compositions.

Once All Choired Up has been established they hope to be performing at events locally and throughout the South East. Possible partners include Hastings Pride, Folkestone Pride and the St Leonard’s Community Picnic.

Who will lead the Choir?

All Choired Up is facilitated by Carole Prior. Carol (she/her) is based in Hastings and has been working in the Performing Arts all her life. She set up the first community choir Shore Sounds in Hastings in 2001 and is a founding member of the Natural Voice Network.

Having previously set up a women’s choir in Brighton she has also taught singing in schools across Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and Surrey for the acclaimed music education project Rhythmix.

For more information view her website.

How do I join the Choir?

All Choired Up is a “no audition” choir because they believe that everyone can sing.

They are always looking for new members so if you enjoy singing, email them on info@goodstuffinstlens.com and they will get back to you with more details on how to join a rehearsal to see what its like.

Please note this choir is specifically for those that identify as LGBTQ+

Where and when does All Choired Up take place?

All Choired Up meets every Tuesday from 7-9pm at St John’s Church Hall, Brittany Rd, Saint Leonards, TN38 0RD.

Access

The main church hall is accessible to wheelchair users via a ramp at the front door and it is all on one level. There is one toilet that can be accessed by a wheelchair however at the moment it does not have handrails or a hoist.

An access budget is available for those that may need help with the cost of attending All Choired Up. This money can be used for a variety of costs including transport, childcare or to cover the cost of a personal assistant.

Please email info@goodstuffinstlens.com with any access requirements

Further info

All Choired Up is a community project led by local LGBTQ+ residents.

It is part of Good Stuff in St Leonards, a community-led programme of creative activities and events. More information on All Choired Up can be found on the dedicated Good Stuff website.

Good Stuff in St Leonards is coordinated by Home Live Art and funded by Creative Civic Change – a partnership between Local Trust, the National Lottery Community Fund, the Calouste Gulbekian Foundation, and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.