Who are Surrey Rainbow Choir?
We are Surrey’s only LGBTQ+ dedicated choir, providing an inclusive and accessible space where people can get together and enjoy singing - judgement-free! We’re made up of almost fifty members of all ages, gender expressions, sexualities and musical ability.
Now for the first time in Surrey, LGBTQ+ people can feel free to belong and sing out in a safe space and all the while doing it to also help our own community by representing LGBTQ+ people performing across Surrey and raising money for good causes with the funds we raise at our concerts.
Who can join?
Any person, LGBTQ+ or otherwise, over 18 years of age who wants to find their voice and have loads of fun in the process! Claim a free rehearsal session to come meet us and get a feel if this could be the right place for you!
Register for your free trial session now >
Must I be able to read music?
Heavens, no! We don't really mind whether you can read music or not, as long as you just want to have fun in a non-judgemental and enjoyable environment, then this is for you! We do hand out sheet music at rehearsal, so if you can read music, great, but if not, we will teach you the voice parts.
How much does it cost?
Membership of Surrey Rainbow Choir costs just £28 per month. We’re also able to offer a discounted rate for people on low income or students so please reach out to us if this is relevant to you.
What sort of songs do we sing?
Literally anything with the exception of classical and religious music. So don't be surprised to find yourself singing some George Michael one week, followed by some Katy Perry the next, some Ed Sheeran the week after with some Tina Turner, The Supremes, ABBA and Marilyn Monroe thrown in for good measure!
Listen along to our previous performances here >
Do I have to take part in performances?
We know that for lots of people, and especially those new to music, it can be nerve-wracking to think about performing in front of an audience! There’s no pressure to perform if you just want to come and enjoy singing together weekly in rehearsals - but if you are ready to give performing a try, we do both informal and formal concerts so you can have an easy first experience.
Where and when do we rehearse?
We typically rehearse every Tuesday evening in Guildford from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the Upper Hall of the Trinity Centre, just off Guildford's High Street - a quick easy walk from Guildford Station and very accessible as well.
What is a typical rehearsal like?
First of all make sure you are relaxed - no need to stress about anyting in advance! Singing in the Rainbow Choir is a chance to escape the cares of the world for two hours and just have some great fun. No-one is going to ask you to audition (we just don't do that).
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It’ll start with getting to the venue for that week just before 7:30pm. This will give you time to meet Lynne, our Member’s Secretary who’ll sort you out with a buddy to help you out.
You’ll collect any music from Steve, our trusty librarian, and then it’ll be time to take a seat around the piano with the sopranos, altos, tenors or basses, depending on what’s most comfortable for you to sing.
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We’ll start by getting safely warmed up and ready to go with some fun scales and tongue twisters that Music Director Timothy Peters will take us through.
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Then we’ll go over songs, and it’s a real mix of rock, pop, musicals and acapella! You’ll have sheet music to use if that’s helpful, but we’ll also be breaking the songs into bite-size lines to help us get it.
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Halfway through the session we’ll break for tea, and you’ll find a variety of hot drinks, cold drinks and biscuits on hand. We try to make sure we have some gluten and milk-free alternatives so that everyone can join in. It’s a great chance to chat and catch up with everyone!
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And then once we do a few more songs, we’re done! There might even be a trip to an accessible pub on the cards so that we can sit down together afterwards and chat all things music, LGBTQ+ and more!
