Join the TCC

We are always interested in hearing from new singers who would like to audition!

Are you interested in auditioning for the TCC? It's a warm-hearted community of excellent singers who share a special fondness for Renaissance and Baroque music.

We are always open to hearing auditions from excellent singers of all voice types and backgrounds. Currently (fall 2023), we’d like to audition tenors and may also have openings for altos and basses. There are no official openings in the soprano section at this time, but sopranos should feel free to contact us anyway to express interest should a place become open. We’re especially interested in auditioning singers from under-represented groups (see more on this below).

The TCC has taken COVID-19 safety seriously throughout the pandemic and has operated under protocols that are more risk-averse than those of some other choirs. Masking has only recently become optional, and we still have a vaccine mandate in place for all singing members.

Rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings at the Church of the Transfiguration, on a quiet street in Toronto's Mount Pleasant West neighbourhood (see map here). Typically, rehearsals run from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Our final rehearsals close to a performance can expand to three hours.

If you’d like to hear what we sound like, check out the Soundcloud links on our Recordings page. Please also scroll down below to get a sense of what the TCC asks of its members.

If you are interested in auditioning, send me an email with your voice type and a few sentences about you. I’m especially interested in details of your previous choral experience, including specific choirs and conductors you have worked with. I may ask if you’d be willing to send me an informal recording of your singing, if you’re able to do that. If it looks like you and the TCC could be a good fit, I'll be in touch to schedule an audition.

During your audition, I'll ask you to do some basic vocalises to get a sense of your range and sound. I'll also test your facility with language pronunciation, as well as your sight-reading abilities in both pitch and rhythm. I do recognize that not all great singers are great sight-readers, and so I invite you to bring a prepared song or choral excerpt to sing. I also like to spend some time in conversation to get a sense of who you are, what makes you unique, and what you could bring to the TCC community.

As a Toronto arts organization, the TCC recognizes the need for our membership to better reflect the diversity of our fantastic city (see our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement). Diversifying our choir has become increasingly important to us, and so we’re especially interested in auditioning singers from under-represented groups, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and youth.

As an early music choir, we do sing lots of old European music; however, our commitment to EDI also extends to our programming. Thematic programs in recent years have explored how our core repertoire intersects with the music of non-European cultures, and the choir (with the help of special guests) has found itself singing in Arabic, Mandarin, Quechua, Wendat, and other non-European languages! We also have an ongoing passion for singing the works of women composers, especially those from before the 20th century.

It's also worth noting that, although we sing a lot of (Christian) religious music, we're not a religious organization — we just love the music!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Lucas Harris
Artistic Director

What’s expected of TCC members

Skills

TCC members should have excellent choral skills: accuracy with pitch, rhythm, pronunciation in multiple languages, ability to follow a conductor, reliable music reading skills, etc.

Attitude

It’s important that everyone in the TCC has a positive and team-spirited attitude. We want to foster an environment where the choir members support one another in joyful group singing.

Attendance

We take attendance seriously, and unavoidable absences must be announced with as much notice as possible with an email to the director and to the choir volunteer who takes attendance. You are responsible for getting notes/markings from any missed rehearsals from another choir member.

Regular rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings at the Church of the Transfiguration. Once or twice per season we also hold Saturday “retreats,” often with special guests. We hold an additional dress rehearsal before each of our concerts, usually on a Friday night or Saturday morning or afternoon. We typically offer a subscription series of four concerts — two full evening concerts and two afternoon Kaffeemusik programs — plus fundraising events such as our annual Scotiabank run and a recital that features our Toronto Chamber Consort section leads.

Practice

You must take responsibility for practising your music between rehearsals as necessary to keep pace with the choir’s work.

Donation

Most TCC members make financial donations each season to support the choir's activities. However, the amount of these donations is flexible, and finances will not be a barrier for any qualified singer who would like to join the TCC.

Volunteering

The TCC is run on a volunteer basis by its choir members, and all members are expected to contribute in some way according to their skills and interest. There are many areas where you can help, whether assisting with fundraising, joining our production committee, giving rides home to our high school apprentices, or joining the choir’s board of directors. If you are offered a place in the TCC, a board member will be in touch to discuss volunteer opportunities that are a good match for you.