Use the "Next Rehearsals" Tab to find a Free Taster session that suits you in the coming weeks. If you'd like to join the full choir, you can easily upgrade your membership from here.
Upgrade membershipThank you for signing up for your UK Soul Choirs Free Taster account.
We can’t wait to welcome you to our big happy choir family. We have all singing levels and experience in our choirs so you have nothing to worry about if you have never sung before at all.
All you need to do before your Free Taster is to check the location address below for the session you want to try, and find the next rehearsal - everything will be explained once you arrive and as we learn by ear you don’t need any music.
When you arrive make sure you sign the FREE TASTER REGISTER so we can check your contact details and we know you came. Then do go and introduce yourself to the leader who will show you where to sit and put you with an experienced member to help you navigate your first rehearsal.
You may wish to use lyrics for whichever song we are learning so you can easily find these on your phone using google for the first session. Generally we try not to learn using lyrics as it goes in much quicker that way, but of course you can to start off with.
Following your free taster you will receive an email with details of how to join and our various membership plans all accessed via the website. Once you have paid a membership you will have full access to all learning resources and our calendar of events etc. If you didn’t enjoy your taster or don't wish to join us for other reasons we would be grateful if you would fill in the feedback form (link) so we can keep learning and improving.
Allington Baptist Church
76A London Road,
Maidstone ME16 0DT
Public Transport - 8mins walk from Maidstone Barracks Station or local buses
Parking - Room for 10-12 cars in church car park (accessible from Leafy Lane) or in carpark opposite on Leafy Lane
Step Free Access
James Woolfe School (Royal Hill Campus!)
Royal Hill,
London SE10 8RZ
Public Transport - 5 mins walk from Cutty Sark DLR or Greenwich train station or local buses
Parking - no parking onsite but free street parking on surrounding roads.
Step Free Access
Facebook Private Group - request to join once you have chosen your membership planor signed up for a free taster. You must have a (free) account with facebook to access.
Pilgrims Way Primary School
Pilgrims Way,
Canterbury
CT1 1XU
Parking - Onsite parking, through gates and in car park.
Public Transport - Local buses from Central Canterbury
Step Free Access
On arrival, go through pedestrian or vehicle gates and walk straight ahead to some double doors into the main school hall.
Rochester Baptist Church (Moat House Hall to the right of the church)
8 Crow Lane,
Rochester ME1 1RF
Parking - No parking onsite, free street parking on surrounding roads
Public Transport - 6mins walk from Rochester Station or local buses into central Rochester
Step Free Access
St Johns Methodist Church
Argyle Road,
Whitstable CT5 1JS
Parking - No onsite parking, (please do not park in the church carpark as strictly reserved for Church Officials) but there is free parking on surrounding roads (single yellows are fine after 6:30pm) or alternatively use the town car parks (paid)
Public Transport - 8mins walk from Whitstable Station or local buses
Step Free Access
Sussex Road Primary School
Sussex Road,
Tonbridge
TN9 2TP
Public Transport - 8 mins walk from Tonbridge Railway Station
Parking - Room for approx 20 cars onsite but there is also free street parking on surrounding residential roads.
Assessibility - There is one small step (curb height) to access the hall - step free access can be organised through an alternative route on request. Please email sing@soulchoirs.com to let us know at least 24hrs in advance. Many thanks.
Trinity Secondary School,
Taunton Road,
London SE12 8PD
Parking - No parking onsite but free street parking on surrounding roads
Public Transport - 10 mins walk from Hither Green station
Step Free Access
These are some of the frequently asked questions for people signing up to our free taster sessions.
Once you have paid and registered as a member, you will be sent an email to confirm and you will be redirected to the members page. You will have access to the choir resources from there.
No, we introduce all the material in the session and if you are on a Free Taster in the middle of a term then whilst there may be some songs others have learnt, there will always be new material for you to try in the session. If you don't manage to join at the beginning of a term then catchup is made easier for you as when you sing through songs, others who have already learnt them, will have more confidence around you.
In most cases the leader will get a good idea of your natural voice part by listening to your talking voice but if you haven’t sung much before or it’s been a while then you will find your range has decreased usually putting you in the altos rather than sopranos as a female voice. If you have a male voice, you will be sat with the tenors but don’t worry if you don’t have a high male voice, most of our parts sit in a baritone range between bass and tenor, always with options on the high notes! As an alto and your voice strengthens you may find you will move into the sopranos which might be better suited to your voice.
Arrive 5-10mins before the session start and introduce yourself to the leader who will probably be near the piano at the front. They will help find you a seat by asking you a few questions about your voice and introduce you to some people in your part.
We don't have any uniform at UK Soul Choirs so you are welcome to dress however you like for rehearsals. We recommend something loose and comfortable so you feel relaxed when you sing. For performances we ask everyone to dress in black and purple (without patterns) as these are our choir colours, but this can be as smart casual or as glam as you like. We also always encourage a bit of sparkle!
No, the joy of choir is the chorusing of voices, many sound much better than one in our opinion. Occasionally we do have small solo opportunities within arrangements to mix up the textures and anyone can audition for these by sending us a recording using their phone once we’ve been learning it for a few weeks. We’ve had so many members who vowed never to sing a solo who now put themselves forwards all the time, we also have members who have been with us for years who still have no interest in doing solos, it’s entirely up to you!
Absolutely not! Whilst we welcome experienced singers who become an integral part of choir makeup, we also thrive on nurturing untapped ability which we believe 99.99% of people have. The voice is a muscle that needs training and your ear is a sensor that needs training. If you’re keen then anyone can do it! Check out our testimonials from current members!
This will vary between people but as the voice is made up of a series muscles, the more frequently you work on it by listening and practicing, the easier it will become. Be patient, most people start feeling more vocal confidence after the first or second term. Remember, our membership includes dropping in at any rehearsal each week, and since we practice the same material across our sessions, you can dive in for as much choir as you want!
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