Focus On: Euphonix
Community choir with a difference seeks new members
October 2009

When the community choir Euphonix first registered with KVA a couple of years ago it was just a dream – it didn't have a name (only a provisional one, “A Choir With a Difference”), a committee, a bank account or, most crucially, a Musical Director. The dream was to form an inclusive community choir, run by volunteers, singing popular, essentially secular, music. No one would be excluded because they couldn't read music or were nervous of auditions or singing solo, or couldn't afford it.

It wasn't until late in 2008 that a young musician, Dominic Stichbury, offered - via Volunteering UK - to be our Musical Director – and then it was all systems go. A steering group formed, we talked to the Rose Theatre about using a space there for rehearsals, we brainstormed until we found a name that we all liked, we updated our website (a Voice one, another benefit that came via KVA), and we sent out as much publicity material as we could with no funding at all. We held our first rehearsal in February 2009, with no idea of how many would turn up, who they'd be and how much they'd be willing to pay into our “honesty boxes” each time they came. In fact, we have had enough singers to make a good sound right from the beginning, and we have been able to cover our costs, even some unexpected ones, with the help of our members' weekly contributions and a small grant from the Royal Borough of Kingston.

After the first few weeks, word of mouth was enough to keep us growing to the point where we had to operate a waiting list, until, on October 7th , with the kind permission of Rose Theatre management, Euphonix “cloned” to form a second rehearsal group on Wednesday mornings. So once again we are recruiting, this time, with the help of the RBK grant, more actively from “hard to reach” groups in Kingston. If readers of this newsletter have clients or members who they think would benefit from singing in a choir and would like to join us, please do send them in our direction, or if you have a notice-board or display case that could take our flyers, do ask for some.

One reason that we wanted to share our enjoyment of singing was that we knew it was good for people in all kinds of ways, physical and psychological, and our first few months have confirmed that. There is a palpable sense of achievement and camaraderie when we sing really well or perform in public. Members tell us singing in our choir brings them “happiness, challenge, something to look forward to” and that it has helped them to feel good and make new friends: “I've developed my voice and my social life in one go!” We have realised how much some of our members value, even depend on, “the highlight of the week”, as one of them put it, and so we try to keep going every week.

To find out more please contact Marilyn Mason, Chair, Steering Committee, Euphonix www.euphonix.org.uk info@euphonix.org.uk