+ Who runs Starling Arts and the Starling Voices?

Starling Arts was founded in 2010, and the company continues to be run by experienced community music facilitators and directors, Anna Shields and Emily Garsin. We became a Community Interest Company in 2021. Find out more about our company philosophy here. Our choirs, the Starling Voices, have a great history. Learn more here.

+ What sort of choirs do you run?

At Starling Arts we fuse singing with performance, and sometimes movement. All if this does wonders for our wellbeing. We sing a mixture of pop, rock and musical theatre with a focus on bringing each song to life.

+ What makes the Starling Voices different to other choirs?

We believe that singing is a great way to bring people together and a strong community ethos, teamed with the goal of producing high quality events, is at the heart of what we do. We strive to create fun, supported opportunities and we love that so many of our members make life-long friends and uncover and develop performance talent through their participation. We don't do stuffy rehearsals or perform hiding behind music. We're all about using performance techniques to make sure our singers - and our audiences - have as much fun as possible!

+ Do I have to audition?

No, there are no auditions to join any of our choirs and anyone who likes to sing is welcome to join! We do occasionally hold in-choir auditions for solo parts within songs, but you won't have to sing a solo unless you would like to.

+ Do I need previous experience?

No experience is necessary to sing with the Starling Voices! Our singers have many different musical backgrounds, so whether you've sung all your life or are singing for the first time, you'll find a home within the Starling Voices.

+ Do I have to be able to read music?

No, you do not need to be able to read music to sing with us. We usually use sheet music to help us learn songs initially and we're sure that you will pick up some basic music reading skills through rehearsals, but there is no requirement to be able to read music. We also provide resources (see below) to help you learn.

+ What resources do members have access to?

As a Starling Voices member you will have access to a range of useful resources such as downloadable rehearsal tracks to help learn parts, tutorial videos to polish up any movement we learn, and your own copies of the sheet music to keep.

+ Will I have to do any movement and can I still join if I can't dance?

Some of our songs have simple movement to complement and enhance the overall performance. We appreciate that some people are less confident with dance than others, so we approach movement in a fun, accessible way. Any routines with movement will be broken down into manageable parts to make it easy to learn, whether you've got dance experience or not. Our singers - whatever their previous experience of movement - always end up surprising themselves by how much they enjoy and excel at any dance elements.

+ What sort of music do the Starling Voices sing?

The Starling Voices sing a range of songs from pop, rock, jazz, folk and musical theatre. The majority of songs are arranged for the choirs to be accompanied by piano or a small band, or sung a cappella (without accompaniment). Most of our repertoire is arranged “in-house” for the voices we have in the room, which makes it really sing!

+ What is a typical Starling Voices rehearsal like?

All our rehearsals begin with a physical and vocal warm-up to relax and energise. We often add a splash of mindfulness to our warmups to take everyone out of their day and into the rehearsal space. We spend time learning songs, part by part and together, and look at vocal technique and delivery. We use easy-to-follow performance exercises to get the best from our singers and focus on the overall sound and effect of the group. For songs that require it, we look at movement as a group, broken down into smaller sections. Our evening rehearsals always include a break half way through sessions, which is a good chance to grab a drink, a piece of cake (as part of our weekly charity bake sale), and get to know the other singers. There will always be a lot of laughter and silliness! Check out our blog post "What actually happens at choir?" for more information.

+ What sorts of performances can I be part of?

Starling Arts' choirs perform at a range of events, from large scale concerts in stunning theatres, to more intimate cabarets and charity fundraisers. In May 2016 we toured to Paris where we performed at Disneyland and in 2018 we toured to Ghent in Belgium. Members can choose to take part in charity events such as carol singing or performing in community venues like care homes. You can visit our event archive here.

+ Who can join the Starling Voices?

Our choirs are suitable for anyone aged 18 years and over. Most members are in their 20s, 30s and 40s but if you love singing and want to be part of a welcoming, supportive and friendly community who sing to a high standard, then you'll fit right in!

+ Can I try a session before committing to a whole term?

Of course! We welcome you to a no-obligation taster session, after which you can choose to sign up for the remainder of the term. Some members try more than one of our choirs before deciding which to join.

+ Can I join a choir at any time?

We usually take new members at the start of each term, to make sure that we offer everyone the best possible experience. Sometimes we operate a waiting list due to high numbers of interest from new members. Email us at info@starlingarts.com to find out about the next opportunity to join us!

+ How sociable are the choirs?

We make rehearsals as friendly as possible and optional social activities - organised both by us and from within the choirs - are a regular occurrence, for anyone who wants to join in. Events include theatre and cinema trips, drinks, meals, away weekends, and karaoke nights.

+ How much does it cost?

Fees work out at just over £10 per session, payable as £120 each term. You can attend your first session as a no-obligation taster session for £10. Your term fee covers access to all our resources, rehearsals and performances. Membership fees are paid online at the start of each term to save us time in rehearsals. We don't accept weekly payments.

+ How do I sign up?

The process is really easy. Simply fill in this form and we’ll drop you a line to confirm your place.

If you’d rather drop us an email first, no problem! Please send an email to Anna and Emily and let us know which choir you would like to join. If we're recruiting new members at that time, we'll send you full details and a sign-up form to secure your place, otherwise we'll pop you on our mailing list to be notified as soon as we're next recruiting.

+ What do I need to bring with me to rehearsals?

We recommend that you bring an A4 folder for your sheet music, a pencil to make notes and a bottle of water. You may feel more comfortable wearing flat shoes and non-restrictive clothing.

+ Where can I watch the Starling Voices perform?

Visit our What's On page to come to an up-coming performance, or check out our YouTube channel to get a taste for our look and sound.