The Next Step

So you're interested in coming to one of our rehearsals.  Great!  Here's some information that will put you at ease when you come to visit.

 

Planning Your First Visit

We practice every Tuesday night from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.at Central United Church of Christ (CUCC), 118 West Ashley Street, Jefferson City, MO.   This historic church in the Old Munichberg section of Jefferson City, is located on Ashley Street at Washington. There is ample street parking on Ashley, as well as off-street parking in lots to the east and north of the church. Our chorus practices in the choir room at the church, with access through the double doors in about the middle of the building’s Ashley Street frontage.  If possible contact us a day or two ahead of time to let us know you're coming. 

 

What Can I Expect at Practice?

Plan on arriving a few minutes before 7:00 p.m.  That will give you a chance to meet a few of the guys and get comfortable.  We'll have a guest music book for you that will have all the music we will rehearsing that evening. We'll ask you a little bit about your range so we can place you in a  section that seems most appropriate for your range.  You might even want to try two different parts (say Lead or Baritone) to see which one feels most comfortable to you.  Before we start practice, we'll take a chance to welcome you in a very casual, low-key manner.

 

We start the evening with warm-ups to get our voices and bodies limber.  Then we sing for about an hour.  We work hard but we also have fun!  We'll take a short break about 8:00 and spend a few minutes on announcements relating to upcoming events.  Then we'll sing for another 45 minutes or so and leave for home.  We can guarantee that you will be humming and singing some of those songs the rest of the week.

 

Learning the Songs

Learning barbershop songs takes time and effort but it is a lot easier than you might think, even if you haven't sung for a long time.  You'll pick up the part by listening to others in your section.  We'll coach you on intonation, breath support and other techniques which will allow you to sing to the best of your ability.  We also have great learning CD's for all the songs we sing.  You can download them to your computer, iPhone or other device and practice during the week.  It is a great way to learn music. 

 

What if I Can't Make Every Practice?

Work and family obligations will at times mean you can't attend every practice.  Don't let that stop you from singing with us!  We'll help you catch up and listening to those learning CD's will keep you on track.