Freaquently Asked Questions
Rehearsal：
Q: When and where do you rehearse?
A: We usually rehearse every Thursday evening near Times Square 7-10pm.
Q: What if I can’t make a rehearsal?
A: That’s fine - we provide rehearsal recordings and a music calendar so you can stay up to date with what we worked on that night, but we’re all adults and expect you might miss a rehearsal every now and then due to normal life! If you need to miss for a longer period you can let our membership team know and then jump back in when life allows!
Audition：
Q: How much singing experience do I need to join?
A: Most members have singing experience such as college choruses, church choirs, or other barbershop groups. But experience is not a must to join.
Q: What if I don’t know what part I sing?
A: We will voice place you at your first visit, but be sure to fill out the Guest form so we know a little more about your singing experience before we meet.
Q: What is the audition process like?
A: After you attend your first rehearsal as a guest, we’ll reach out with information including an audition excerpt and an “Intent to Audition” form. You’ll then fill out the form and learn and memorize that excerpt; you can then request a runthrough (a mock audition where you sing the excerpt in a quartet with section leaders and receive feedback on your progress) and then a full audition (much the same process, but in front of musical leadership). A few days later, you’ll hear back from us. You can and should continue attending rehearsals as a guest throughout this process.
General：
Q: What does Gotham's yearly performance calendar look like outside of regular rehearsal?
A: There are a few different levels to our performance schedule. We perform locally in New York City 2-3 times a year, usually 2 of our own concerts for friends and family and a few gigs performing for the community. Also our chorus is a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, which is a competing organization, and has contests that are usually in the tri-state area. All contests and travel are entirely optional but we do spend time and energy prepping! We compete on average 2 times a year (once in the spring, once in the fall). Some years we also qualify to attend BHS International Chorus Contest which is a week every July.
A year calendar of special events could look like:
April: Mid Atlantic Barbershop Harmony Society Division Contest
July: Summer Break
October: Mid Atlantic Barbershop Harmony Society District Contest
Dec-Jan: Holiday show
Q. How much is the membership fee?
A: As a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, we are a dues-paying organization. Yearly membership dues are $300 per year, or $250 for those 25 years old and under. This covers membership in the chapter, membership in the Mid-Atlantic District of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and membership in the broader Barbershop Harmony Society, which comes with its own benefits and opportunities. These dues pay for our rehearsal space, a stipend for our incredible director, fees for our world-class coaches, our custom arrangements, and more.