Membership

Costs

BHS Membership (society, district, and chapter dues): Around $200 annually. Special rates available for youth (25 and under) and seniors (70+ AND 10 years society membership)

International & District Contests: Make your own arrangements for registration, travel, hotel, and food. Varies by location and event. The cost of the uniform is a personal expense. Uniform details will be communicated to chorus members each season.


Attendance

Rehearsals are held from 7:00 – 9:30 pm on Wednesday nights at the church building located at:

2465 South 800 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84106

Members are expected to attend 75% of rehearsals, and all shows and contests.


Calendar

Each season’s calendar will include opportunities to perform and compete in various settings. These typically fall into the following time frames:

  • January – May: prepare and produce annual spring show (typically with internationally acclaimed guest quartet)
  • June – September/October: prepare for BHS International and District Contests (held in July and September/October, respectively)
  • November: Auditions are held for the new season beginning in January.

Rehearsal Guidelines

The minute you step into the door for rehearsal, forget about all of your problems, all of the things you didn’t get to, and all of the deadlines you have coming up. Nothing else should matter when you are here, except for the music.

Why are you here?  What is your motivation for being in the Saltaires? Is this just another thing for you to do during the week? Do you have an open night in your social calendar and the bowling leagues were full? If you are here to enjoy one of the finest musical experiences possible, then please join with us and follow these guides and boundaries to make it happen. Please commit yourself to full compliance and see how your life changes and your musical satisfaction grows.

The only attitude that will be tolerated is a positive one. Be respectful, helpful, polite, peaceful, and intent upon improving your personal musical skills and behaviors sufficiently to add to the experience of the group.

It is the responsibility of each member of the Saltaires to be aware of and attend all scheduled rehearsals, sectionals, retreats and performances. The current schedule is available on the web page at all times. Committed members of the Saltaires have only one acceptable excused absence, death! If you find you will be late or absent due to the unforeseen approaching death, it is your responsibility to contact your section leader and let him know your circumstance ahead of time.

On time = early. If you must arrive late to rehearsal, wait to enter the risers until beckoned on by the director. Do not interrupt the rehearsal for any reason, ever. Walking in during the rehearsal of any song will cause commotion and take the focus away from the rehearsal.

When the director is rehearsing other sections, pay attention to what he is doing with that section, as you may have similar material or a similar vocal problem that needs addressing.

If you have problems, comments, or concerns about programming or logistics, please talk to the director, music vice president or president after the rehearsal, in an email; not before and not ever during the rehearsal.

Ground Rules and Other Items of Note

Bring your own water for rehearsal and keep it off the risers, marked and identified. Don’t leave it in the room when you leave. Have your copies of the music with you at all rehearsals and have a pencil with your music in case you need to mark it. We rarely use sheet music while on the risers so come prepared with the intended songs for rehearsal by knowing your part beforehand.

If you need more attention on a specific part, spend more time during the week before rehearsal listening and singing with the learning track, and ask your section leader during the break to address that part at the next sectional or after the rehearsal.

The rehearsal is the time for polishing the group performance of the song. It is not the time for learning your part, notes or lyrics; that should be done on your own, before rehearsal using the learning tracts provided on the web page or groupanizer.

Turn off your cell phone or silence it just before entering the rehearsal area.

Develop your own vocal warmup routine so that you arrive at the rehearsal area ready to sing. Take your turn helping with risers before and after rehearsals.

At 6:59 PM, take your assigned place on the riser. If you have not been assigned a performance position, stand off to the side of the riser until assigned a temporary position. Unless you stand on the front row, remember that your toes should be at the front edge of the riser.

Riser Decorum

  1. No talking whenever the director is in front of the chorus.
  2. No gum, mints, perfume, cologne, or body odor that can interfere with your singing or that of anyone else on the riser.
  3. No interruptions of any kind while the director is working the chorus, any part of the chorus, any part of any music or focusing on any other item. This includes all members, officers, section leaders, assistant directors and anyone else not mentioned. There are to be absolutely no interruptions by anyone while the director is working. NO EXCEPTIONS!
  4. No food or drink on the risers. If you need water or a snack during rehearsal, place it ahead of time in the appropriate non-riser place in the rehearsal hall and get it during the break.
  5. Do not distract the director or anyone else while on the risers. If you think you have something important or witty to say either to the director or to someone around you, save it for the break. Almost anything, a word, a gesture, even a look – literally anything other than intense focus on the director can be a distraction to the director or to others.
  6. Connect with the directions of the director. Envision yourself complying with every direction given. Focus on every word, every gesture, body language and try to reflect every emotion being directed.
  7. Emulate the singing technique of the director at all times while on the riser. Try to form your vocal tones identically with that of the director.
  8. Replicate the posture and body language of the director. Duplicate the body animation and facial expression shown for every lyrical situation and moment.
  9. Maintain focus at all times while on the risers.
  10. Enjoy the beauty of the music.