OTLEY SINGERSOtley
Women Singers actually because there've
been no men in the choir for the last 6 years
and all the songs we've learnt in that time have been arranged for women's voices. We
meet 7.30-9.30pm
on term-time Tuesdays
at
the Aged
People's
Welfare Centre in Otley (it's
just the venue - our age-range is 30-70 and we'd welcome women younger
and older than this).
There are currently 45 members and 30-35 at each session. We pay £15 each per half-term, which covers MD fees, room hire and hot drinks in the break. There are no auditions to join but there's often a waiting-list because our membership's limited by the size of the room. If you're interested in joining, please use the form at the bottom of this page. Our musical directors are Lesley Lear and Gilly Fordham who've provided the arrangements for about three-quarters of our repertoire. We're given written music for almost all the songs that we learn but there's absolutely no need to be able to read it: some of us can read music, some take the opportunity offered to learn at least the rudiments, and some read just the words and learn the music solely by ear. We usually perform at the National Street Choir Festival in the summer and once in December. A small group of us looks after the money and other administrative necessities, leaving our weekly sessions meeting-free (apart from the statutory AGM) for everyone to have a good sing with a friendly group of women, which is what the choir is for. What we look like (20 of us, plus Lesley & Gilly, at the Sage in Gateshead, National Street Choir Festival 2006): ![]() ![]() What we sound like (extracts from recent recordings made at our regular sessions):
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