Mainesong Choir

Mainesong is a Community Choir based in Castlemaine.

We’re a Mixed Choir with broad tastes and a wide repertoire – classical, jazz, latin, pop, beyond baroque, and in different languages, Portuguese, Greek, Sephardic, English, Spanish, Zulu, Welsh, mostly in 4-part harmonies.

For Term 2, 3 & 4 of 2025 Mainesong will be under the guidance of our Musical Director, Scott Sanders.

Mainesong is managed by its Steering Group, currently six members. Any Choir member is welcome to join this Group. If you have questions about the choir ask any of the Steering Group, we’re happy to chat.

Steering Group

All enquiries email choir.mainesong@gmail.com

Film – “A Beautiful Moment”

A film about us, by Michael Harkin – Mainesong Choir & Corker Orchestra

https://vimeo.com/953438842

Choir Website – mainesong.xyz

You’re on the website now, it holds resources for the Choir in the form of our working scores, choir information, timing of upcoming performances, useful YouTube clips, practice tracks, etc.

Scores Gallery

The Scores Gallery holds the scores and lyrics of songs we’re working with and serves also as an archive. You can download and print any of the scores in the Gallery. The Gallery is password protected.

New Members

We really like welcoming new members and new voices to the group, and your first evening with Mainesong is free.

Some of our members had no previous singing experience when they joined, some had been singing since they were kids. Irrespective of your previous experience, we ask all new members to attend at least three rehearsal sessions: this gives you time to try the songs, sing along with us, ask questions, and decide then if we’re the choir you want. There’s a lot happening during a rehearsal, and for anyone new to the group it’s a far more relaxed approach to take three or four weeks to get your bearings.

There’s no need to find and print any scores before starting with us – we’ll sort that out for you.

Mainesong Yearly Calendar

Rehearsals – Time & Place

• Once a week on Wednesdays 6.50 to 9.00pm during school Terms.
• Campbells Creek Bowling Club

Virginia holds the key and opens and shuts the venue.

All hands to assist setting up chairs prior to rehearsal, and putting chairs and tables away when we’re done, but if you have to get away then do so!   

The Choir has four Terms in the year, generally following the Victorian Schools Calendar. We sometimes adjust our Term dates to accommodate good planning and performances, but this is discussed well in advance.

Performances

Singing is a wonderful thing, and music is a performance art. Our Choir rehearsals are hugely enjoyable in their own right, and performance, singing in concert, is just magic.

We aim to have concerts around Mid Year at the end of Term 2, and at end of Term 4 late November early December. We may have Pop-up Performances at Festival time, or at other events depending on times and circumstance. 

Fees & Payments

Choir fees are payable by the Term and we send out invoices prior to Term start. Term fees are calculated at $15 per rehearsal, multiplied by the number of weeks in the Term (usually Terms are from 8 to 10 weeks long, depending on the School calendar).

Payments should be made by bank transfer direct to the Choir’s bank account, the details are included on the invoices.

Attendance

The Rehearsal Attendance Sheet is kept on the ‘sign in’ table.

• Members should tick their name on the Attendance Sheet at each rehearsal
• Keeping a Roll is a requirement of our CCBC insurance cover
• If you know you’ll be absent for a future Rehearsal please write an ‘A’ (Absence/Apology) at the relevant dates on the Attendance Sheet – this helps us enormously in the planning of our rehearsals and performances.

Information Folder

We keep a folder of current information on the ‘sign in’ table – you’ll see it there on rehearsal evenings.

The Folder is for your use and your feedback is welcome. This is a good place to leave a note if you have music ideas or suggestions.

Copies of this information sheet are kept in the folder should you need copy for a friend.

Tea Breaks

• Singing is thirsty work and it’s good to BYO water bottle.
• We have a 10 -15 min tea break during rehearsals.
• We use our own tea box and tea towels and always leave The Kitchen as we found it.