Joining a Local Choir in France
Sign up for a neighbourhood choir, follow the conductor in rehearsal and get ready for your first concert.
Most French choirs are run as associations: you pay a yearly cotisation, usually somewhere between 50 and 150 €, and rehearse once a week in a maison de quartier or an MJC. Singers are grouped by pupitre (soprano, alto, ténor, basse), and many amateur choirs don't require you to read music. Choir members quickly switch to tu, and lots of choirs sing in the streets on 21 June for the Fête de la musique.
- 1
Je voudrais m'inscrire à la chorale.
I'd like to join the choir.
- 2
Il faut savoir lire une partition ?
Do you have to be able to read sheet music?
- 3
Tu chantes dans quel pupitre ?
Which section do you sing in? (to a choir member)
- 4
Je suis alto.
I'm an alto.
- 5
Les répétitions, c'est quand ?
When are rehearsals?
- 6
Tous les mardis soir, à la maison de quartier.
Every Tuesday evening, at the community centre.
- 7
La cotisation, c'est combien par an ?
How much is the membership fee per year?
- 8
On va s'échauffer la voix.
Let's warm up our voices.
- 9
Tu peux me donner la note ?
Can you give me the note?
- 10
On chante un peu faux.
We're singing a bit out of tune.
- 11
On reprend à la mesure douze.
Let's go again from bar twelve.
- 12
Plus fort, les ténors !
Louder, tenors!
- 13
J'arrive pas à monter dans les aigus.
I can't reach the high notes.
- 14
Respirez avec le ventre.
Breathe from your belly.
Tip: The conductor is speaking to the whole group.
- 15
J'ai le trac.
I've got stage fright.
- 16
Il faut l'apprendre par cœur.
You have to learn it by heart.
- 17
Le concert, c'est le 21 juin, pour la fête de la musique.
The concert is on 21 June, for the music festival.
- 18
Ça me donne la chair de poule.
It gives me goosebumps.
- 19
Tu chantes juste !
You sing in tune!
- 20
À la semaine prochaine !
See you next week!