The Viral Choir was launched in March 2020 when the global pandemic threatened to keep us from singing.
As we saw communities and choirs across the world closing temporarily in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19, we created a new way of allowing people to sing together - introducing The Viral Choir!!!
Throughout 2020, we saw a few hundred members from all over the world join us and quickly saw a clear community emerge. Our spirit and our songs create real connections with people who are no longer feeling isolated and who - most importantly - get to keep singing!!
In 2021, with our physical choirs back in Brisbane and Cairns, we merged the Viral Choir with Soul Song and our online members either participate on demand or as subscription members. Viral members learn the same repertoire as our physical choirs so that when borders and travel is open, they can join the physical choirs for rehearsals and performances, while also continuing to publish virtual choir videos every 2-3 weeks.
The inclusions of Soul Song membership that are particularly relevant for our online members are:
- Twice weekly hybrid online rehearsals (Monday and Wednesday nights, 6.30-8.30pm QLD time), Viral members join into a physical Brisbane rehearsal so you get to hear the choir in the room but can also interact with Jaq via the chat and verbally and can interact with othrer members in the chat.
- Recordings of all hybrid rehearsals in case you can't make them live
- Fortnightly Zoom socials on a Sunday night
- The opportunity (optional) to put in a recording every 2-3 weeks for a virtual choir video - see our examples below. Submitting videos are completely optional and we have many members of VIral Choir who participate full without every submitting a recording.
- The opportunity to join live rehearsals whenever members can travel to Brisbane or Cairns
- The opportunity to join us for all special events and major performances (this year in Brisbane, Cairns and Hobart)
how Do virtual rehearsals work?
Over the last three years, we have tried a few different models for our online rehearsals and we know exactly what works and what doesn't!
Our online rehearsals are what we call hybrid rehearsals. This means that our online members will join one of our physical Brisbane rehearsals via Zoom. So, you will sit in the comfort of your own home, or even with friends and family, and you will be able to see and hear the choir in the room, have a close up view of the Director and also be able to see all other Zoom participants.
For most of the rehearsal you will need to be muted, so no one else will hear you sing. This is because it's not possible to sing together in sync online. It's up to you whether you want to have your camera on or off, although our experience shows that those looking for connection with others do better with their cameras on. We use a projection screen in the rehearsal room so that those in the room knows who is online at home.
Despite being on mute when singing, the rehearsal is fully interactive and you have several ways to interact with the rehearsal in the room as well as with other members online:
- The Zoom chat function (typed chat) is used extensively for members online to chat with each other during rehearsal, exactly as you would do if you were sitting next to them in the room. In fact, even better because you don't interrupt the teaching!
- You can ask Jaq, the Director, a question at any time by typing it in the chat in ALL CAPS (to get her attention) or by using the Zoom 'raise your hand' function. When Jaq sees this, she'll invite you to unmute and ask your question.
- Jaq will often react to the chat comments as they happen and share them with the singers in the room.
- Before and after rehearsal and during the short break, members on Zoom normally unmute themselves and have a chat and sometimes we will use breakout rooms during the break if there are too many people for one conversation.
It's natural if you feel a bit nervous about joining a rehearsal online for the first time as it's a very different concept but, if it helps, just know that:
- we have lots of very lovely and experienced members on each rehearsal and they can and will help you find anything you're not sure about.
- as you don't even need to leave your house, you really risk nothing by giving it a go. If you really find it's not for you and can't even make it through a rehearsal, you just hit the Leave button!
- it's very relaxed and some people will be in their PJs or working, cooking or eating at the same time! And there will almost always be at least one cat!!
FEES:
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Your first rehearsal is free so you can come along and check us out without obligation!
- Once your fees are paid, you can attend as many rehearsals a week online or in person as you want
- Fees can be paid by the term or on a weekly basis, via an automated recurring subscription
- Term fees are $205 standard or $133 concession
- Weekly fees are $18 standard or $12 concession
- Concession rates apply to students, concession card holders, pensioners etc
Please note:
- Term payments - there are no refunds for unused rehearsals, however, you can switch between term payments and weekly payments each term so if you know that you're going to miss a chunk of rehearsals in any given term. you might want to pay weekly that term.
- Weekly payments -
- this is an automated weekly payment, that will be charged on the same day each week.
- weekly payments are paid regardless of whether you attend rehearsal that week
- if you're not able to attend your regular rehearsal in person on any given week, you are able to attend an alternate rehearsal in person or online, watch a rehearsal recording or watch a video tutorial - so you don't need to miss out
- if you know you are going to be away for more than two weeks at a time, you can pause your weekly subscription until you return, without affecting your access to resources and emails etc. It can also be cancelled at any time if you don't want to continue your membership. Please note that the subscription payments can't be turned on and off on a weekly basis depending on whether or not you'll be attending. It's like any subscription membership to a gym or fitness classes etc.
- It's possible to switch between memberships at the start of each term as required
- You can view all the membership inclusions and read more about the two different types of membership here: https://www.soulsongchoirs.com.au/fees
TERM DATES:
We rehearse almost every week of the year, starting from w/c 16 January 2024. This year's term dates are:
- Term 3: 1 July - 22 September (12 weeks)
- No break in rehearsals in September due to upcoming concerts
- Term 4: 23 September - 12 December (12 weeks)
VIRTUAL CHOIR VIDEOS
Our virtual choir videos are a really important way of keeping our Viral members singing and is the only way they get to sing 'together' without travelling. Since March 2020 we have produced over 120 videos!!!!
All Soul Song members have the opportunity every 2-3 weeks to be part of a virtual choir video. Not all members submit videos but it's a great learning tool and experience for those that do. Check out some of the videos so far of click on the link underneath for the full playlist:
