Thanks to all for your speedy responses to my post concerning the
above-listed subject. I begin with my original post:

Friends and colleagues,

The Asheville (NC) Choral Society Board voted to raise dues for singers from
$50 to $100 last spring, effective for the 1999-00 season. The new fee
structure includes two (2) season tickets which the singer can either sell
(thus retrieving most of the monetary increase), or give them away. There
are varied degrees of concern about doubling the dues including a protesting
letter from a singer (and former Board President) mailed to all board members
and to be distributed to all singers at the first rehearsal September 7. In
a meeting with the new Board President yesterday, I offered to find out what
sort of fees other community organizations levy on their singers.
(Note: the $100 fee is for the entire season).

Your early resonse will enable me to help our President prepare for
discussing this issue with the singers September 7. Thanks very much.

Please send your responses to me personally. If there is interest, I will
compile a list for all.

Many thanks,

Robert P. Keener, DMA
keenrob(a)aol.com
~~~~~~~~

Our choirs (Renaissance City Men's Choir and Renaissance City Women's Choir)
have a singer fee of $50 per season/half year (fall to holiday concert and
January to spring concert) or $100 per year. We are 2 community choirs under
the umbrella of one non-profit organization and one board of directors.
There are no "perks" for paying your dues (the singers don't have to buy
their own music), but we do have a scholarship application and process so
that anyone who cannot afford the dues can still sing. We also offer payment
plans for the dues. My understanding is that this is very "normal" for
community choirs. It will be interesting to see if the responses back this
up.

Darlene Durrwachter Rushing
Artistic Director, Renaissance City Men's Choir
Pittsburgh, PA
~~~~~~~~

We recently raised singer fees from $50. to $75. There was not much
protest, though the Board worried that there would be more. We do offer
full or partial scholarships to anyone who cannot pay (the singer fee
for the person on scholarship is usually donated by another singer.)

It might help to explain what you get for the fee. For us, we mention
things like: music and folder to use (i.e., borrow), professional
direction, professional accompanist, tips on vocal production, chance
to sing music otherwise unavailable in the community, camaraderie of
the group, and usually a comp ticket to one or two of the concerts.

Sue Weiland
Masterworks Chorale
Muncie, IN
~~~~~~~~

Hello, FYI, we charge no dues to our forty auditioned singers. On the
contrary, we are now, beginning this year, paying them $10 per event
(rehearsals & concerts). We do not give them any free tickets, but
encourage them to purchase tickets, make a donation to The Choral ARts
Ensemble (a nonprofit organization now in its fifteenth season), and make a
donation to and attend the Annual Benefit: Silent Auction & Dinner.

Hope this helps.

Sara Decker
Administrative Director
Choral Arts Ensemble
Assisi Heights, Suite 900
1001 14th Street NW
Rochester, MN 55901
507-252-8427
cae(a)millcomm.com
www.millcomm.com/~cae
~~~~~~~~

Washington Women's Chorus: Dues $100
This does not include any tickets. This does not include music costs.

McLean Choral Society: Dues $100
This does not include any tickets. This does not include music costs.

In establishing our rates, I have found it useful to "break out" the costs of
being in business to the choir members in a seperate meeting. Compare the
cost to community college evening classes, etc. It turns out to be a
recreational/educational bargain.

Don Richardson
~~~~~~~~~

Robert:

The Saginaw (MI) Choral Society has been around for 64 seasons. It started
in the city parks and recreation department and was funded at $1,800 per
year when I began conducting in 1976. I don't believe that there has ever
been a fee for membership. We do have a music deposit of $20 that is
refunded at the end of the season when all the music is returned. We have
sustained the budget through keeping a balance of ticket sales, private and
corporate donation, plus grants. We prefer to have the largest part of our
revenue from ticket sales and donations because the grant sources are
generally public money that is subject to wide swings in availability.

This season we will have five major preparations with seven individual
performances. There are 110 in the chorus. We have donated office space
and a full-time general manager and project manager (fund raiser). I am the
conductor. I'm part-time as is the accompanist.

Hope this helps.

Jack B. Jonker
Music Director
Saginaw Choral Society
326 S. Jefferson Avenue
Saginaw, MI 48607

jbjonker(a)corpserv.delta.edu
~~~~~~~~

Mr. Keener:
Your new fee of $100 is actually on the low side compared to national
trends--I suggest you check with Chorus America to acquire some
information to support this.

The idea of each singer displaying the initiative necessary to sell two
tickets in order to 1) bring their own out-of-pocket membership fee back
to pre-1999-2000 levels and 2) promote concert attendance is
excellent--I haven't heard of it before, but will certainly remember it.

Any singers who balk at supporting this idea have undoubtedly given
evidence in the past of not being team players, and would have found
something else to carp about
had you not presented them with this very well considered approach to a
thorny problem.

I congratulate you and your board on finding a most creative solution to
one of the hard facts about community chorus administration. Grants are
hard to get, and the chorus members need to be as realistic about their
musical passion as they are about their professional business
activities: if the money isn't there, the show doesn't go on.

Best wishes.

Thomas Sheets
Conductor
UMS Choral Union
Ann Arbor, MI
~~~~~~~~~~

oh! i forgot.... we are charged a (paltry) $35.00 for the season that runs
from mid august through early april this does not include any tickets, nor
outfits. We are an auditioned group of approx. 55 - 65. We usually 4
concerts in that time.

thanks again, and i'd love to hear the results of your survey.

Nancelu
~~~~~~~~~~

Rob-
we charge $120 per year; for 106 members, we took in 12,800
dues represents about 9.7% of our revenue; You might look at your
percentages as justification either way. My suggestion for you is to look
again at the dues, to consider rolling them back to say, $60 ($5/mo) and
asking for donations to cover the shortfall, unless you already are heavily
dependant on member donations.

We were going to raise our dues to $150 ($12.50/mo) but decided not to this
year, but to ask all members to contribute something, which would be tax
deductible for them, as dues are not, (unless they're professionals, music
teachers or such.)

I founded the chorus 5 years ago and set dues at $10 per month for a 10 month
season; about 2 years ago we changed to a year-round $120 annual fee (which
they can still pay monthly if they want) when they brought me onto a 12
month contract. (we still tale July off, but our members have been educated
to understand the need for year round expenses.)

So, we raised dues from $100 to $120 in 5 years. Our members and friends
donated almost 19,000 last year, 14.4% of revenue so we decided to encourage
more of that rather than raise the dues.

This accomplishes 3 things: makes them feel good that the Board cares about
them and isn't just randomly raising dues, gets them to consider donating if
they haven't already, and prepares them for a future dues increase. "we
didn't raise dues this year, BUT..."
My suggestion for you is to look again at the dues, to consider rolling them
back to say, $60 ($5/mo) and asking for donations to cover the shortfall,
unless you already are heavily dependant on member donations. The goodwill
you'd get might be worth more than the revenue and bad feeling, if folks are
already polarizing around the issue.
Hope this helps: good luck!

Aloha, Tim

Timothy Carney,
Artistic Director
O`ahu Choral Society
Hawai`i International Choral Festival
June 25-July 1, 2000/BROTHER SUN, SISTER MOON: LE LAUDI DI SAN FRANCESCO
D'ASSISI, late romantic oratorio by Swiss composer Hermann Suter (1870-1926)
O`ahu Choral Society, Festival Chorus, and Orchestra
Individual Singers and Choirs Welcome
Inquiries Toll Free: 1 888 284 6742 (PIN 0940)
Visit our webpage at www.OahuChoral.com
~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Bob,

If this helps, here is a Canadian answer.

The Windsor Classic Chorale is an independent adult choir made up of 35
singers. Our dues for the last four years have been $60, of which $30 was
the actual membership fee, and $30 was a required donation to the choir
(for which the members get a tax receipt.)

Our board decided to raise the dues to $90 for the coming season, with $40
being the donation part and $50 being the membership fee. So far we
haven't heard any protests; we will see if we get any when rehearsals
start.

The raise was decided on because we have added (at my request) a part-time
position of voice coach, and the extra will cover that cost. The Board's
reasoning was that since this will directly benefit the singing members,
they should pay for it.

All the best,
Dick

Prof. Richard Householder
Director of Choral Activities
School of Music Phone: (519) 253-3000, ext. 2797
University of Windsor Fax: (519) 971-3614
Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4 e-mail: rhouseh(a)uwindsor.ca
~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Bob,

The Rochester (NY) Oratorio Society raised its membership dues two years ago
from $40 to $50 a year. There was no opposition. In addition, each member
of the 200-voice chorus purchases his/her own music for each of our four
concerts. This can run from $40 to $60 for the year.

Good luck in your difficult task of trying to make peace with the board and
the singers and continue to make good music.

Roger Wilhelm
Music Director
~~~~~~~~~~

Princeton Pro Musica has raised its dues this year for the second time in
twenty years. Dues will be $50 per concert period (roughly, a "quarter").
Previously the dues have been $40 per quarter.

I regret that we have dues. We make it clear that no one is to be
excluded--that they only have to ask and they'll have a "scholoarship." At
this point, though, dues are an important part of our budget.

The Pacific Chorale, which abolished dues and began to treat its members like
other people in its fund-raising efforts, has had a substantial increase in
income from contributions since making that change. I'd like my organization
to move in this direction.

Frances Fowler Slade
Music Director
Princeton Pro Musica
ffslade(a)cs.com
~~~~~~~~~~

My chamber choir has just raised dues to $80.00 a yr. This money pays mostly
for music which is maintained by the group if the member leaves. I am not
paid but we do try to pay an accompanist $30.00 an hour usually one hour of
our weekly 2.5 hour rehearsal.

We do not charge for our concerts and have limited fund-raising avenues. I
do not see that $100.00 is way out of line. Of course, we make it a stated
policy (and we practice it too) that no one shall be denied an opportunity
to sing because they can not afford to pay dues.

Bel Canto Chamber Choir
Denver, Colorado
Sharyn Baker
Instructor/Computer-Based-Training Design
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Department of Facilities Operations
Mailstop A078
4200 E. 9th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80262
Email: sharyn.baker(a)uchsc.edu
Office phone: (303) 315-8003
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our dues, when we had them, were $10/month ($5/month for students), for
a 9-10 month season, making them comparable to your $100 figure.
Fortunately, about 6 years ago, we reached a fiscal plateau that
permitted us to eliminate the dues altogether. I suggest that you
and your Board make that a formal goal.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
John M. Crowell Learn from the Past
Davis Community Network Live for Today
DCN Systems Manager Look to Tomorrow
netadmin(a)dcn.davis.ca.us Take a Nap This afternoon
UCD SunTREC Site Manager
jmcrowell(a)ucdavis.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Keener -

Our community choir raised dues this year from $10.00/month ($90/year) to
$20.00/month ($180/year). However, we also are offering an early-pay
discount of $60 for the first half-year (4 months) and $80 for the second
half-year (5 months) if paid by the end of the first month in the cycle, or
an annual fee of $125 (9 months ) if paid in toto by the end of the first
month. We do not currently have season tickets.

It might be noted that, at least as of a few years ago, one of the major
symphonic-size choirs here in the L.A. area that performs major programs in
name concert halls was charging at least $100/year to its volunteer members
-- although not, I assume, to its professional ones.

On the other hand, the semi-professional chorus which I direct has reduced
its long standing $50 dues to zero.

I think the issue is money. If the choir -- through ticket sales, ad sales,
fundraising and soliciting donations -- is bringing in sufficient revenue to
run the organization in the manner they want, then no dues or minimal dues
are necessary. If however they are mostly depending on "the other guy" to
pay for their fair share of running the organization, and they have high
expectations of orchestras, new (and expensive) music, etc., then they need
to ante up.

Alexander Ruggieri
West Hollywood Chorale
Pasadena Classical Singers
~~~~~~~~~~

WOW! $100 is awfully steep....unless you're talking for the entire year
(season)--you didn't mention this. We (Plano Civic Chorus) just raised our
dues from $40/semester to $50/semester. The idea of tickets which could
reimburse your dues I think is not justifiable. There shouldn't be that
stipulation.

Good luck to you!

Brent


D. Brent Ballweg, DMA
Dir. of Choral Activities
Collin County Community College
2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy.
Plano, TX 75074 USA
972-881-5653
bballweg(a)ccccd.edu
http://iws.ccccd.edu/ballweg/choral/ballwegbio.html
~~~~~~~~

Robert,

Our community choir went to the same problem 3 years ago. We raised our
fees from $50.00 to $150.00 for many reasons. The most important reasons
were to build a contingency fund for "rainy days" but also because the price
of the music (we buy and rent a lot of music - 15 - 20 concerts a year) were
skyrocking year after year. The price of travelling was also going up
substnatially.

There were some unhappy members but 6 months later it all died down and
nobody seemed to mind any more. We also build a fund to help those who
cannot afford to be members but are good singers. I myself and my wife asked
for help since we have 3 young children and a monster mortgage and they were
very pleas to help us especially that I am the librarian and I give the choir
hundred of hour a year as a volunteer.

Hope it was usefull.

Jacques. E Brodeur, tenor and mucic librarian
Vancouver Bach CHoir
Canada
~~~~~~~~

Robert,

The Edmond Community Chorale (Edmond Oklahoma) has dues of $25.00 per
year with a music user fee of (new this year) of $20 (too many singes
don't turn in the music if they drop out of the group early in the
year). I thing that the season passes are a good idea.

Since we are partially supported by the University of Central Oklahoma
(I purchase music from my univ. account and they provide a hall to sing
in, etc.). We also recieve grants from the state arts council and a
local women's club. All in all it provides us with opperating expenses
at the level we are presently at. If we choose to increase the level
that we are at, money will become an issue.

Good luck.

Dr. Lon Dehnert
Director of Choral Studies
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond Community Chorale
ldehnert(a)ucok.edu
~~~~~~~~~

Morris Conservatory Symphonic Chorus $90.00/yr + $music
Morris Conservatory Chamber Choir $100.00/yr +$music
Morris Conservatory Youth Chorus $200.00/yr


How much do other things cost?

Bowling weekly $10.00-15.00
Movie ticket -$7.00
Dinner in a decent restaurant - $25.00-50.00/head

I am sure that you could make up your own list.

What is real value $ of participating in the chorus?
Do you suffer from church choir mentality - make do with what you have?
It's okay God will still love you? Or are you "in business" to strive for
Artistry and musical excellence and expose your member to higher levels of
achievement and the satisfaction that goes along with it?

There are many hidden costs.

Printing and postage are major. Our newsletter costs about $350.00 to
produce and send.

What about the salaries of your director and accompanist? Are they paid AT
LEAST what they would get in their private studios? Here in the Northeast
that is $50.00-60.00/hr.
Is your director paid for administrative time outside of rehearsal? Or
should he/she donate his/her time because he/she is so dedicated to his/her
art form? Would you ask your plumber to do this? What is his hourly rate?
Would you ask your car mechanic to do this? What is his hourly rate? Would
your organization ask the post office to "donate" postage for your membership
correspondence? etc. etc.

Do you publish a budget? Do you have a finance committee?


All of these may be helpful in raising the awareness of your membership about
the cost of "doing business." Anyone who runs a household budget can
understand that you can't pay out more than you get in. This is called debt,
and it is bad!!!!!!

Good luck. Who controls what is distributed to your membership in the name
of your organization?? Sounds like this former board member is sour grapes.
Direct confrontation can work wonders. However unpleasant it may be at
times, it is better than a festering wound that ends up infected the whole
body and eventually killing it.

For what it is worth-------

Edwin Foster, Director
Morris Conservatory
PO Box 416
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046

fre321(a)aol.com
~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, that's quite a jump! I know OUR chorus members' heads would pop off at
that percentage of increase. However, you were pretty low to start with, at
least for my area of the country (NY/NJ Metro area). And it was smart to
offer that season ticket deal, so they could choose to recoup if they wanted
to.

FYI, my chorus started 4 years ago at $75. We have gradually increased
membership contribution rates to the current amount of $90. We have no
required ticket sales, but ask our members to volunteer for a variety of jobs
throughout the year (mostly assisting at fundraising events, or serving on
one of our standing committees.)

We have found this is about the most we can expect from our members. Asking
for more of commitment than that tends to make them prickly. Bottom line,
their true preference would be to pay annual dues and then be left alone to
sing -- although if we were to work that way, we'd have to charge them twice
as much annually!

It's a real bear, figuring out how to make it all work financially
(especially when you're running the chorus in your spare time, without any
fulltime paid help!) Well, that's all the feedback I have . . . good luck .
. .

Jody Sinkway
Vice President & Publicity Chair
CantaLyrica
A Women's Chorus
~~~~~~~~

North Coast Chorale, Astoria, Oregon, charges $10 per month over the
10-month season. Singer gets a comp ticket to each performance, since we
don't yet sell season tickets. Operating expenses covered include
singers' music, accompanist, facility rental and conductor.
--
Lani Johnson
Nysara Studios
Warrenton OR
lanjohns(a)OregonVOS.net
~~~~~~~~~
Hi--

Here at Women's Voices Chorus in Chapel Hill, we charge $50 per semester, or
$100 a year. Every singer gets one complimentary ticket to each concert (and
can have her family/friends earn more by being part of setup crew). When you
compare this fee to charges for, say community recreation department pottery
classes, it is quite low.

To some this is pocket change; to some it is impossible. We make it very
clear that no one leaves for financial reasons, and that people can arrange
with the treasurer to pay in installments, or to make partial payment, or to
be on full scholarship. We budget to assume that 10% of our members will be
on full scholarship, and so far that amount has never been needed. We also
recognize that individual members' financial status can change, depending on
emplyment, domestic, and other factors.

I think it helps to let people know what the increased fees will be used for:
more guest instrumentalists? Raising conductor or accampanist salaries? A
particularly wonderful score that is very expensive? More publicity to
increase audiences? People do understand that they get what they pay for,
but it's hard for them if they don't know what they're paying for.

Best wishes,

Mary Lycan
mlycanclef(a)aol.com
~~~~~~~~~

Dues $20, $30 for family. Purchase own music (a significant expense as
you know). We supply but they buy.

--
"The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that
sing the best." Henry David Thoreau

Dr. Robert P. Eaton....eatonrp(a)ma.ultranet.com

Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, MA
http://www.ultranet.com/~eatonmu/ARHS

Assabet Valley Mastersingers
http://www.ultranet.com/~eatonmu/AVM
~~~~~~~~~~

Hi,

I'm with Bel Canto Chorus in Milwaukee. All our volunteer singers are
expected to purchase their own music ($average $15/concert x 4 concerts) and
sell the equivalent of 4 season tickets (which equals about $220 - $250). In
addition are the expenses in the first year of "costuming" - dress kits to be
purchased and made for women; tuxes for men.

Our section leaders (paid folks) are exempt from these requirements (except
the dress items).

Debbie Rakestraw
General Manager
~~~~~~~~~

Robert:

We have just raised our fees from $65 to $100 (CDN, mind you), to bring them
more in line with other choirs like ours in Canada. My sense from the
survey we did was that the average fee now is between $120 - $150 for larger
symphonic choruses in Canada. In our discussions one of the board members
brought up the fact that even with the fee increase, it is the cheapest
voice lesson/musical experience one can get by a mile!

L Ratzlaff
Richard Eaton Singers
Edmonton

Leonard Ratzlaff
Department of Music
3-82 Fine Arts
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB CANADA T6G 2C9
Phone (780) 492-5306 (School)
437-4257 (Home)
Fax (780) 492-9246
e-mail:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert,

I direct two community choirs and the dues for each of them are $100/year.
In addition, they pay a $15 music deposit fee (refundable) in case any music
is lost. For one of the choirs, the women pay a $75 dress rental fee to rent
the $300 dress for the season. and in that same choir, each member is also
required to sell 5 tickets to each concert ($15/ticket).

Hope that helps.

Iris Levine
islevine(a)aol.com
~~~~~~~~

Robert:

Our 100-voice community choir pays $100 annual fee. Since we do not have
space (or the desire) to store music, however, they are allowed to keep
their music scores and most of their $100 goes for that and rehearsal
material and tapes (when they are made). My singers are used to it after
six years and 'covet' their own FRESH scores for each work that we
perform. Hope this helps. . . FCJ

Frank C. Jacobs, Artistic Director
Summit Choral Society - www.summitchoralsociety.org
715 E. Buchtel Ave - Akron, OH 44305
Email address: fcjacobs(a)juno.com
Voice: 330-434-SING (7464) Fax: 330-434-8564
~~~~~~~~~~

We charge $50 dues, just raised two years ago from $35, where it had been
forever. We also buy all the group's music! This year, for the first time,
the women will have to purchase a specific concert outfit at about $90. We
have no requirements about selling a certian number of tickets or CDs or
anything, tho of course we encourage it!

DJ



David Griggs-Janower
Albany Pro Musica
PO Box 3850
Albany, NY 12203-0850
Ph/Fax: (518) 273-6510
http://www.timesunion.com/communities/apm.htm

UAlbany: www.albany.edu/~singers
janower(a)csc.albany.edu
Pro Musica: http://www.timesunion.com/communities/apm.htm
UAlbany: www.albany.edu/~singers
~~~~~~~~~~~

First, let me say that we live in a rather expensive area as far as the costs
of running an organization are concerned. That said, we each pay $120 per
year in dues. We receive no tickets in return for this and are also expected
to pay our wardrobe expenses, if any occur for that particular year. We do
allow members who request it, for financial reasons, to pay on an installment
plan quarterly. We do not find this out of line at all, as the money over
and above our ticket sales (which are excellent) helps provide for that much
finer programming and high level professional conductor and accompanist, as
well as excellent professional venues.

If you publish a compilation, please do not include my Screen Name, as
internal information about our group is not for general publication.
~~~~~~~~~~

Our community chorus in Bismarck, ND has no annual fee for members, but the
question of establishing a fee has come up a number of times. Please post
your results.

Tom Porter
thporter(a)gwmail.nodak.edu

---

Several additional responses arrived after I posted the compilation on the
subject noted above. Many thanks to all who responded!

Robert P. Keener
keenrob(a)aol.com


Hello!
Re your post to Chorallist on Tuesday, August 31st, 1999, on the
fees (dues) paid by singers in community groups.
A highly auditioned 24-28 voice choir that I belong to in Delaware
charges a due of $30 per half season, ie $60 per year. We are aware
that without the due, we usually cannot meet expenses, although our
concerts and schedules generate some income. But we are also
aware whenever we discuss dues that the percentage of change
needs to look reasonable. We agree that our budget has to be adjusted
to fit current dues income, etc. My reaction to your post was that
the 100% change was way too much, and would generate much negative
reaction, spoken and unspoken.
Good luck.
Jim Green
Newark, DE
~~~~~~~~~

I direct a small community chorus in the Phila. PA area. The dues for the
group are $80/year ($40 for anyone joining in Jan.). We raised them from
$70 about 3 or 4 years ago, which the group accepted. The members do not
get anything like free tickets or get to keep the music. We have
occasionally talked about raising the dues again, but feel it is too soon.

Carol Grey
~~~~~~~~

The Southeastern Oratorio Society of Whiteville, N.C. based at Southeastern
Community College charges $35.00 per year plus the cost of the music. Our
concerts are free, but donations are greatefully accepted.

L.A. Cothern
Asst. Director
~~~~~~~~

I would be interested in a compilation.

I sing in a symphony chorus of 125 people in Nashua, NH, which is
probably comparable to Asheville, perhaps a little smaller. We sing two
major choral concerts a year in Nov and Mar, a Christmas program, which
may be shared with the full orchestra, or a small group, and a Pops
concert, which is shared with the orchestra. Needless to say, we belong
for the Nov and Mar concerts!!

Our dues are $70 per year, payable in 2 installments, with a discount
for students (half I think). For this we get a donor listing in the
program book. We are, in addition, usually given the choice to pay for
our music, or return it.

I will be interested in your results.
--
Kathy Boyce
kathyboyce(a)mediaone.net
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

And the night shall be filled with music. -Longfellow

---

Listers,

Below are some of the responses to "fees for community choirs"

Our community chorus (Steiner Chorale in Lansing, MI) has around 40
people and we charge a $125 participation fee. We do 2-3 large
concerts a year.

We had a $50 initiation fee to help pay for a folder, music, etc.
Then themembership paid $30 a year which covered many of the other
expenses.

$150 per year. 35 members, 3 formal concerts - many gigs.

Yes, for the most part out here in California. Cantabile Chorale
chargessingers $100 per quarter and we have three quarters. We are
also verycareful to educate our members as to where the money goes
and why there isthe need. Scholarships are offered to those who
cannot afford the fee infull or part.

Recently I heard of a choir that gives a tax receipt for its
participation fee of $100.00. That would make the process less
painful and you could possibly charge a higher participation fee.
This is way up here in Canada; thus, I do not know if the same
procedure would be possible in your situation. I would also have to
inquire about the means by which this is effected.

We recently raised our fee to $10 and $20 (semester vs. full year
Sept - June) for members. We sing at least 3 times per semester at
nursing homes, perform at a Thanksgiving service in Nov, two
Christmas programs in December and a large spring concert in early
June. We award annually a $500 scholarship to a local HS student
continuing their music studies in college. AND we purchase our music
with the fees collected.

We are between 80-100 depending on the year, the repertoire,
theconductor (i.e. during a period of change). We charge $80 for
duesAND the members buy their own music. Some music we distribute
freeof charge (e.g. public domain stuff that is short).
Occasionallywe've performed with an orchestra that loaned us the
music but took it back after the performance. However there is a lot
of variety inmy immediate area. One chorus charges $25 plus cost of
music, one$125 plus music.

Our fee (Albany Pro Musica) is about $50 per year. We provide the
music, which they borrow. I feel
our fees are way low, given there are no additional music costs.

I also direct a community chorus of 100 and we're soon to be
beginning our 13th season. Up until now, we've only charged $20 per
year and then increased it to $30. This year we'd like to up it to
$55

A quarter-century ago, in Toronto, the fee was $50 for The Orpheus
Choirbut has since been increased (I believe it was $80 when I left
Torontoin 1996); as I recall The Amadeus Choir fee was $90 when I
started
singing with them in 1993; currently MCS dues are $100 for the year
orany part thereof, and each chorister buys one's own music (the
order is placed by the Society, often at a discount).

I direct a highly auditioned community chamber chorus. We do four
formal concerts a season plus an occasional gig. Our dues are $65 a
"semester," or $130 a year. This covers music costs for them plus a
portion of additional costs we incur. We number 35, and the lower
number participating means we need more dues from each. We expand our
numbers by around 50 invited guests for one concert each season,
which we do with orchestra and professional soloists. We charge each
of the "added" singers $25 plus they pay for their scores.

Please post a compilation of answers. Our community choir fee is $20
peryear. We present 2 concerts - Christmas and Spring.

Our community chorus (Steiner Chorale in Lansing, MI) has around
40people and we charge a $125 participation fee. We do 2-3 large
concertsa year.

Our participant's fee is $50.00 per season (or $90.00 for married
couples).
Like your fee, most of ours goes toward the purchase of music for the
season.

I work with 2 groups which, although quite different in size,
request the
same fees for each of the 2 semesters; $95 ($85 pre registration).
But
scholarships are given without question and music is extra.

The Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra ranges from 180 to 240
and gives
6 free concerts a year of 'masterworks'.

Bella Musica has abput 35 members and gives 2 to 4 concerts per year
with a
request for donations.

Our chorus of 140 voices has an annual fee of $120 plus requiring
each member
to purchase their own music (we don't maintain a music library).

The community chorus I belong has the same basic schedule.
Participation fee
is $60 per semester (per each concert). Members have to pay for their
own
music. The fee goes entirely to paying the director/conductor and
rehearsal
accompanist.

Our community choir fee is $20 per
year. We present 2 concerts - Christmas and Spring.

We are a community women's chorus of about twenty, and sing about as
many concerts as your group. Our fee is $30 per term, or $60 for
the season. I direct an all-volunteer adult community chorus of about
50 voices.


I have 2 comm. choirs..1 has a mandated patronage level of $50..the
other a
membership fee of $45.

We have a community choir of about 45 people and our annual dues are
$250.
This goes towards paying for music, a small stipend to the director,
instrumentalist fees, rehearsal space, accompanist and the like.
It's seems a bit high but members can pay all at once if they wish, or
$25 a month for 10 months. We do 3 concerts a year, plus an odd
pick-up performance here and there.

We call it "dues," and it's $30.00 per season. As with your group,
mostly
it pays for the music, which the individual keeps in his/her own
library at
home. We have few repeats, and find that our library is burgeoning
with
music we'll never perform again. Myself, I find the dues rather
high, but
I am consistently reminded how cheap the season's entertainment is
for
those who participate-- they get 2 hours of fun per week, about 35
hours
per season, making it a very cheap entertainment splurge. The board
assists those who truly cannot afford the $30 (students and the
occasional
senior).

I am director of the Crystal Lake Community Choir, and we do charge a

membership fee of $75. We have three concerts per year. There is an

additional and very short summer session (5 rehearsals!) for a free,
out-doors concert that is an additional $15. The fee generally
covers the purchase and/or rental of scores.

Thank you.
Charles R. Stark
cstark(a)lwhs.will.k12.il.us

http://www.gordano.com - Messaging for educators.