“C’mon Baby Light My Choir!”

ENROL – EXPERIENCE – ENJOY

Carlton Male Voice Choir extends a warm invitation to all individuals with lower register voices across the Nottingham and surrounding region. If you’re passionate about singing, performing, and enjoying social camaraderie, then please come “Light My Choir” and join us at our Netherfield Rehearsal Venue every Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:30 pm!

Our rehearsal venue offers convenient free parking just a few yards from the entrance, ensuring hassle-free access for all. With a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere, our choir welcomes members from diverse backgrounds and ages, including those in their 20’s and beyond, our average age is around 55 and decreasing rapidly! New singers can look forward to exploring a wide range of musical genres and exciting performance opportunities.

Additionally, members have the chance to enhance their musical skills together through our Carlton Male Voice Choir Level Awards in Music Theory. For those interested in taking part, a list of singers who have achieved this honor can be found on our ‘Who’s Who’ page. Join us and embark on a fulfilling musical journey and experience with Carlton Male Voice Choir!

We are increasing in size quickly with the lowest average age of any Midlands Lower Voice Choir which means we must be doing something right! Be a part of something very special and SIGN UP NOW!

A big welcome to our wonderful influx of latest prospective members: Alex Willcocks (Tenor 1), Rob Ounsworth (Baritone), Iyare Nehikhare (Bass), Tim Vernon (Bass), John Walters (Baritone), Andre Pavia (Baritone), Sam Mitchell (Baritone), David Pinnock (Baritone), Neil Burnside (Tenor 2), Rich Parr (Tenor 1), Gary Fletcher (Tenor 2), Paul Whyatt (Bass), Gary Matthews (Tenor 2),  James Willcocks (Baritone), Kieran Peterson (Baritone), Matt Muclusky-Ball (Baritone), David Hope (Bass), Barrie Cook (Bass), Peter Gregory (Baritone), Stephen Mitchell (Baritone), Alex Ferrari (Bass), Chris Varnam (Tenor 1), Chris Mooney (Bass), Ian Dickens (2nd Tenor), Damien Hull (2nd Tenor), Paul Goodale (Bass), Luke Radford (Bass), John McIntyre (1st Tenor), Martin Duckworth (Baritone) and Tony O’Callaghan (Bass).

FAQ’s

(more at the bottom of this page)

Q: Who do I contact to join?

A: Please get in touch with our Secretary Howard who will make the arrangements or also feel free to just turn up at any session at around 7:15pm on a Wednesday at Netherfield. Howard Lloyd – 07306 039777 – choirsec.cmvc@gmail.com

Q: Do I need to be a professional singer to join?

A: Absolutely not! We welcome singers of all skill levels and backgrounds. Our primary goal is to help you develop your musical abilities and singing talents. As long as you’re willing to give it a try and put in the effort, we’re dedicated to supporting your growth and seeing where your journey takes you. Our rehearsals are enjoyable, fulfilling, and laid-back, providing a supportive environment for you to progress at your own pace. Plus, you don’t need prior experience reading music – we’re here to assist you in learning that skill if you’re interested. With guidance from our experienced team at Carlton Male Voice Choir, you’ll find yourself improving your music skills step by step, and before you know it, you’ll be reaping the rewards of singing with the choir. Join us and discover the joy of music-making together!

Q: Is it expensive to join?

A: Not at all! The cost of each rehearsal with our choir is actually less than what you’d typically spend on a drink at a pub. It’s actually FREE for prospective members, subscriptions are only paid upon becoming a full member. We collect membership subscriptions annually, which can be paid in a single payment or through convenient monthly installments. If affordability is still a concern, we’re here to help. Feel free to discuss your situation with us, as we have options available to ensure that joining is accessible to all. Your subscription fees contribute to covering expenses such as rehearsal room rental and the support of our professional music team, among other essential aspects of our choir operations. There is also a refundable deposit required upon becoming a full member, given in exchange for a choir suit.

Q: Does it take up too much time? I might need to miss a week, is that OK?

A: We recognise that life can sometimes get busy, and it’s not a problem if you need to miss a week of rehearsals or arrive late occasionally. Our motto is “family, health, and work come first.” We understand that your time is valuable, which is why we strive to make our rehearsals as efficient and rewarding as possible. We rehearse every Wednesday for 2 hours, with a summer break and some time off over Christmas. We also offer optional Friday rehearsals (shorter and earlier) during about half the year to polish up performances — great if you’re able to make them. These Friday sessions start earlier and are shorter, allowing plenty of time for your Friday night plans. All we ask is that you make your best effort to attend when you’re available.

Carlton performs 25–30 concerts a year, ranging from big formal events to relaxed gigs at festivals and pubs. We’ll soon be in a position to highlight a handful of key concerts where we’d love as many voices as possible and the rest are flexible — come when you can! And remember — the more members we have, the more flexible it becomes for everyone. If we’re 100 strong, we may only need about 50–60 on stage at any one time. Plenty of room to share the load.

Q: Do I need to be of a certain age or sexuality?

A: Certainly not, we are one of the few lower voice choirs in the East Midlands to have singers in all age categories from 20’s to 90’s – just look at the range of ages in the photos on this page (ave age 55)! We have members of all ages so just don’t worry, you will fit in with us. We have both straight and gay men in our choir, we also have various cultures, beliefs and neurodiversity too and we are proud to offer a safe place where everyone gets on, respects one another as equals and works as a team supported with a robust EDI policy. It is the singing that matters so we are committed that no matter what your diversity is, we will make a home for you at Carlton, you just need commitment to learning and progressing yourself musically. If you want to join a male choir with a lower average age and a strong social life, then we are your choir.

Q: Will an audition be something to put me off or fear?

A: At Carlton, we’re proud of the high musical standards we’ve built over the years — they’re a big part of what makes our sound so special. To help maintain that quality, we do have an audition process in place — but don’t worry, it’s designed to support you, not stress you or be feared and you will be amazed what you can achieve!

From the moment you join us, you’ll be welcomed as a ‘Prospective Member’, meaning you can attend rehearsals and take part in informal performances while preparing for your audition. There’s no pressure to audition immediately — we’ll help you get there at your own pace.

You’ll be matched with a friendly 1-to-1 mentor who’ll guide you through your journey, help with learning material, answer questions, and build your confidence. When you both feel ready, you can have a trial run to see how it feels — totally optional, but helpful!

What to Expect: Your audition takes place privately with the music team and your mentor. You’ll:

• Choose and sing a Carlton piece, following the conductor, with your music in front of you. Your mentor and/or music team may sing along if necessary to help you with notes.
• Answer some simple music theory questions about the piece — you’ll know in advance which piece it is, so you can study the theory of the piece at home or with your mentor if necessary and feel fully prepared.
• Do a few familiar vocal warm-ups, like singing up and down a scale and picking out notes — all of which you will learn easily in our weekly warm ups.
• Try some listening and pitch exercises — ‘sing this short phrase back to me’.

Q: Is there too much to learn before I can sing on stage?

A: Not at all! While we do have a wide-ranging repertoire, we know that everyone learns at their own pace. We encourage new members to take it one piece at a time—gradually building confidence and familiarity with the music.

You’ll have the chance to sing at informal events before becoming a full member, and once you are, we recommend using your music on stage for up to six months to help ease the transition. It’s all about feeling comfortable and enjoying the process.

Plus, we provide professional learning tracks to support you every step of the way. You might be surprised how quickly it all starts to click—and before long, you’ll be ready to shine on stage!

 

Interested? Contact Us here!

“Alway Something Sings”

We are always actively recruiting to protect our future and have been fortunate to attract regular new members continually.

Joining a choir is a big thing to do, especially if you’ve not sung with others before, we know that as we have all gone through it, including me! But I can’t recommend it enough and those that give it a go reap the rewards in plenty singing with a great bunch of people, making new friends, having great fun in a great atmosphere and building new experiences together whilst performing some great and varied music at some wonderful and interesting venues for deserving causes. Carlton Male Voice Choir is a great place to start if you want to join a renowned and respected choir as an experienced singer with existing ability or also if you are a total novice; we cater for all at all levels and all people equally and will support your individual growth. What we do say is that you will learn to be a member as well as learning to understand music and your voice as these standards are important to us in the way that we learn and understand the music we perform. The choir has the skills and people to be able to develop your singing, music ability, confidence and stage-craft and provide you with experiences that some people only ever dream of! Come give us a try – you will be pleasantly surprised and you won’t regret it.

We meet on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 pm and for half the year also voluntarily on Fridays from 7:00 to 8:30pm at our rehearsal venue:

Netherfield Baptist Church, Netherfield, Nottingham NG4 2LE.

Ian Watts – Musical Director (he/him)

LOCATION MAP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howard Lloyd – 07306 039777 – choirsec.cmvc@gmail.com

 

10 good reasons why YOU should Join Us…

 – just ask any of our members who, once they started singing, simply could not stop! Here are some of their comments:

“I was made very welcome by everyone I met”
“The pleasure of singing and the challenge of learning new music”
“Everybody was friendly and encouraging”
“The first song made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!”
“I wished I’d joined years ago”
“I believe, to my great satisfaction, that my singing, has improved and I feel much more confident”
“I enjoy Choir tours which are very well organised”
“Carlton Male Voice Choir should be available on the NHS!”

Please contact our Secretary if you would like further information or just to have a chat about the possibility of joining us.

Further Info on Joining Us – What to Expect

Membership is open to all equally, come an be part of our choir community.

The first visit of a new prospective member is an introductory one. On arrival, please make your way to the front of the room (stage area) where you will be warmly welcomed and introduced to our Musical Director who will do an informal voice check away from the choir and assign you to a section, introducing you to your Section Leader. Our Membership Secretary will provide you with a Welcome Pack containing essential choir details and of course some music. In return, you are asked to provide your contact details, fill in a ‘This Is Me’ form that tells us a bit about yourself and return the pack at the end of rehearsal. On your second visit the Welcome Pack is yours to keep hold of until becoming a full member. If there are any barriers or concerns potentially preventing you from getting the very best from our choir or being able to participate fully then please let us know on the ‘This is Me’ document which is treated in the strictest confidence.

The Section Leader and Musical Director will assign an experienced ‘Mentor’ to help, support and guide the you through your probationary period, please sit with this person as often as possible. Access to audio learning tracks will also be provided to help you start to learn our music. The mentor will help guide you as you learn.

You can attend choir rehearsals until you feel sufficiently proficient in your voice and musical ability to take an audition to become a full member and appear with the choir on stage, the time taken for this is absolutely open ended; it takes as long as you like but we’d love you to work towards this. Details on the audition process will be made quickly available and it is nothing to fear.

Life in the choir is not all work! We are a community and rehearsals and concerts are often followed by a voluntary visit to a local pub for refreshments and sometimes even an informal sing. Our Social Team organise a number of fun events throughout the year which you are welcome to attend, there is also a wonderful opportunity to tour with the choir annually.

The Choir seeks to put on professional and entertaining concerts to a high standard. This is achieved by attendance at Wednesday rehearsals throughout the year and Friday rehearsals from November to the end of April, regular attendance in excess of 70% on Wednesdays is expected as reasonable. We also ask that apologies please be given for any none attendance to the Section Leader and that a professional attitude and respect of others is shown at all times. Speak to us if your commitment levels differ from this expectation as we can always explore ways to make things work for you.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for more Frequently Asked Questions.

Some Of Our Latest ‘Prospective’ Members

John M

Martin D

THOSE MEMBERS RECENTLY PASSING THEIR AUDITIONS TO BECOME FULL MEMBERS:

Hats off to Adrian Davies (Tenor 1), David Eagland (Baritone), Edson Cantos (Bass), Huw Thomas (Tenor 1), Ben Irwin (Tenor 1), Gary Sheriston (Baritone), Wyn Jones (Bass), PD Traeff (Tenor 1), Graham Elsone (Bass), Andrew Shepheard (Bass), Andrew Poxon (Tenor 2), Ben Dew (Baritone), Danny Thorpe (Bass), Carl Nixon (Bass), Brian Allen (Bass),  James Hill (Tenor 2), Neville Thompson (Tenor 2), Adam Underwood (Tenor 1), Adam ‘Rossi’ Scott (Tenor 1), Sei-Jun Wong (Baritone), Brent Abbott (2nd Tenor), Vincent Carter (tenor 2) John Matthews (Baritone), Philip McKeirnan (Baritone), Jono Gregory (1st Tenor), Ian Wood (1st Tenor), Wayne Kitchener (1st Tenor), Wen Yan Kho (Flame) (2nd Tenor), Stewart Philpott (1st Tenor), Gordon Choir (2nd Tenor), Rich Wisker (Baritone), Alan McPherson (Baritone), Terence Poon (Baritone) for their outstanding auditions and recent induction as full members. Congratulations to all on this well-deserved achievement!

Adrian

David

Edson

Huw Thomas

Ben Irwin

Gary Sheriston

Wyn Jones

Per Daniel (PD)

Graham

Andrew

Ben

Danny

Adam

Rossi

Sei-Jun

Carl

Robbie

Brian

Russell

Vincent

Philip

John

Ian

Jono

Stewart

Flame

Wayne

Gordon

Arthur & Rich

Terrance

Alan

Chris

Derick

Terry

Nicholson

Nic

Barry

Sean

John

David

Barry

Johnnie

Some recent new members stories, all coming from varied backgrounds and experience:

Huw joined us after his own choir Sandiacre Male Voice Choir sadly folded. Huw had always been very friendly and aware of the Carlton Male Voice Choir having employed them to perform at his wedding with Donna. we’d always wanted Huw in the choir but would never push too hard with him being in our peer choir, as soon as there was a window to join us How grabbed the opportunity with both hand. As an experienced Tenor 1 it will be a pleasure having Huw with us.

P-D (Per Daniel) joined us as a member of Nottingham Men Allowed 2025 scratch singing group. it was clear to the organisers that his musical skills as a Tenor 1 needed to be used in Carlton MVC and when the project ended we were thrilled to see him come through. A lovely voice and a great appreciation of music technology, welcome P-D!

Ian joined us as a member of Nottingham Men Allowed 2025 scratch singing group. The second run of this amazing project raise in excess of £26,500 and Ian was immediately keen to take the journey to the next level joining as a 2nd Tenor.

Adam joined us as a member of Nottingham Men Allowed 2024 scratch singing group and soon took his rightful place at the front of the Tenor 1 section. A fab person who enjoys developing his singing. Adam has also taken on duties in our Marketing team.

Sei-Jun joined us as a member of Nottingham Men Allowed 2024 scratch singing group, he has a beautiful and reliable voice that projects wonderfully, he brings a massive smile with him and with his musical background also brings singing quality and style. Sei has recently taken on his first solo.

John joined us as a member of Nottingham Men Allowed 2024 scratch singing group and came directly through to the choirs baritone section. He has loads to offer our choir and has taken up the role of Logistics Operations Manager towing our equipment trailer around and coordinating set ups. A great singer who also sings with the Fun Chorus!

Flame took part in the Nottingham Men Allowed 2024 scratch singing group as a tenor 2 and his excellent voice needed a home, he came directly to the choir and carried on his journey. From Malaysia Flame spends some of the year back home and this is no problem for us, flexibility is key!

Russell took part in the Nottingham Men Allowed 2024 scratch singing group as a tenor 1 and wanted to continue his journey singing, he has since gone from strength to strength, finding his clan and even taken on a duo part in one of the choir pieces.

Robbie joined us after watching the choir perform at the Marcus Garvey Centre, he hung around afterwards and took part in the after show singing and so he wanted in! Robbie has soon become a popular member of the choir who has sought us new venues and guest artists.

Gordon joined us in the second tenors hearing about us locally and getting in contact, he has not looked back and enjoys taking part in the choir’s varying concert opportunities.

Arthur joined us with a bit of experience and made a great impression right from his voice test to see what section he is in, he could easily sing either bass or baritone (where he now resides) after passing his audition. Arthur’s father is a musician and he has no doubt made his dad proud now he is a full member of the Carlton Male Voice Choir.

Rich joined us in order to improve his musical ability and soon smashed his audition, he is in his 20’s and is already taking over some informal social aspects and MC’ ing at events.

Terrance joined us from a tip off from another Terry in the choir, he has the most beautiful vocal timbre and is already singing solos with the choir.

Alan joined us ‘out of the blue’ so as to speak, he has already become a leading baritone in the choir and his thirst for musical knowledge is outstanding. Alan travels quite a way to get to choir rehearsals but is totally committed to his music and clearly loves it.

Chris joined us recently having been impressed with this website, he is a music reader so after just a short time auditioned and joined us as a full second tenor in the ranks. He is already gaining the praise of his colleagues in the section. After experiencing his first two concerts with the choir at Rufford Abbey and Beeston Chris said – “I can’t tell you how fantastic I have found this weekend!  Yesterday in particular was a joy to be part of. Exactly what I was looking for!”

Terry joined us from seeing us perform at Patchings Arts Centre at Calverton during their massive arts festival, he was working as a marshal at the event and approached us after the performance to see about joining knowing one of our Baritones really well from another walk of life. He is fitting in really well so far in the Baritone Section and after an amazing solo performance of the full 5 minutes And Can It Be he became a full member and we wish him every success with the choir. His first performance with the choir was at Bingham.

Derick joined us out of the blue wanting to get involved in something fun and challenging after the recent passing of a family member. He has joined us and also started to learn to fly. Derick played in brass bands in days gone by and has already taken part on a live BBC radio session with the choir – so he is flying in more ways than one! Derick took his audition when he was good and ready singing a fine second tenor line to Gwahoddiad. He also passed his Level 1 theory very early on with a distinction!

Nicholson joined us invited by friend and fellow footballer Sean, he has quite a bit of singing experience having sang through his school years and as a chorister in a chamber choir whilst doing his degree. He joins us as a music reading second tenor and took his audition becoming a full member with I Will Be Child Of Peace; what a wonderful character Nicholson is with a fabulous voice full of beautiful pronunciation and diction with lovely pitching. Nicholson says he looks forward to “belting out some cracking harmonies with the lads” and as a fully fledged member he is doing that very well indeed.

Nic joined us by contacting the choir via facebook, he has started his new journey with the choir as a bass. The choir will make it possible for him to be involved despite his busy working schedule and family life. We can’t wait for Nic to develop in the fabulous bass section.

John turned up to a rehearsal after meaning to come to us for quite a while and we are so glad he did as his ability to learn music quickly is really paying off as a new first tenor and he is clearly using the learning tracks to great effect to enable him to use his voice with confidence in rehearsal. John has now sang with the choir at the Albert Hall and Southwell Minster being introduced on stage at the latter by no less than comedian John Bishop.

Jonnie joined us as a second tenor and soon took his audition under the guidance of assistant Musical Director Andrew Atkinson. Johnnie is a bank manager and is making a brilliant addition to the choir. He was interviewed live on BBC Radio Nottingham as a new member of the choir!

David joined the choir as an ex-member of the renowned Northampton Male Voice Choir. He used to travel to Northampton regularly for work hence his involvement with them but as his work duties have now changed he has looked for something more locally and I am pleased to say he has found us at Carlton. David is becoming a great friend of us all socially and brings tonnes of experience to the choir as a first tenor with a lovely bright voice.

Howard Lloyd – 07306 039777 – choirsec.cmvc@gmail.com

 

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FAQ’s

Q. Am I good enough?

A. You don’t need to be able to read music to sing with us. Every newcomer sits alongside an experienced singer, to help and guide them during their early days in the choir and to make joining as easy as possible and we help you learn to read music as you go along. We enjoy developing your skills and performance abilities so you will be supported as you continue to develop your love of singing.

As well as being provided with the score for each item of music, members also have recordings of the song parts for their particular voice to make the learning process very easy.

Prospective members can take as much time as they need and our aim is to give newcomers every assistance. We will develop you up to a point where you take a short audition to demonstrate your abilities and although it can be a little nerve wracking every attempt is supported to positively point you in the right direction; so it is absolutely nothing to be frightened of (see details of the audition above).

Rehearsals are really enjoyable – hard work and learning tempered with good humour and reward. All that is asked is that individuals attend rehearsals regularly, be professional, are willing to learn and are prepared to put in a little time outside rehearsals to facilitate the learning process – ‘little and often’ is an established formula for success in learning both music and words.

At the end of the day, the only real answer to this question is to ‘give it a try’, so why not come along and see us in rehearsal? You will find that we are a friendly and welcoming bunch and very keen to help you enjoy your singing with us.

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Q. How much time will the choir take up?

A. We rehearse weekly on Wednesdays 7:30-9:30pm. We rehearse on Fridays for half of the year from 7:00-8:30pm allowing ample time to get out and do something sociable afterwards. It also helps if choristers can spend a little time between rehearsals by going over the song parts and again before concerts, learning tracks are provided to make this very easy. Most songs are sung without music copies so these need to be known ‘off-by-heart’ and the the ability to do this only comes with practice – you will be amazed how quickly this skill comes with the help from all around you. Music copies can be used in concert for the first six months after becoming a full member. Choristers are expected to attend Wednesday rehearsals on a regular basis and Fridays when they can.

Rehearsals are often followed by a voluntary social gathering in a local pub and all are welcome.

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Q. How much will it cost me?

A. Full members pay an annual membership subscription which covers running costs, the music team, music scores, uniform and the rehearsal venue. The choir puts aside some funds for members who may have difficulties meeting costs, so finances need not deter those who want to sing with us. Details of the current subscription amount can be requested via the contact page.

A refundable deposit is paid for your choir suit for performances.

Members are usually expected to make their own way to concerts and other events. Let us know if transport is a problem and we will endeavour to help.

From time to time, national or overseas tours are organised for the choir to travel and sing with other choirs. The cost of such trips has to be borne by the individual members, but there is often a valuable subsidy. The trips are voluntary but encouraged.

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Q. How will I fit in?

A. We are committed to being open to all people with a lower voice register equally and to treat everyone with respect and equality. Rest assured that regardless of your background, experience, ethnicity, neurodiverity, abilities, sexual orientation, religion, spirituality or age you will be warmly welcomed and supported. Encouraging new members is one of the ways in which our choir has maintained its numbers, standards and reputation over many years. The choir comprises of people from all walks of life, of all ages, some working, some retired, all coming together to create something that they really love and which our audiences will enjoy.

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Q. Is there a social element to being in the choir?

A. Absolutely! The choir sees the social side of being part of a male voice choir as an extremely important and integral part of membership. We run lots of voluntary events for all ages and diversities ranging from Crazy Golf to Karaoke Nights, to Crown Green Bowling, to Cream Teas, sometimes raising funds for the choir or a suitable charity. All members are welcome. We often hold after show parties (with obligatory informal singing) and enjoy a beer after concerts and rehearsals which we see as a great opportunity to meet other people in the choir. Our tours offer a further opportunity for getting out there with others. The choir has a fun WhatsApp group where people enjoy the fun of socialising via the medium and arrange further nights out.

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Q. Will I like the music you sing?

A. We really hope so! We have a large, wide and eclectic repertoire of music to suit ALL tastes and all audiences, you may not like everything of course, but you will certainly like much of it. We are not just hymn singers but appreciate the need to maintain the traditional as well as staying relevant to changing audiences.

At Carlton, we keep things fresh with a rolling repertoire — we add new songs each year while keeping favourites that still feel right for us. Our setlist spans everything from pop (like Bohemian Rhapsody, Viva La Vida, I Swear, All About You), show music, opera choruses to more traditional and choral pieces, both sacred and secular, contemporary and classic.

We’re not tied to any religious group, and we’re also looking to bring in more music from diverse cultures to reflect our community. There’s a little something for everyone!

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Why not give it a go?

Interested? Contact Us here!

Howard Lloyd – 07306 039777 – choirsec.cmvc@gmail.com

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