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Come, Sing with Us!

We are an international group. That is what makes us special. But it also means that we are forced to say farewell to many singers each year, as they leave the Netherlands for other countries. This means that we are always on the lookout for new members, and try to offer people who enjoy singing a warm and pressure-free welcome.

If you live nearby The Hague (or soon will be moving nearby), and can be free most Thursday evenings to attend rehearsals, we could be what you are looking for, whether you are Dutch, British, American or from any other country.

On this page you will see some information about what the Cecilia International Choir offers its members, and what we expect in return. There are also some comments from choir members explaining what the choir means to them. If you are interested in finding out more, contact us!

What we Offer..

Atmosphere. We are a friendly and diverse group. Our eighty or so members come from as many as fifteen different countries, including the Netherlands. The common thread is that we rehearse in English. Although we pride ourselves in performing at our very best, we always remember that the main purpose of the choir is to share some fun together. Many friendships have been formed through our choir: during the 15 minute break in the rehearsals there is plenty of chance to chat over a cup of coffee and a biscuit.

No pressure. Come along for a few weeks to see how you find us. During that time, no-one will ask for any money, and we will try to make you welcome and give you the information you need. We don't run auditions, so you won't have that to worry about. We are also careful not to expose individual singers - you'll always be singing together with other people.

Malcolm Davies. Our conductor has a postgraduate degree in Choral Conducting and has been leading us since 1975. He combines deep skill with captivating humour. Many of us cannot understand how he manages to stay so calm with us even in the run up to concerts, always teaching but entertainingly through stories and tips. We invariably surprise and delight ourselves with the quality of performance he creates. Whatever your singing standard, Malcolm will improve it.

Dessy Radeva. Our accompanist is a highly accomplished concert pianist who combines her musical talent with willing encouragement of the whole choir.

Summer and Autumn Concerts. Leading up to the summer, we practice hard to perform one or more major choral works, often accompanied by professional orchestral musicians. Recent summer music has included Mozart's Requiem, Rutter's Magnificat, the Ramirez Missa Creola, and Handel's Messiah. In autumn, we perform a concert where we team up with local school or youth choirs in a combined programme.

Christmas Carols. In December, we perform very popular traditional carol concerts at three different local churches.

Spring Concert/Party. A special event for our choir is a fun evening in March where we entertain ourselves and invited guests to a supper evening with a musical programme with a theme. This is a chance for choir members who are keen to perform in smaller groups or even on their own.

What we expect..

Subscriptions. We are a non-profit making society, but we do have expenses to recoup through member subscriptions currently around 150 Euros per year. For those who can afford more and feel that the choir is good value, we occasionally solicit additional anonymous donations.

Rehearsals. We expect members to attempt to attend rehearsal each Thursday evening if at all possible. Spread through the year, we organize three extra rehearsals on Saturdays for detailed work. If you have missed too many rehearsals to be fully prepared, the conductor may ask you not to take part in a concert. We do maintain an attendance register. Please also be punctual: we start each week at 19.45, and finish in time to be out of the building by 22.00. During school holidays we take some weeks off, including about eight weeks over the summer - listen to announcements for exact schedules.

Music. You'll occasionally be asked to rent or purchase sheet music. If rented, please keep this in good condition and return unmarked.

Concert Dress. Ladies wear white long-sleeved blouses and long black skirts. Gentlemen require black suits, white shirts and black bow ties. The choir provides floral buttonholes to brighten up our appearance.

Concentration. You will notice how relaxed the choir is, but that doesn't extend to chatting while Malcolm is trying to teach us. Background noise makes it hard for others to concentrate and for any of us to learn. Please also bring a pencil so that you can mark your music with helpful hints.

Volunteers. The choir is run by a volunteer committee, and there are always many jobs to share out. Most of us take a lot out of the choir and are happy to offer our help on occasion in return. New blood on the committee is always welcome - please let the chairman or your section representative know if you are interested.

Ticket Sales. As with many groups, we ourselves have to provide much of the audience as well as the performance! Everyone is asked to persuade relatives and friends to come and support us: few ever regret turning up afterwards. If you can persuade your friends to actually join the choir, so much the better.

Contact Information

If you would like to know more, please

Hear what our members have to say....

How to find the Cecilia International Choir rehearsals:

Rehearsals at the British School, Diamanthorst 18, Den Haag. For a map click here