Be inspired – Join us

You must be over the age of 18 to audition for and sing with the London Philharmonic Choir.  If you are under 18 and looking for a choir to join, we thoroughly recommend London Youth Choirs who train singers from age 7.

The Choir usually rehearses on two nights a week (generally Monday and Wednesday) at a central-London venue. Rehearsals last from 6.30-8.45pm. Additional rehearsals with the concert conductor and orchestra are called in the period immediately preceding an engagement. If the Choir’s schedule of performances is very busy, additional rehearsals on other nights or at weekends may be required. The Choir has guidelines about attendance that will be explained when you join or you may want to enquire when you email us.

There is no annual subscription for members. On joining the Choir we ask for a one-off payment of £25, which covers the cost of a music folder for concerts, and administration. A new member is expected to join the Choir as an active member for at least six months.

Each season the Choir has a variety of exhilarating and varied projects. There are concerts of the core classical choral repertoire. These are generally held in central-London venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, the South Bank Centre and St Paul’s Cathedral. Occasionally they may take place out of London and the Choir has performed at other major UK venues including the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Salisbury Cathedral.

The LPC also performs popular classics for all to enjoy and organises concerts in more intimate spaces that offer the chance to sing unusual or challenging music. These may take place in churches, historic buildings or smaller concert halls, generally in central London.

For more than 70 years the LPC has been recognised as one of the UK’s foremost choirs, but it is also known across the world. The Choir’s frequent tours to cities in Europe as well as Asia and Australia continue to promote its reputation for music-making at the highest standard.

In most years the Choir undertakes one or two tours. Selection for places on these tours is usually governed by attendance and commitment.

Apart from a few standard works, the Choir provides members with music for concerts. Scores are generally borrowed by the Choir from a music-hire library and need to be returned at the end of a project. More information will be provided when you attend a discovery rehearsal.

For women / non-binary members: black full-length dress, skirt or trousers (evening-wear style – no skinny jeans), covered elbows and minimal jewellery. Black pop socks or black tights should be worn along with black shoes.

For men / non-binary members: black shirt and trousers (formal – no skinny jeans), with black shoes and socks.

If you are interested in joining the Choir, but are not sure if it is right for you, come along for a discovery rehearsal. You can take part in a full rehearsal, meet the members, and get an idea of the musical standard expected. It’s a great chance to talk to other people to find out about what it’s really like to sing in the Choir. There’s no commitment to join – if you have enjoyed your evening you can arrange an audition for another night. To arrange a discovery rehearsal now, contact our membership team through the form linked below.

Audition times can be arranged when you attend your discovery rehearsal. You don’t need to bring any music with you. The audition includes some vocal exercises and some sight-reading. You must be able to read standard musical notation. Auditions are carried out by Neville Creed our Artistic Director.
Preparing for LPC Auditions (pdf)

Although most new members enjoy the chance to attend a discovery rehearsal before deciding to arrange an audition, some singers – perhaps those who have sung with the Choir as a guest and want to move to full membership – can arrange an audition without attending a discovery rehearsal. If you feel this is right for you, enquire about arranging an audition now through the form linked below.

We are passionate about singing and the wellbeing benefits it can bring to singers’ lives. Should your singing experience not be compatible with our audition process and performing with the London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, our Membership team will assist by directing you to other suitable choirs. They can also provide a list of singing teachers and arrange a follow-up audition in the future.