From Couch to Chorus: Sing into Spring 2023
This event has passed.
From Couch to Chorus is back! Join us online over three weeks this March to welcome Spring. Under the guidance of our expert vocal leaders Marie Claire Breen and Matt Roughley, learn to sing wherever you are…
From Couch to Chorus is open to all, from complete beginners to experienced choir-goers. If you don’t read music or know your voice type, don’t worry. You’ll be provided with everything you need to help you experience what it’s like to sing in an opera chorus – all from the comfort of your own home!
Get a taste of what it feels like at the centre of the drama with Verdi’s ‘Gypsy’ and ‘Matadors’’ choruses from La traviata. Then travel to Spain and join the ‘Anvil Chorus’ from Verdi’s Il trovatore, with its rousing tune and rhythmic feel. Finally, it’s time to celebrate with the ‘Chorus of Wedding Guests’ from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.
The course will culminate with a livestreamed finale event on Wednesday 12 April where you will get a chance to sing along live with the Chorus of Opera North. There will be an option to attend in person and take part in a side-by-side rehearsal at the Howard Opera Centre too.
Since its first edition in November 2020, over 3,800 people from all over the world have joined us to take part in our award-winning online course. We can’t wait to welcome singers old and new!
“I have loved every Couch to Chorus but to sing with the amazing Opera North chorus was like a dream come true. I’m still buzzing two days later.”
“I have no experience of singing. Spent the first week thinking that it was too ambitious of me but slowly grew to love it. Inspired to sing more!”
– From Couch to Chorus: Sing into Spring 2022 participants
Duration
1 hour
Accessibility
All sessions can be captioned. We can also provide song lyrics in large-print. If you have any access needs please get in touch via education@operanorth.co.uk or 0113 2233600
Which voice type am I?
If you’d like to join us but need help figuring out which voice type you are, this guide is for you. Listen to recordings of ‘Habanera’ from Bizet’s Carmen, performed by the Chorus of Opera North, and sing along to see which one feels most comfortable!
If you’re still not sure, get in touch with us at lifelonglearning@operanorth.co.uk. Please only sign up to one voice type to ensure we can make as many places available to participants as possible.
Listen now
Dates & times
There will be two joint sessions for sopranos and tenors, and altos and basses, followed by a session with all four voice types. Simply select the session for the group you’d like to join.
On Wednesday 12 April the finale will be livestreamed for free from 7pm to those who signed up for the online workshops.
For participants who can travel to Leeds, there is an option to join us for the finale in person at the Howard Assembly Room and to take part in a side-by-side workshop with the Chorus of Opera North in the Howard Opera Centre from 5.30pm on the day. Tickets are £15 per person and can be booked by selecting the ‘In person event’ option, as well as signing up for the online workshop.
Soprano
15 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
22 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
29 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
Live streamed finale: 12 April, 7pm – 7:45pm
Alto
15 March, 8 – 9pm
22 March, 8 – 9pm
29 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
Live streamed finale: 12 April, 7pm – 7:45pm
Tenor
15 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
22 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
29 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
Live streamed finale: 12 April, 7pm – 7:45pm
Bass
15 March, 8 – 9pm
22 March, 8 – 9pm
29 March, 6.30 – 7.30pm
Live streamed finale: 12 April, 7pm – 7:45pm
FAQs
Do I need to warm up?
No, warm up exercises will be included at the beginning of each session.
I can’t make the session timings – can I still join?
If you can’t make the sessions due to other commitments, we’ll be sending the Zoom recordings after each workshop so you can catch up at a time that suits you.
I haven’t received my confirmation email or Zoom links – what do I do?
If you have not received your confirmation email within 24 hours of signing up the membership, please check the following areas before contacting the Box Office:
- Junk or Spam folders
- Check you are opted in to hear from us via email – this can be checked in Your Account in the ‘Contact Preferences’ section
- Check you have completed the membership sign up process correctly – you should receive a receipt of ‘purchase’ within 1 hour of signing up
How do I download Zoom?
To download Zoom onto your desktop, follow this link: https://zoom.us/download
Step-by-step:
- Click the link
- A web page should open. If you have Zoom on your device, click launch Zoom.us. If you don’t have Zoom, follow the below steps
If you don’t have Zoom on your device:
- Click join from your browser. If you can’t see this option, click on the download & run Zoom button, and then click join from your browser at the bottom of the screen
- Follow the on screen instructions to enter your name and/or email address, and prove you’re not a robot
- You will then be taken to the Zoom call
I’ve downloaded Zoom, how do I join the Zoom call?
To join the call, please click the link from your email, which should open in your web browser. Your browser will then prompt you to open Zoom (if you have it installed on your device) or to join the call from your browser. Alternatively, you can open the Zoom application, click ‘join a meeting’, and enter the meeting ID and password.
Why can’t I hear the other singers in the session?
Unfortunately, the time delay on Zoom means it’s impossible for everyone to sing at the same time. To solve this, everyone is muted during sessions so you can sing along and learn at home without distraction.
I can’t see the music properly on Zoom – how do I fix this?
There are two View settings on Zoom – ‘Gallery View’ and ‘Speaker View’. Please make sure you select the ‘Speaker View’ setting on Zoom once the workshop has begun, to ensure that you see the session properly. You change your View settings by clicking the icons in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Sometimes, other participant’s faces can cover the right-hand side of the screen when the sheet music is being shared on-screen. If the faces are obscuring your view of the music, you can remove them by either minimising the thumbnails, or clicking ‘View Options’ at the top of the screen and selecting ‘Side-by-Side’ mode.
Do you have accessible course materials?
We do! We can send you the song lyrics in large-print and Braille. Please get in touch via lifelonglearning@operanorth.co.uk or 0113 2233600 for accessible content and more information.
Will the Zoom sessions be accessible?
We will be captioning all Zoom sessions. To enable the captions in Zoom, click on the ‘CC’ button which is to the right of the ‘Record’ button. You can then follow every word being spoken – this can be useful if you are hard of hearing or listening in a noisy environment.
Will the Zoom sessions be accessible?
We will be captioning all Zoom sessions. To enable the captions in Zoom, click on the ‘CC’ button which is to the right of the ‘Record’ button. You can then follow every word being spoken – this can be useful if you are hard of hearing or listening in a noisy environment.
