Australia's First LGBTQIA+ Choir
Interested in joining MGLC?
Our September 2022 new member intake is complete and our next intake is anticipated to be in late May/June 2023. Please use the form here to be placed on our waitlist.
Have you ever thought about joining a choir?
At MGLC, we strive for musical excellence and offer a supportive environment for enjoyable learning and performance and we welcome all who share our vision and love of music.
We have a waitlist of people interested in singing with us. Please use the form on this page to register your interest and we will contact you to let you know when we are accepting new members again.
If you are interested in singing with us, you will need to undergo a simple voice assessment. It involves pitch and rhythm exercises to ensure a basic ability to follow a tune, and to confirm your vocal range.
Please have a read through our FAQs below if you're unsure about what becoming a member of MGLC or shOUT entails. If you are interested in our next intake, please contact our new member co-ordinator via the form on this page.
New membership enquiry form
If you send us an enquiry using this form, we will make sure that you are contacted when we start to accept new members*.
*Vocal assessments are mandatory for those wishing to join, or for those wishing to rejoin after a break of more than 5 years.
Things to know about becoming an MGLC member (FAQs)
MGLC is an SATB choral organisation. That means we usually sing songs that are arranged for the vocal parts Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. A new member will be assigned a voice part based on their vocal assessment. Voice parts are not gender specific, rather they are an indication of where your singing voice sits comfortably.
Our singers come from all walks of life, with varying degrees of musical experience. MGLC is an LGBTQIA+ choir, and we are open to all regardless of sexuality.
The main chorus (all ages) has around 50 regular members.
shOUT (18-29 years old) has around 15 regular members.
Please note that currently we can only accommodate singers who have been fully vaccinated.
Rehearsals
MGLC rehearsals take place every Wednesday evening in South Yarra, and run from 7:15-9:30pm.
shOUT rehearsals run from 6-7pm every Wednesday evening at the same venue in South Yarra.
If you are keen, we have members who sing with both shOUT and the main chorus.
Musical Experience
You don't need to have extensive musical or singing experience. First and foremost, we are looking for people who love music and who love to sing and perform.
Although we do have some experienced musicians amongst our members, many will have only sung in the shower or in the school choir.
We are looking for people who are interested in, and able to harmonise with others, and who are enthusiastic to learn.
An ability to read music is an advantage but is not required.
Time commitment
We work hard to maintain a high quality performance standard and joining MGLC does involve making a commitment to rehearsal every week, and to your own practise at home.
Approaching a concert, there is usually a requirement to attend one or two weekend rehearsals, along with one or two sectional rehearsals (involving just your voice section).
Once a year, we hold a weekend rehearsal camp which is not only a lot of fun and a great way to get to know other members, but is also a valuable rehearsal opportunity.
We understand that people are busy with work and home life, but we ask that members attend at least 80% of regular rehearsals as singing in a choir is a team activity. When members fall behind in their learning, it affects the entire voice section.
Performances
We typically mount two major concerts per year, but there are a number of smaller events where we perform also.
MGLC is committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community of Melbourne. This means the Chorus regularly performs at community events - Midsumma, MCC Stonewall services, World AIDS Day at the Positive Living Centre, just to name a few.
We are also often invited to perform in the wider community, so there are good opportunities for people to get up and strut their stuff!
Over the years, MGLC have travelled overseas to choral festivals - most recently to the Out and Loud Festival Sydney.
New member intakes
We typically hold 2 new member intakes per year, although COVID has impacted this over the past 2 years.
We ask that prospective members sign up for a vocal assessment if they are interested in joining. Vocal assessments are mandatory for those wishing to join, or for those wishing to rejoin after a break of more than 5 years.
The vocal assessment runs through some basic pitch exercises to determine your ability to sing-back a simple melody, and to find out where your voice is best placed in the choir. At times, it may not be possible to offer everyone a place in the choir.
We would ideally love to have everyone join, but our maximum numbers are limited by our rehearsal space and our commitment to maintain a comfortable and safe rehearsal environment. A good vocal balance across the choir is also a key priority in making decisions about assessments.
Following a successful vocal assessment, a new member attends regular rehearsals and has a period of 4 weeks in which to decide whether to become a permanent member or not.
