Children's Choir

[Penthesilea]

Hello

I'm hoping to get some information from other mums whose children have been involved in a children's choir.

My daughter, who is seven, has been invited to join the Australian Youth Choir, and is very keen however I have some reservations. The audition was pretty dodgy, and the administration knowingly publishes outdated information. It costs nearly $1000 a year to participate. This covers weekly rehearsals, three concerts and a three day workshop, and a performance robe.

My instincts are telling me that it is a money making venture and I'm not going to be happy. Perhaps we should just wait until she is older and audition for the Dept of Ed Sydney Region Choir. She already does singing and acting classes at Brightsparks, which I'm happy with.

Does anybody with some experience have any advice for me??

[Just Add Water]

I don't have children in it but a family friend joined the Australian Youth Choir when she was 8 and has been in it for years and absolutely loves it. She has done a lot with them and her parents think that it is the reason she is such a confident and cheerful girl.

Ask them if you can speak to some other parents who are involved and see what they think - especially ones who have joined in the last year - if they are or are not going to renew then that will tell you a lot.

Good luck!

[RaryGirl]

My daughter was in the choir for three years. She enjoyed it .... but it was very expensive and she got bored as it was very traditional choir, where as she enjoys more of the gospel singing.

You've got the annual fee, uniforms (check Ebay to try and save $$), the mid year week training (extra fee ontop of annual fee) and every concert they perform in you have to pay for a ticket/s to see your child perform ($35+ a ticket), it was 3 concerts per year when DD was in it.

[Penthesilea]

Thanks for your help.

We'll see how we go.

[EmPowering]

i was in the australian youth choir about 6 years ago and i enjoyed it:):) but i do know it cost ALOT:yes:

the weekly classes were good and we also had to go to a week block in the school holidays. i only stayed in the choir a year as by that age mum said i could only have one afterschool acitivity in which i chose basketball over.

i did enjoy it though, made some good friends and loved performing:D