Members’ Handbook
Note: this Members Handbook contains our rules and regulations and should be read together with the »Mayfield Festival Choir Society Constitution.
1. General
Mayfield Festival Choir was founded in 1970 and Jeremy Summerly has been our Music Director since 2012. The choir has become noted for communicative performances of a wide range of choral repertoire, both within and beyond the biennial Mayfield Festival of Music and the Arts.
The choir is fortunate to perform with some of the UK’s most talented young vocal soloists and with first-rate orchestras and instrumental ensembles.
MFCS is a registered charity No. 1109434 and is affiliated to Making Music.
2. Membership admission and termination rules
New Members may join the choir either in February or in September, at the start of the rehearsal periods for the May or November concerts. In the first instance you should »Contact the Registrar. If there is a vacancy in your section, you will be invited to come for a couple of rehearsals to try us out. If there is no vacancy your application will be held until one becomes available.
Once you have decided that you would like to join us, you will be asked to take a short, informal voice assessment with our Repetiteur & Accompanist Andrew Benians. The purpose of the assessment is primarily to ensure that singers are placed in the right section and that the sound of the choir is balanced. The assessment will be done in private and is intended to be a friendly and helpful experience. In the past, singers have welcomed the advice they received and tend to feel more confident of their place in the choir once they have been heard.
For more inexperienced singers, and if Andrew thinks it would be useful, we can offer financial support (through Friends of Music in Mayfield) for a couple of singing lessons to help you find your feet.
Occasionally, if it becomes clear that it would be more helpful for you or the choir to do so, the Committee or Music Director may ask you to change sections.
The »Mayfield Festival Choir Society Constitution provides further information about termination of membership.
3. Subscription fees and other payments to be made by Members
There is an annual subscription of £105, payable on 1st March by standing order and, if possible, gift-aided. Members should see the Treasurer if they join mid-year. Fees are reviewed annually at the AGM. In order to encourage more younger people to discover the joy of choral singing, the subscription is currently waived for singers under 25 years old.
We have a small raffle at each rehearsal to raise additional choir funds. Contributions of prizes are always welcome
Occasionally we may run a fund-raising campaign (e.g. to purchase new staging), to which Members will be invited to make voluntary contributions
If Members or their friends would like to give additional support to the choir, you can become a Patron. We offer patronage at two levels: silver (£50-£200 a year) and gold (£200+ a year). Patrons’ names are listed in our programme, offered advanced booking and invited to social events sponsored by the choir. See »Become a Patron for more details.
4. What Members can expect as part of their membership
Mayfield Festival Choir performs in the beautiful setting of St. Dunstan’s Parish Church, Mayfield. We normally give two major concerts each year, in early May and mid November with a programme of major choral and orchestral works. All Members can expect to sing in both concerts.
We aim to provide you with a challenging and satisfying choral experience. You can expect to be led by a first rate Music Director and Repetiteur & Accompanist, and to perform with professional soloists and orchestras.
Recognising that the music may be new to you, we will provide links to as many »Rehearsal Aids as we can find for each concert.
5. What is expected of Members
We do not rehearse year-round, just in the 10 weeks or so leading up to each concert. Rehearsals start in early February for the May concert, and in mid September for the November concert. They take place in St Dunstan's Church, High Street, Mayfield TN20 6AB on Thursday evenings from 7.00 to 9.00 pm. There is usually an additional Saturday morning rehearsal mid-way through the period.
The registrar records each Member’s details and keeps a record of attendances. You are asked to notify the registrar in advance of any absence. Be aware that if you miss more than three rehearsals for a concert, you may not be adequately prepared.
We have dress and technical rehearsals on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons immediately preceding the concert. Everyone taking part in the concert is expected to attend these.
Members are expected to arrive in good time because we always start promptly. You will need to have a soft-leaded pencil and eraser with you at rehearsals to annotate your scores as indicated by the Music Director.
In addition to attending rehearsals, Members are encouraged to undertake some private study of the works.
Full details of the »Rehearsal Schedule for each concert are posted as soon as they are confirmed.
The expenses involved in staging concerts with a full orchestra and professional soloists are high and we therefore count on Members to do all they can to ensure large audiences
by selling as many tickets as possible to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. (we expect each Member to sell at least four tickets for each concert) and
by spreading the word and displaying and distributing flyers, leaflets and posters as widely as possible.
Our concert dress code is:
Ladies: long black skirt or trousers, long-sleeved white top.
Men: dinner jacket, black bow tie, white shirt.
We use plain black folders to hold scores for the concert performances. These can be purchased from the Librarian at a price of £5.
6. Code of conduct – how Members should behave towards one another
Mayfield Festival Choir prides itself in being a friendly and supportive choir. It is expected that all Members will always behave to each other with kindness and courtesy.
7. Rules about borrowing music for practice
Vocal scores are available for hire from the Librarian for a nominal charge at the start of rehearsals. At the end of the concert you are asked to return all borrowed scores to the Librarian (having erased any annotations you have added). Anyone unable to take part in the concert is responsible for returning his or her score to the Librarian in person as soon as possible. Late return of scores will incur a fine from the lending library which the Member will be expected to pay.
Occasionally, if we cannot source hire scores, it may be necessary to ask Members to buy their own.
8. Expanding the specific aims and objectives of the society
From time to time, the Choir holds “Come Sing with Us” workshops to which other singers may also be invited. We may also raise funds for registered charities, as decided by the Committee.
9. How our income is used
The Committee aims to hold in our bank accounts sufficient money to fund the Choir’s activity for a year. As a rule of thumb, rehearsal costs (venue hire, Music Director and Accompanist fees) are met by membership subscription, while the cost of the concert (venue hire, soloists, orchestra, Music Director’s fees) are met through ticket sales and patronage.
10. Rules about electing the Trustees, the Committee and other significant roles
The Choir is administered by the Committee, all members of which are also Trustees of Mayfield Festival Choir Society. The Committee is elected each year at the AGM. Officers include the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Registrar, Box Office Manager, Concert Manager, Publicity Manager. All members of the Committee are also Trustees of the Mayfield Festival Choir Society.
Ex-officio officers include the Music Director, Accompanist, Head of Music at Mayfield School and a representative of Friends of Music in Mayfield.
There are also a great many other roles that Members of the choir take that contribute to its successful running. These include Programme Manager, Librarian and Social Secretary.
Ex-officio officers, Members or others with whom we work (e.g. a representative of the Mayfield Festival of Music and the Arts) may be invited to join a committee meeting. However, only the elected officers may vote on any issue.
11. How the Committee will communicate with the Members
The Committee mainly communicates with the Members in person at rehearsals and by email through the Registrar. Please let the Registrar know immediately of any change of address or other contact details.
Information about the programme and rehearsal schedule are also posted on the website.
12. Mechanism for membership communication with the Committee
Members should contact a member of the »Committee if you have any questions, problems or comments. The choir values all suggestions and ideas which could improve its functioning, both musical and organisational.
13. Policies for safeguarding, volunteer management, health and safety
The »Safeguarding Policy has been published as a separate document.
14. Data protection
Details of our Members are held within our data management systems in accordance with the terms of our »Privacy Notice. A printed version is available upon request.
15. Rules about how, how often and by whom the Members Handbook will be updated
This Members Handbook will be reviewed annually.
Last review: 6th September 2026