Join Us
Join the ranks of the London Gay Men’s Chorus
Get involved!
At the London Gay Men’s Chorus, we bring people together through the power of song. We perform at some of London’s most iconic venues; attracting audiences from all walks of life, and singing everything from pop classics and show tunes to powerful anthems and music from across the world.
Whether you’re an experienced performer or just passionate about singing, LGMC offers the chance to be part of something special.
The LGMC is about more than just singing. It’s about creating a sense of community, building friendships, and sharing moments of joy that go beyond the stage. We only ask that you share our love of music and connection, no matter your background or experience.
How do I join?
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Email us
Simply send an email to intake@lgmc.org.uk to join our prospective singing member list – please include anything you think we should know about you (accessibility). We’ll confirm your details and keep you informed about next steps. -
Come meet us
You’ll be invited to a Voice Assessment Evening where we get together, sing a few songs as a group, and individually assess each person’s vocal range. This is a friendly and informal process, not an audition – everyone is welcome, regardless of experience, and we’re here to help you find where your voice fits best. If you can’t make the date, don’t worry. Just let us know beforehand and you’ll be invited to a voice assessment at a later date. -
Next Step
After your assessment, we’ll email you to confirm your voice part. We do have a lot of interest in joining so there will be a waiting period and we will outline the current estimated time at this stage. We’ll send regular updates, and you’ll be invited to join as soon as a place becomes available. If you are unable to join the chorus at the time that you are invited (for instance because you are unable to commit to the rehearsal schedule for that particular season), you will retain your position on the wait-list for your section. -
Becoming a Member
We typically invite new members to join once or twice a year, usually in January and August. When your time comes, you’ll receive all the information needed to become part of our incredible chorus.
So the key is clearly patience. If you have the patience (and we hope that you do!!) please click the link below and fill out the short webform to register yourself on the master waitlist. Receipt of your name and contact details will be followed by a confirmation email that provides some more information about how the process works and what happens next. Please note that the confirmation is not automated, so it may take up to 2 weeks before you receive it; feel free to contact us to ensure that your information has been received if you don’t hear from us within that time.
Other Ways to Get Involved
If you find it is quite a wait to sing with us, you don’t have to press pause! While you wait for a singing member spot to open in your voice part, you can stay connected by joining and volunteering with our Semitones, a non-singing member group that supports the chorus in various ways. It’s a great way to meet people and start experiencing life with the LGMC before officially joining. Please contact intake@lgmc.org.uk and ask about becoming a Semitone member.
Is It Worth the Wait?
Absolutely! LGMC is not just a choir – it’s a community built on friendship, inclusivity, and the thrill of performing together. The wait may vary depending on your voice, but the connections and experiences that await are well worth it. Plus, we’re always looking for ways to keep our prospective waiting list members engaged and involved so when you get to this stage, keep an eye on your inbox.
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Shower Singer?
Not a problem! We welcome everyone, regardless of skill, because we’re a community chorus. Together, we learn and grow. It’s time to put down the shower head!
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Music in your soul?
Do you live for the music? Is it with you always? Share that passion with us, and grow with us in our Band of Brothers! You’ll be amazed how many new songs you learn.
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New friends!
Being a member of the Chorus opens up opportunities to meet hundreds of new people. Our members have made friends and some have also met their life partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is not an automated process so if you haven’t heard from us within a few weeks of registering your interest, please contact intake@lgmc.org.uk to confirm that your request was received.
You don’t need to be able to read music to join the chorus. Most of our new members can’t read music, but you’ll pick it up very quickly! There are tools to help and we support each other.
We rehearse every Monday 7pm to 10pm (Camden), and also one Saturday or Sunday per month 11am to 5pm (venue changes but will be in central London). In the week of a performance or for special events there may be rehearsals on other nights of the week.
There is a monthly subscription (fee) we ask our members to pay in order to cover the costs of running our organisation. There are reduced subscriptions (fee) for those on a low income. The exact cost will be confirmed with you when you are confirmed as a member.
Prospective members will be invited to a voice assessment in the order in which they registered their interest to join.. We hold voice assessments once or twice a year so you may wait approximately 6-12 months before you receive your first invitation. If you can’t make the date for which you have been invited, don’t worry, you’ll maintain your position on the list and you’ll be invited to a voice assessment at a later date.
You’ll join other prospective members and some current members in a fun and informal taster session of what it is like to be in the Chorus. During the evening you’ll also take part in a short session with one of our music professionals who will help you explore the potential of your singing voice. By the end of the evening you will know which section of the Chorus best fits your voice and will join the waiting list for that section Our sections are:
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First Tenor – highest singing voices
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Second Tenor – next highest voices
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Baritone – voices between Tenor and Bass
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Bass – lowest singing voices
Assuming you take the first opportunity for a voice assessment you will be invited based on when you originally first contacted us (not when you were assessed) at the start of rehearsal season. We normally have two concert seasons each year, one beginning in January and September but don’t always have space for new members each season. There are lots of variable factors we cannot plan for and but solely based on when you first contacted us to request to join you may expect your wait to be:
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First Tenor – 1 year (including time waiting for the voice assessment)
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Second Tenor – 3 years (including time waiting for the voice assessment)
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Baritone – 6 years (including time waiting for the voice assessment)
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Bass – 2 years (including time waiting for the voice assessment)
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Semitones – Non-singing members can join strait away
We promise it is worth the wait.
If you don’t want to sing with the Chorus, there are still opportunities to join as a ‘Semitone’ – a non-singing members who helps out in various ways, such as front-of-house at one of our shows, or on one of our committees (music, marketing, etc.). Please contact intake@lgmc.org.uk and ask about becoming a Semitone member.
Hear from the Chorus
I joined the Chorus after losing my partner of 25 years. It really was a lifeline for me, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't have been able to cope without the strength of my new found Band of Brothers.
Jeremy Jackson – Bass since 2001
I’d seen the chorus a few times, but it was after the 2013 Halloween Ball that I finally signed up. I have to admit to being nervous when the intake evening arrived, but everyone was really friendly and welcoming. It’s great to have met so many new people and made so many firm friends through the Chorus, not to mention the thrill of walking out on stage. It’s undoubtedly one of the best things I’ve done in my life, and my only regret was that I didn't do it earlier!
Andrew Levey – Baritone since 2014
I joined the chorus because I enjoy singing and enjoy being gay, and with LGMC you get to do both. Ten years on I still turn up because: the banter is good; it’s fun to perform to both old friends and the uninitiated; when rehearsing or performing I forget all about my day job, empty bank account and emptier bed; and I enjoy challenges such as hitting the high note in the Sondheim number, how to survive a 3 hour gig on a barge with no powder room, and how to weave a glove striptease into my “Santa Baby” routine.
Jerry Hill – Baritone since 2004
I’d never really had a strong group of gay friends. I love my straight friends to bits but there was always something missing and I was tired of convincing them to go to gay 'things'. I like to sing and I thought by joining the LGMC, I'd could make lots of gay friends and sing my heart out. I’ve had an amazing experience, travelling to Dublin and performing at amazing venues and inspirational events. Now I even live with two of them in a harmonious (well we try!) household. I love the guys and wouldn't change them for the world.
Matt Peake – Tenor 2 since 2014
For more than 15 years the chorus has enriched my life and opened up opportunities for singing, friendship and service I could never have imagined, even into Buckingham Palace!
Martin Brophy MBE – Baritone since 1997
How Does the Waiting List Work?
Due to the level of interest we get in becoming a member of the Chorus we operate a waiting list. The way the waiting list works is described below.
Once we receive your email to intake@lgmc.org.uk, your name will be added to a master list of ‘delegates’ in the order in which their request to join was received.
You will receive a confirmation that your email has been received. This is not an automated process so if you haven’t heard from us within a few weeks of registering your interest, please contact intake@lgmc.org.uk to confirm that your request was received.
We’ll need to assess your vocal range in order to know which voice part you belong to, so initially you are on a waiting list for a voice assessment. We conduct several Voice Assessment Evenings throughout the year at which time we invite a group of delegates to join us for an evening which will be conducted as a chorus rehearsal, and during which all the attendees will have the opportunity for their voice part to be assigned as well as to learn more about what it means to join the LGMC.
Delegates will be invited to a voice assessment in wait-list order (i.e. the order in which they registered their interest to join the chorus). If you can’t make the date for which you have been invited, don’t worry, you’ll maintain your position on the list and you’ll be invited to a voice assessment at a later date.
Once we know your voice part, your name will be added to a wait-list for the individual section to which you have been assigned. Once we have made a decision as to how many vacancies there are in your section for a new season, we’ll send invitations to join as a singing member. Again, delegates will be invited to join their section in date-order based on when they originally placed their name on the master wait-list (not in the order that they were assessed to the section). We have two concert seasons each year, one beginning in January, the other usually in September, so we will invite new singing members to join a maximum of twice a year, shortly before the start of a new concert season.
If you are unable to join the chorus at the time that you are invited (for instance because you are unable to commit to the rehearsal schedule for that particular season), you will retain your position on the wait-list for your section.
In the meantime we will do our best to keep you informed of how things are coming along, including advanced notice of voice assessment dates and the schedules for upcoming concert seasons.
So, if you’re ready to sign up, just send an email to intake@lgmc.org.uk and we’ll be in touch soon.