Do I need to be able to read music?
Absolutely not. You are welcome to use a score – and we bring them for people who enjoy reading music – but most singers in Crib Notes use the lyric sheets we give them. All our songs are taught thoroughly by ear, so no one needs to worry about feeling left behind if they don’t have a great deal of prior musical experience.
Do I need to audition to join Crib Notes?
No. We accept all-comers, including some Mums/Dads/carers who say that they have barely sung a note in their adult lives! We strongly believe that everyone is capable of making a beautiful sound, especially when we come together to make music – a fact that is borne out at every Crib Notes rehearsal.
But I can’t sing!
We are certain that this isn’t true. It’s completely natural to feel some trepidation before opening your mouth to sing in front of people for the first time. However, we are a choir, and nobody is required to sing by themselves – unless they particularly want to! Rest assured that the atmosphere in Crib Notes is friendly, informal and completely pressure-free. If you’re new to singing, our sessions are a safe space to try it out – we’re sure that you will have changed your opinion of yourself by the end.
What happens in rehearsals?
We warm up gently for 10-15 minutes, typically with some light movement, some breathing exercises, some gentle humming and a few scales. After this, we spend the rest of the session going through 2-3 songs that are in our repertoire for the term. Meanwhile, the babies will most likely be chilling/playing on the mat that we lay out for them, or sleeping in their prams and slings.
What if I need to feed/change/soothe my baby during the session?
That’s totally fine. Make yourselves at home, and if you need to duck out for a while to tend to your little one, please go ahead. Our Musical Directors are accustomed to this, and unlike more formal choirs, we don’t expect or require 100% concentration from our singers at all times – we understand that your attention may be divided from time to time.
Can I bring my toddler?
You bet – we have many Crib Notes kids who started coming when they were tiny and are now running around. You might just like to bring along a few toys to keep them occupied, but this is totally fine.
My child is now at school, but I’d still like to come – is this allowed?
Yes. In fact, we have a number of Crib Notes members who initially attended the choir with their babies and toddlers in tow, but who now come by themselves. This is absolutely fine.
Can my child join in with the singing?
Of course, although it must be stated that this is a choir for you – the parents and carers – and our pop/world music repertoire reflects this. In other words, we don’t tend to do nursery rhymes!
Do you create rehearsal tracks to make learning the songs easier?
Yes. We find that these can be useful to our singers, especially if they’ve missed a couple of sessions in the run up to a performance. However, there’s no pressure to practice outside of rehearsals. Our Rehearsal Tracks pages is password protected – we’ll give you the password when we see you at Crib Notes.
Do you perform?
Yes, we aim to do at least one performance per term. These give us a focus, as well as a huge confidence boost and a sense of achievement once they are over. They can also provide a great opportunity to socialise. Like our rehearsals, our performances are very informal, and you don’t have to participate – although we hope you’ll want to!
How do I join?
We suggest you buy a Taster to begin with. These are just £3, and, as the name suggests, allow you to come and sample the choir. After this, you have the option of buying one-off Drop-Ins, which cost £12 each. However, we recommend you make a bulk booking of 6 sessions for £50. These must be attended consecutively; however, if you miss a session for whatever reason, you have the option of making it up by coming to a rehearsal at a different venue.
