Sing with Transcend

How to Join

All potential members should contact the choir admin prior to joining in order to receive more information about the choir, assess musical experience, and determine voice part. Our admin can be reached at admin@transcendsings.org, or through our contact form at the bottom of the page.

The Transcend Ambassadors is an auditioned ensemble. Auditions are held in late August prior to our Fall/Winter season.

Who Should Join

While our choir is centered around gender expansive voices, singers of all gender identities are welcome to join. No prior experience in choral settings is needed, and many of our members do not read sheet music. Difficulty levels of the music range from easy to moderately challenging, and practice tools are provided for all members. 

Rehearsals & Performances

TRANScend meets weekly on Sunday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm for rehearsal at Horace Mann Rm 435 at Teachers College, Columbia University (525 W 120th Street). 

The Ambassadors meet weekly on Sunday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Ambassadors then continue rehearsing with the TRANScend Community Chorale from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. 

Performances occur throughout the season, but generally include:

  • Seasonal “caroling” in the park in spring, summer, fall and winter.

  • Spring outreach concert;

  • Summer Pride concert; and

  • Winter holiday concert.

WANT TO Sing with us?

We’re always open to new members, so please reach out if you’re interested in joining.

Commitment Levels: 

  • Core Members

    • Core Members are expected to attend rehearsals and perform in the core concerts.

    • Core Members commit to rehearsing their music at home, and learning/reviewing the weekly music assignments provided to the ensemble.

  • Community Members

    • Community members consist of individuals who want to participate in the community, but may not have the time or desire to commit to regular rehearsals and performances. 

    • Community members will have access to all of the musical resources provided to core members, and are welcome to participate in concerts if they have been in regular attendance and are comfortable with their part in the music and can demonstrate that they are sufficiently prepared to sing in the concert.

  • Ambassadors

    • Members are currently expected to participate in the TRANScend Community Chorale – both to embed the performers in the trans/gender-expansive community, and to participate in the musical learning process, as the ensembles will share certain musical literature.

    • Ambassadors are expected to attend all Community Chorale rehearsals performances, as well as other concerts and community events as scheduled throughout the season.

    • Performances outside of the metro NYC area may require travel, which will be arranged by TRANScend.

    • The philosophical existence of the Ambassadors is to be just that – a visible Ambassador to the outside communities within which we perform. This means being trans/gender-expansive in public spaces, interacting with audience members and potential donors and adjusting to changes in the situation or schedule as they occur.

Ambassadors Auditions

Auditions are a group experience, in which potential members are given a musical piece to learn prior to the audition. At the audition, participants will warm-up together, rehearse the assigned piece, and sing in various configurations at the request of the auditor panel. 

Potential members will be assessed for a) preparation of the assigned piece, b) tuning, c) tonality and blend, d) ability to make musical adjustments during the rehearsal process, and e) prior history (if applicable) of timeliness, preparation and participation. Participants will receive feedback from panelists regarding suggestions for future development.

Auditions are held annually in late August or early September.

Additional member expectations

Dues:

The chorus will collect dues from members once in the Fall/Winter season, and once in the Spring/Summer season to help fund choir performances and events. The dues are on a sliding scale of $0-$60 a semester, with a target of $20 per member, and will be collected by Choir leadership at the beginning of the season.

Concert dress:

Each member’s personal comfort, authenticity, and personal expression are essential to our concert attire. Performance dress requirements will always strike a balance between individual expression, uniformity, and formality appropriate to the venue. For our concerts, members are typically required to wear: 

  • Bottoms, pants, and skirts must be predominantly black and worn with black footwear.

  • Tops, dresses, or other pieces of clothing should be black, white, or choir colors (purple, teal, and gold.)