Recruitment Is Not a Waiting Game

If you’re waiting for new singers to walk through the door because they saw your poster in the post office window — stop.

Recruitment isn’t passive, it’s active. You need a moment, a project, a reason for someone to join now.

Let’s look at what worked: Leeds Male Voice Choir. In 2013, they were down to thirteen members and on the verge of folding. They launched a structured recruitment project, supported by Peterborough Sings!, that focused on removing barriers: no pressure to read music, a clear start and end date, and a showcase concert to work towards. They jumped from 13 to 45 in one season.

What did they do right?

  • Clear messaging: “Join us, no experience necessary.”

  • A compelling offer: Learn to sing, perform in a concert, meet new people.

  • A deadline: Join now or wait until next year.

And this project recruitment model has been successfully replicated across the country - from Radcliffe to Risca, Welwyn to Worcester - with tremendous results. People don’t want indefinite commitments anymore — they want bite-sized experiences with real payoff. A six-week singing course followed by a concert? That’s appealing. “Come along and see how you get on” isn’t.

Don’t fall into the trap of advertising your desperation: “Choir may close unless new members found.” That headline — actual headline — did not fill the rehearsal room. Why would it?

Instead, try “Join our singing project and learn to perform in just six weeks.” Sounds like something worth doing.

We’re in a competitive leisure landscape. Singing is joyful, expressive, and sociable — but it’s not going to sell itself. Create a moment, then shout about it.

Will Prideaux

Will Prideaux is a choral conductor, educator, and director of Peterborough Sings!, the award-winning choral organisation behind Peterborough Male Voice Choir, Peterborough Voices, and Peterborough Youth Choir. A graduate of Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music, William is known for his work revitalising the male choir sector through inclusive leadership, bold repertoire, and project-based recruitment. He has worked with leading ensembles including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra, and has been recognised as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and a Fellow of the Royal Schools of Music. A passionate advocate for musical excellence and community engagement, William is shaping the future of choral singing—one rehearsal at a time.

https://www.peterboroughsings.org.uk/willprideaux-biography
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Your Choir Culture Could Be a Barrier (Yes, Yours!)