VOCALIST CALL OUT
LOOKING FOR A BASS/BARITONE FOR A NEW CHORAL PROJECT ABOUT QUEER NIGHTLIFE.
Congregational (2024).
OVERVIEW:
We are looking for a brilliant professional queer bass or baritone vocalist to join a small choral ensemble to perform in ‘Congregational’, a newly composed choral service for dying queer nightlife by artist Fatt Butcher. Please note we are not looking for any other voice parts other than bass/baritones. We are particularly looking for someone with strong skills singing gospel or popular music, and even better if you also have some experience with classical/choral music or musical theatre. You must have experience singing close harmony with others and be comfortable holding your own harmony lines in 4 and 8 piece arrangements.
Ideally you will be able to read and learn from sheet music as well as by ear, although for the right candidate this is not essential.
The role is open to professional singers of all genders, we are actively trans inclusive and encourage you to bring your full self to the project. We would particularly love to meet vocalists from the global majority.
KEY INFO:
Dates: rehearsals 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th & 19th August 2026, & performance dates 22nd Aug, 30th Oct, 20th, 27th & 28th November 2026 & 20th Feb 2027, further dates to be confirmed.
The chosen singer will join a group of twelve vocalists who will learn the show together, each performance will be performed by eight vocalists from the group (2 on each voice part sop, alto, tenor, bass/baritone) on a rotational basis (this is to allow for sickness/cover/availability as dates are spread across a longer period).
Location: Rehearsals in Birmingham, UK, performance dates currently planned in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Brighton, Coventry, & Cambridge - more possibly to follow.
Rehearsal Fees: £150 per day for 5 days rehearsal plus one additional day at £150 to familiarise yourself with scores/recordings (total £900), plus travel + accommodation costs where required, access budget available to support anyone with access needs participating.
Performance Fees: £200 per performance + travel/accomodation/per diems.
TIMELINE:
Deadline to apply - Midday on Friday 26th June, via the short application form is at the bottom of this page.
We will let everyone who has applied know by Monday 29th June if we want to invite them to an online audition.
Online auditions (via zoom) will take place in early July (times to be agreed with individuals).
Final casting confirmed Monday 6th July.
ABOUT YOU:
We are looking to recruit a singer who is:
currently working (or has worked) as a professional singer/vocalist (this is not an opportunity for amateur or community vocalists). We welcome singers from a range of musical styles and traditions, the music of the show draws on house, EDM, disco, gospel and musical theatre as well as classical choral traditions.
comfortable and able to sing as part of a group, and has significant experience of close harmony and/or choral singing with the ability to comfortably hold independent vocal harmony lines in group settings.
we are particularly keen to work with singers who identify as LGBTQ+.
over the age of 18+ (there is no upper age limit).
based in England, Scotland, or Wales, we are particularly keen to work with vocalists based in Birmingham or the West Midlands.
Are able to learn music quickly to a performance standard - sheet music and demo vocals will be provided.
are comfortable working in a creative environment with singers from different backgrounds, music styles & experiences.
are confident performing in smaller ensembles, conveying emotion and character through the performance. This project is as much about creating a feeling as it about technical musicality, and there will be some basic movement/staging.
Interested in queer nightclub environments, and about what working with choral music in these contexts could be.
Is comfortable performing material with adult themes/subjects (see ‘A NOTE ON CONTENT’ section for further).
Is self-employed and responsible for paying their own taxes & national insurance contributions.
AUDITION PROCESS:
We will invite anyone we are interested in working with to attend a short audition via zoom. During this we’ll ask you to sing an unaccompanied song of your choice, and have an informal conversation about you, your experience, and the project. This will include an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have.
NOTE ABOUT CASTING:
We don’t have a fixed idea of who can or should be a choral singer, we encourage you to be yourself and not feel restricted by the conventions of formal choral music. Whilst quality of sound is our absolute priority, we want this experience to be joyful and to feel like we’re building something beautiful together.
We particularly want to connect with singers who may have experiences of marginalisation in choral music settings including trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming singers whose vocal ranges may not match traditionally gendered voice parts - we hope this will be a space where you are able to bring your full self to choral singing.
Budget is available to support access costs for any performers who may require additional support in order to participate. We will discuss this on a case by case basis with individuals.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Congregational is a newly composed choral service for the nightclub, from artist & vocalist Fatt Butcher. Part concert, part-communion, part-resurrection, the show is a ceremony for the dance floor; a service to dying nightlife that reminds us to keep on living… and yes, there will be poppers.
Featuring a live choir of professional queer vocalists, complete with superstar DJ Just Soriah and virtuosic piano accompaniment from Nicky Harris, expect a thumping original score of newly composed hymns for the dancefloor blending house, trance, gospel, classical & experimental music.
The project is being written by Fatt Butcher in collaboration with Nicky Harris and Tobre, and produced by SJ Watkinson.This project has been funded by Arts Council England with support from Fierce Festival, Cambridge Junction, B:Music, Marlborough Productions, Brighton Dome, Factory International, Homotopia, and Warwick Arts Centre.
A NOTE ON CONTENT:
As well as exploring music, spirituality, and the dancefloor, this work contains references to sex and sexuality as well as references to drug/alcohol/substance use, it is explicitly and unapologetically queer. If you would not be comfortable performing this material in this context then this probably isn’t the project for you.
An initial R&D of the show was shared at Fierce Festival in 2024, highlights from this performance can be seen here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEPLBMQi1a0/
HOW TO APPLY:
To apply, please complete the short application form below by Midday on Monday 1st July
If you have any questions or require any further information please email SJ on hello@fattprojects.org
