Hello, choirs!
We're so excited to bring you ChoirBLAST in 2024! At our event in 2023, we hosted 26 choirs across 3 stages, with 47 performances and welcomed over 2000 people to Godalming to celebrate with us! Want to be part of it next time? On this page, you'll find information about the event and how to apply.
What is ChoirBLAST?
A celebration of contemporary choirs from around the UK and internationally.
A non-competitive all-day festival with several performance areas, food & drink, craft stalls and activities - plus some surprises!
An opportunity to sing for the joy of it, spending quality time with your choir enjoying the performances from others.
A not-for-profit endeavour which supports two incredible charities.
What can choirs expect?
✔️ The opportunity to perform two performance sets, of around 20 minutes, without paying a fee.
✔️ An inclusive, non-competitive event showcasing different styles, arrangements, genres and abilities.
✔️ A full-day event; participate by performing, listening, dancing, and enjoying yourselves.
✔️ Based in leafy green Godalming, a historic town in the Surrey hills.
✔️ Organised by professional musicians, choir leaders and events planners and in collaboration with A Touch Of Musicality.
✔️ Not for profit, all proceeds going towards charities chosen by the choirs participating.
What kind of groups can apply?
✔️ Harmony singing groups, minimum of 4 people.
✔️ Contemporary only, i.e. Pop, Rock, Folk, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Soul, A Capella.
✔️ If applicable, live accompaniment is preferred to pre-recorded - no full bands.
✔️ Able to travel to Godalming, Surrey on 8th June 2024.
✔️ Can be professional or amateur-based choirs or vocal groups.
✔️ Enough material for a set, not just a single song.
Location and Parking:
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We advise that you plan for your choir members aim to arrive 60-90 minutes before your performance time to allow for parking, entering the site, acclimatising and getting warmed up
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For more information on getting to Godalming and the festival site, please visit this page: Visiting Godalming
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Details of Godalming’s public car parks may be found by clicking here: Car Parks
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Information about coach drop-off points and parking options can be seen here: Coaches
Technical Stage information:
We are working on the plans for 2024, however it may be helpful to review some of our technical information from 2023, below. Please note, however, that this is all subject to change and any technical requirements must be discussed with the ChoirBLAST team.
THE FIELD - Located at the Burys Field.
- Stage on three/4 levels. 8m width by 4m long. One of the levels will be ground level for anyone who has mobility issues or wheelchair access.
- Roofing will be a 9m by 6m Stretch tent style marquee. Open sided.
- Becky and Tyler will be your sound engineers for the day, who are a team from Masterlink Studios in Send.
- Full PA, Foldback, and 8 condenser microphones will be set up ready to amplify the choirs.
- Full size piano, piano stand, and piano stool will be available for anyone to use.
- Aux cables will be used to get Backing tracks onto the PA and Mixer system.
- 5 SM58’s will be available for soloists, or smaller vocal groups. (However, we do advise you bring your own for hygiene reasons.)
THE BAR - Located at the Burys Field.
- Stage on three levels, 6m width by 3m long. One of the levels will be ground level for anyone who has mobility issues or wheelchair access.
- This stage is located at one end of the Bar marquee, at the other end will be the main bar for the event.
- This stage will be undercover.
- Graham and his team will be doing the sound for this stage.
- PA will be available to use for backing tracks and the piano will be going through this.
- this stage is NOT mic'd for choirs, but handhelds will be available for soloists. However, be advised to bring your own for sanitary reasons if you have them.
- keyboard/piano will be set up ready to use for any choirs using live accompaniment.
THE BANDSTAND - Located at the Jack Phillips memorial, Godalming bandstand site.
- the stage is the bandstand, when our choirs perform there I tend to stand them outside of the bandstand on the steps to tier them, but you can be in or out as you see fit, for larger choirs I’d advise out.
- PA available for piano and backing tracks
- piano will be set up ready to use for anyone having live accompaniment
- this stage is NOT mic'd for choirs but handhelds will be available to use for soloists. However, be advised to bring your own for sanitary reasons if you have them.