Hello! We are the Barts and the London Music Society.
BL Music welcomes students of all musical ability and caters to the interests of everyone.
This year brings challenges to our usual rehearsal schedule. Our groups will still run so please either follow us on Facebook or email us to get involved. We will aim to have some kind of regular rehearsal as long as restrictions permit.
- Chorda Equina (a capella): Monday 6 - 8 pm
- Choir: Tuesday 7 - 9 pm
- Orchestra: Thursday 7 - 9 pm
- House band: Anytime. Anyplace. Stay vigilant. (No fixed time, email Angela Fitzpatrick + Seun Akinniranye if interested in joining)
Depending on how restrictions change, we hope to be able to deliver our Freshers and Christmas concerts in person, we are currently expecting these to go ahead in person, you will be notified of any changes which will occur in line with government guidance! Expect a range of performances from all our ensembles and audition for the opportunity to perform as a soloist- details regarding concert and audition dates will be made available nearer the time.
During these concerts we like to record our performances (if you are willing!) and upload them to our YouTube channel. You'll get to share your performance to hundreds of people (or just three if you wish), and engage in the vibrant student community here at Barts. Make sure to follow our social media for the detailed guides on how to do this.
Although we meet regularly, we also have socials and joint socials within the society following social distancing regulations!
Please sign up to our email list in order to get the most up to date information about our groups via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4XVH90jOKONryHm7TCYWOJFOhexNKrvp_qGEEEWHvBEJU0A/viewform?usp=sf_link
Membership
Our subs costs have changed slightly this year. We normally ask for £10 to cover the full year, however with the unpredictability of COVID we will first offer a Term 1 membership and depending whether we can continue in person next term, we will offer the opportunity to purchase another set of subs for Term 2 in the New Year.
Membership for a full year will cost £10. This will give you access to all groups in person, as well as access to the BLSA Music Room* to practise. If we are unable to continue in person due to COVID restrictions (unlikely!), this membership will also allow you to submit recordings and join online rehearsals.
With our membership, you can
- Join ANY (OR ALL!) of the subgroups within the Music Society, as many as you like.
- Perform at any of our events, including concerts and Open Mic Nights at the Griff Inn.
- Send us videos of your performances for us to upload to our social media and Youtube. This is the perfect way for you to show your talent to an engaged audience.
- Request for bookings of the Music Room and the Grand Piano in the Old Library - when it is reopened and accepting room bookings, we will update you when this is possible. Note that this is subject to availability. We reserve the right to modify bookings at any given time. The booking form can be found here.
If you're keen to join us, please remember to buy subs! We would not be able to run the society without your help.
Further information on our Booking Policy can be found here.
Committee 2022-23
About Our Groups
Chorda Equina (A Capella)
Named in homage of our medical interests, Chorda Equina is Barts’ a cappella group. Our weekly rehearsals centre around a fun-filled atmosphere where we welcome all levels and abilities. We pride ourselves on our tradition of students writing, teaching and running our sessions since it gives us the opportunity to provide an inclusive and tailored experience. Our repertoire centres around popular songs – ranging from Price Tag (Jessie J) to Ain’t It Fun (Paramore) to Hurt Somebody (Noah Kahan). We can’t wait to see you for an (online or socially distanced!) biscuits and a sing-along!
BL Voices (Choir)
(Managed by Molly Holloway and Alexandra Hadaway)
Barts and The London Choir has been formed for many years and continues to go from strength to strength, performing a varied repertoire at such concerts as William Harvey Day and the Barts Guild Christmas fundraiser, and of course, those organised by the fantastic wider BL Music society. Singing is a wonderful way to deal with the pressures of university life, and our weekly baking rota also goes down well (as this is online, we can include awesome baking recipes when sending out music!!!)!
Orchestra
(Managed by Katie Mei)
The Barts and the London Orchestra is a professionally conducted group where students and faculty perform exciting repertoire at 3 concerts throughout the year. The BL Orchestra’s recent growth in the past few years is a culmination of the hard work, dedication, and passion of a number of extremely talented musicians. This has not only allowed the orchestra to evolve it’s own unique playing style but also to tackle more challenging pieces of work. This past year was one of the orchestra’s finest featuring diverse repertoire that included John Williams’ Jurassic Park, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and “Jupiter” from Holst’s demanding work, “The Planets”. With such a successful year behind us, we look forward to welcoming more musicians into our ever-growing family and strive to make the next year our best ever yet.
House Band
(Managed by Leo Datnow)
House Band is a small collection of musicians who love to play jazz, funk, pop and various other genres. There’s plenty of space in the group to be independent, as well as many opportunities to practice making music on a tight schedule. Improvisation is also explored, with chances to practice making music on the spot. We provide musical services throughout the medical school and beyond, including playing at concerts and open mic nights, as well as being the backbone of the band for the annual musical (which will return when safe to do so!). Unlike many other groups in BL Music, there are no weekly rehearsals; we just get together to prepare for upcoming gigs, or just to jam and have fun!
