Details for Members

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This is where RYO members can find details of rehearsals and membership. Scroll down, or jump to the relevant section:

Rehearsal information

Rehearsals will take place on Friday nights from 7:30-9:30pm at St Joseph’s College, Upper Redlands Rd, Reading RG1 5JT. There is a short break in the middle of the rehearsal – please bring your own refreshments if required.

Term dates and location

Below venues may change due to school events, so please check back regularly. Mel will email members if there are short notice changes.

Summer Term 2025

Note new venue: Loddon Primary School, Silverdale Road, Lower Earley, RG6 7LR

All rehearsals at Loddon Primary unless otherwise marked:

Apr 25th
May 2nd
May 9th
May 16th
May 23rd

[Half term – no rehearsal 30th May]

June 6th
June 13th
June 20th – St Joseph’s Theatre
June 27th – St Joseph’s Theatre

PLUS Sunday June 29th – end of term performance in the afternoon at St Joseph’s College Hall, times tbc

Loddon Primary School Venue:

This is our newest venue, so we will try to keep these details updated as we learn more about getting around the school.

Car access is indicated with a red arrow below – please enter from Silverdale Road into the car park. There is a pedestrian gate into the school grounds – follow the dotted blue arrow marked on the map below to enter via Reception.

Image shows a map of the school grounds showing access.

St Joseph’s College Venues:

There are three halls at St Joseph’s that we regularly use: Theatre, College Hall, and Prep Hall. Please check below for the venue and how to get there from the car park.

Theatre entrance

The Theatre is to the right of the car park as you enter the school grounds. Please use the large wooden doors to enter the Theatre – they can be found on the end of the building near the exit to the car park (shown with a white arrow on the map below).

Map showing entrance and exit to St Joseph's school car park, and location of Theatre

College Hall entrance

Please use the main entrance / reception door into the building, which is visible from the car park, and follow the corridor straight down until you get to the College Hall.

Satellite view of the route into the main hall

Prep Hall entrance

Map showing entrance to the Prep Hall at St Joseph's College

To access the Prep Hall, you will need to enter via a locked gate. When you arrive and leave, there will be someone on the gate to open it for you.

To access the Prep Hall, you need to go ahead and left down the sloping path, then enter the Prep School building, head forwards and turn right into the hall.

Front page of English Folk Songs Suite score, by Vaughan Williams, with a conductor's baton

Repertoire

During the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms of 2024-5, we will learn music from the following list:

  • Lloyd-Webber – Phantom of the Opera
  • Debussy, arr. Busser – Petite Suite
  • Beethoven – Coriolan Overture
  • Bourgeois – Serenade
  • Chenchery – Movement(s) from Piano Concerto No. 1

Please contact Mel if you do not have any of this music.

Covid mitigations

We complete risk assessments for our rehearsals and concerts. We have now removed the requirement for members to wear a mask during rehearsals. The current mitigations still in place are:

  • don’t attend if you have a positive Covid test result
  • don’t attend if you have any Covid symptoms, symptoms of a respiratory infection, a temperature or generally unwell
  • we keep the hall ventilated, so in cold weather please wear layers to keep warm.
RYO distanced in masks, rehearsing at John Madejski Academy

Membership subscriptions

Membership is £79 per term, or £74 for payment by/on the first rehearsal (or agreed date as communicated at the start of each term). Please contact treasurer@ or hello@ for the payment details.

Upcoming events

  • Friday 13th December 2024 – End of term performance, Queen Anne’s School
  • Saturday 22nd March 2025 – Spring Concert, St Joseph’s College Hall
Concerts Page