31 community bands, orchestras and choirs in the Triangle — learn how you can participate

The Triangle is home to a large number of community bands, orchestras and choirs. The membership varies. Some are made up of professional or almost-professional musicians, and some are open to anyone with an interest in performing.

There are community bands, orchestras and choruses in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Pittsboro, Smithfield and more.

Whether you’ve performed professionally and are looking for a new music community, or you haven’t picked up the clarinet since you were in high school, there is a group for you.

We’ve gathered up all the information we can about many ensembles. We will fill in any missing details when we get them.

And we can add more groups to this list, so if there’s one you’d like to see added, just email info@triangleonthecheap.com with all the details, including a link, and we’ll add it, time permitting. This is always a work in progress!

The organizations’ websites and Facebook pages are a good way to find out about their upcoming concerts.

Community Bands

Triangle Wind Ensemble
How to join: Auditions are usually held at the start of the season in late August, but mid-season
auditions may be arranged on a case-by-case basis to fill immediate openings.
Rehearsals: Weekly. Contact Triangle Wind Ensemble for info.
Contact: Contact page: https://www.trianglewind.org/contact.html, or email
info@trianglewind.org
Cost: Contact Triangle Wind Ensemble for info.
More: Some of the area’s most talented wind and percussion players participate in Triangle Wind Ensemble. Dr. Evan Feldman, Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is artistic director. In addition to concerts, Triangle Wind Ensemble has created some very innovative video projects, which you can see on their YouTube channel.

Triangle Pride Band
How to join: Get in touch through this form.
Rehearsals: There are weekly rehearsals at Longleaf School of the Arts in Raleigh, 322 Chapanoke Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603.
Contact: Contact Page: https://www.triangleprideband.com/contact-us/, or email info@triangleprideband.com.
More: This band is an LGBTQ+ and ally community band program.

Neuse River Big Band
How to join: Fill out an application on their website. Must be over 18. Then there’s a phone interview with the director. There are informal auditions that include going to their rehearsals for a few weeks to see if you are a good fit.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held on Thursdays, usually at Garner Performing Arts Center or the Garner United Methodist Church.
Contact: Email director.nrbb@gmail.com.
More: The band includes vocalists and plays shows at the Garner Performing Arts Center, Fuquay Arts Center and sometimes outdoors.

Raleigh Concert Band
How to join: There are auditions and the band is looking for adults with prior experience.
Rehearsals: Contact Raleigh Concert Band or info.
Contact: Contact Page: https://theraleighconcertband.org/contact.
More: The band’s repertoire is wide, everything from J. S. Bach to Lady Gaga. Raleigh Concert Band has received the honorary title of “The State Capitol Band,” for its many years of performances at the North Carolina State Capitol’s Fourth of July celebration and the Governor’s Tree Lighting. The band has over 70 volunteer brass, woodwind and percussion players.

Durham Community Concert Band
How to join: There are no auditions for this band.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held weekly at locations in Durham, including Durham Central Park and Durham Armory.
Contact: Contact Page: http://www.durhamband.org/contact, or email info@durhamband.org.
More: The rehearsal schedule is on their website and it accounts for changes in time and location. Concerts are free to attend. Durham Community Concert Band supports Habitat for Humanity and the Durham Crisis Response Center. No dues are required.

Cary Town Band
How to join: After mutual interest, there are informal auditions that include going to their rehearsals for a few weeks to see if you are a good fit.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held on Thursdays, usually at Cary Arts Center.
Contact: Fill out the contact form here: https://carytownband.org/about/contact/
More: The band plays for Cary events, as well as for its own concert series.

Triangle Brass Band
How to join: Contact Triangle Brass Band for info.
Rehearsals: Weekly rehearsals.
Contact: info@trianglebrass.org
More: Triangle Brass Band uses the British brass band instrumentation of cornets, fluegelhorn, tenor horns, baritones, euphoniums, trombones, tubas and percussion. The group performs music from many genres, including classical, pop, jazz, movie, Broadway, and original brass band literature. The organization also includes several youth bands.

The Village Band
How to join: Come to a rehearsal and meet the band.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held at East Chapel Hill High School (500 Weaver Dairy Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514) from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. on Mondays. (Check the website for any changes to this schedule.)
Contact: Email president@thevillageband.org
More: The Village Band of Chapel Hill / Carrboro started in 1974. It currently includes about 60 members from their teens to their 90s, including high school and college students, professionals and retirees.

Holly Springs Community Band
How to join: Come to a rehearsal
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held at Holly Springs Cultural Center (300 W Ballentine St, Holly Springs, NC 27540) from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. (Check the website for any changes to this schedule.)
Contact: Email members@hollyspringsband.com
More: Holly Springs Community Band was founded in 2006. It performs regularly at the Holly Springs Cultural Center, as well as at community events.

Community Orchestras

Raleigh Community Orchestra
How to join: Auditions for people of all ages who can play at an advanced high school level of proficiency.
Rehearsals: Rehearsal times and locations vary. There is an updated calendar on the website.
Contact: Email rco@raleighcommunityorchestra.org, or fill out the audition form, http://www.123contactform.com/form-2898011/RCO-Audition-Form
More: Raleigh Community Orchestra offers the chance for both young and experienced musicians to develop skill and camaraderie. The repertoire includes classical, sacred, contemporary and modern music.

The Really Terrible Orchestra of the Triangle
How to join: Email rtootinfo@gmail.com to arrange an audition. But don’t worry. Everyone is welcome. According to the website, “The Really Terrible Orchestra Of the Triangle exists to encourage those who have been prevented from playing music together with others, either through lack of talent or some other factor, to rehearse and perform in an ensemble of similarly afflicted players.”
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held weekly in Cary.
Contact: Email rtootinfo@gmail.com
More: There is current information in RTOOT’s Facebook group.

Chapel Hill Philharmonia
How to join: No auditions are required, however, you should be at a reasonable proficiency level and you must be committed to the orchestra.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held at Hill Hall room 107 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 7:45 to 10:00 PM on Thursdays during the school year. (Check the website for updates to the schedule.)
Contact: https://www.chapelhillphilharmonia.org/contact
More: Members range from graduate students to octogenarians. This orchestra gives mostly amateur musicians a chance to play orchestral music in a friendly atmosphere under professional leadership. The ensemble has a closer relationship with the UNC Chapel Hill Department of Music.

Raleigh Symphony Orchestra
How to Join: Contact Raleigh Symphony Orchestra for info.
Rehearsals: Contact Raleigh Symphony Orchestra for info.
Contact: Email manager@raleighsymphony.org
More: Members of Raleigh Symphony Orchestra also form smaller groups: Hillsborough Street Jazz Trio and The Free Spirits Ensemble.

Durham Symphony Orchestra
How to join: Email the Durham Symphony Orchestra Personnel Manager at auditions@durhamsymphony.org to ask about auditions.
Rehearsals: Contact Durham Symphony Orchestra for info.
Contact: Email office@durhamsymphony.org
More: The Durham Symphony is a semi-professional orchestra with both volunteers and professionals, all classically trained.

Community Choirs

Choral Society of Durham
How to join: The last auditions were held in September of 2021. Qualifications for this choir include the ability to learn music independently and to blend well with other voices, to have accurate pitch, and to be loud enough to be heard in a large choir.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held weekly on Mondays. Some have been held on Zoom.
Contact: Email office@choral-society.org
More: Choral Society of Durham brings together singers and audiences who share a common interest in high-quality performance of choral repertoire.

Voices The Chapel Hill Chorus
How to join: A low-stress audition is required to join. Auditions are held in September and January.
Rehearsals: Tuesday nights at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill.
Contact: Email membership@voiceschapelhill.org.
More: The group has been singing and presenting concerts for 42 years. Concerts are in May and December. Every other year, the there’s a Summer Voices group that’s open to anyone.

Concert Singers of Cary
How to join: Auditions for this choir are held in late August and early January. Auditions include vocalizing, music reading, choral skill evaluations, and the singing of a prepared song that correlates to which choir you are auditioning for. More info on the website.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held weekly at the Cary Arts Center on Mondays.
Contact: Email info@concertsingers.org
More: Within Concert Singers of Cary, there are several ensembles. There is the Symphonic Choir (110 people), the Chorale, which is a subgroup of the Symphonic Choir (70 people), and the Chamber Choir which is more selective (35 people.)

Cardinal Singers
How to join:
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are on Thursdays at the Cardinal of North Hills (4030 Cardinal at N Hills St, Raleigh, NC 27609.)
Contact: Email elizabeth.cardinalsingers@gmail.com
More: This is a volunteer women’s choir that performs for clubs, civic events and senior living communities.

Carolina Harmony Chorus
How to join: Auditions for this choir are year-round, so first come to a few rehearsals and then get further information.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall (5101 Oak Park Rd. Raleigh, NC 27612) on Tuesdays.
Contact: https://carolinaharmony.com/contact
More: This is an a cappella women’s choir, specifically, a competitive barbershop chorus that participates in Sweet Adelines competitions. It performs across the Triangle.

Hillyer Community Chorus
How to join: There are no auditions for this chorus. The only qualifications are basic music reading skills and singing experience.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. in the choir room at Hillyer Memorial Christian Church, 718 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603. Rehearsals will begin on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
Contact: jewr@ymail.com. There’s also a contact form on the website.
More: Hillyer Community Chorus offers singers throughout the Triangle a chance to perform selections of great classical works by composers of sacred works, including Bach, Schubert, Mozart and more. No fees are required.

Meredith College Community Choir
How to join: There are no auditions for this chorus. This choir is for adults who want to sing non-professionally with others.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held at Meredith College in Jones Hall, room 121 (3800 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607) on Sundays.
Contact: Email lbsaeger@meredith.edu.
More: There is a fee of $150 to join the choir.

Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus
How to join: Please email info@tgmchorus.org.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are every Tuesday during concert season, at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, 1801 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh.
Contact: info@tgmchorus.org
More: Adults who’d like to join a chorus that proudly and openly identifies with the gay community are welcome to join, regardless of sexual orientation. The group performs men’s choral work, so only cisgender and transgender males who are able to sing within the traditional TTBB registers can participate as singing members of the group.

Voce Camerata and Consort
How to join: Auditions are held on an “as-needed” basis. Tenors are often needed. Candidates must be able to perform at a professional level, with good sight-reading skills and the ability to blend with a small group.
Rehearsals: Contact the group for details.
Contact: vocecandc.wixsite.com/voce/contact-us
More: This is an ensemble of singers and instrumentalists who perform programs of early music, up to the Baroque period.

100 Men in Black Male Chorus
How to join: Contact the chorus for info.
Rehearsals: Contact the chorus for info.
Contact: Email ogmusic1@aol.com
More: This is an all male chorus that sings gospel music. They’re open to men of all ages and ethnicities in the Triangle.

Common Woman Chorus
How to join: New members are accepted at the beginning of each season, in August and February. Auditions are not required, but you should be able to sing Soprano (1 or 2) or Alto (1 or 2.) More info on website.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Road, Durham.
Contact: https://www.commonwomanchorus.org/contact
More: The Chorus began in 1983 as a feminist chorus. The group nurtures high quality musicianship and is committed to justice, equality and love. Membership is open to all women-identified, gender-nonconforming and transgender individuals.

Triangle Jewish Chorale
How to join: You need to pass a low-pressure audition. Contact the group for info.
Rehearsals: Weekly on Tuesdays from September to May, at Levin Jewish Community Center, 1937 Cornwallis Road, Durham.
Contact: cmargolin@gmail.com
More: Membership is open to all who can sing in tune and listen to others at the same time and are are willing to commit to the group. You don’t have to be Jewish. Dues are $60 a year. The group sings secular and religious music, ancient and contemporary.

Vox Virorum Men’s Chorus
How to join: Auditions usually take place in January and September. Join their mailing list for updates.
Rehearsals: Contact the group for info.
Contact: admin@voxvirorum.org
More: Vox Virorum is a men’s chorus styled after collegiate glee clubs.

Cary Community Choir
How to join: There are no auditions. The choir is open to anyone in the Cary area. The minimum age is 16. Singers under age 18 are asked to have at least a year of choral experience.
Rehearsals: There are typically three Tuesday night rehearsals, plus a Saturday morning dress rehearsal.
Contact: Email carycommunitychoirnc@gmail.com or carycommunitychoir.org/contact/
More: All-volunteer choir that is assembled annually to present the Christmas portion of Messiah by Handel to the Cary community.

Encore Singers
How to join: Please contact the group for info.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays at the Glenaire Retirement Community, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary.
Contact: Find a list of emails on their contact page.
More: All area residents are welcome.

Johnston County Chorale
How to join: No auditions are required. Contact the group to learn about joining.
Rehearsals: Weekly at First Baptist Church, 4th Street, Smithfield.
Contact: Jocochorus@gmail.com
More: The Decmeber show combines secular and sacred music. The May show is a Broadway style show. Each show is accompanied by a live orchestra of local musicians, and dancers.

Fearrington Village Singers
How to join: Auditions are not required, but singers need to be able to read music or learn by ear.
Rehearsals: There are weekly rehearsals at The Gathering Place at Fearrington Village, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro. The men’s group and women’s group rehearse separately until the concert dates approach, and then they rehearse together.
Contact: FVSings@gmail.com
More: Community chorus made up of residents of Fearrington Village, Galloway Ridge, and surrounding areas between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, NC. Dues are $100 per year.

 

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