Join Us

Classical Sheffield has over 70 members, all enjoying the benefits of being part of this amazing family of classical music lovers. We welcome promoters as well as music makers, and our membership fees are deliberately modest so that anyone can join.

Types of membership

Music Maker

We welcome applications from individuals or groups making classical music within a 25 mile radius of Sheffield, both amateurs and professionals of all ages.

For example, you could be a solo singer, a choir, an orchestra, a chamber group, a drummer, a group of people who play recorder, or a professional musician.

Promoter

We welcome applications from individuals or organisations, large or small, that host or organise classical music events within a 25 mile radius of Sheffield – or which don’t currently do this but would like to.

Please see our Promoters page for examples.

Benefits of membership

exposure for you or your group through your own page on the Music Makers or Promoters section of the website, with links to your own website if you have one
promotion of your all your events to thousands of classical music fans across the city, on the What’s On section of the Classical Sheffield website
mail-shot publicity by inclusion in the email of events that is circulated to over a thousand people every week and which has an above-average rate at which readers click to listed events;
membership of the growing network and activity of music-makers in the area - currently around 80 organisations - which together celebrate music-making and share classical music with everyone - more music with more people in more places;
opportunity to take part in our Festival Weekends, the biggest classical events in the city; eg over 10,000 people watched 2019 Festival Weekend events;
opportunity to take part in 'pop-up' events organised regularly by Classical Sheffield in venues such as the Winter Gardens, Moor Market and the Central Library.

The ability to promote your events via our website is invaluable, because our What's On page comes to the top when anyone searches for classical concerts in Sheffield on any search engine. So there is no better place to publicise your concerts!

Other valuable benefits come from the experience of being part of a local organisation of like-minded people able to meet and share ideas and experiences:

enhanced opportunities to collaborate on joint ventures with other members, eg a concert organised jointly by a choral and orchestral group who haven’t previously worked together, or an event organised through invitations from a promoter to perform at an unfamiliar venue
a wider platform and structure in which to participate in music making across the city
the wider exposure arising from taking part in festivals and other Classical Sheffield events; with appropriate marketing this can lead to increased ticket sales for your own concerts.

Selling just a few more tickets via the publicity on our website could easily cover your Classical Sheffield membership!

Examples of recent benefits arising from Classical Sheffield's advocacy for local classical music-makers:

When non-professional singing groups were suddenly not allowed to meet back in May 2021, there was a massive negative impact on many members. Classical Sheffield was in touch with local media to highlight this, which led to a feature article in early June in the Sheffield Telegraph about the unfairness of the situation, adding to the national discourse on the issue: https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/people/sheffield-amateur-choirs-call- for-change-to-illogical-covid-guidance-pressing-pause-on-their-rehearsals-3257789
There has been a long-standing campaign by both individual and organisation members of Classical Sheffield to encourage venues to become more accessible for people who are d/Deaf or have hearing loss, especially when listening to acoustic music. Such lobbying has been successful, with both Sheffield City Hall and Upper Chapel recently installing new audio induction loops that have greatly improved the concert-going experience for anyone who needs assistance with hearing.

How to join

Please contact us stating whether you are an individual music maker, or are applying on behalf of a group eg a choir, orchestra, chamber groups etc.

Membership fees from January 2023

Music Makers - individuals

£29

Music Makers - groups

£1.80 per member per year, with a minimum fee of £29 and a maximum of £180 per year, or minimum £5 and maximum £50 for young people. Examples:

Chamber group of four people: £29 (£1.80 x 4 = £7.20, so minimum fee applies)
String ensemble of 18 people: £32.40 (18 x £1.80)
Choir of 80 people: £144 (80 x £1.80)
Orchestra of 130 people: £180 (130 x 1.80 = £234, capped at £180)

Promoters

Fee calculated at 0.65% of annual income, with a minimum fee of £29 and a maximum fee of £180 per year (£50 for young people)

What do Membership Fees pay for?

Your membership fee is used to cover the costs of

the Classical Sheffield Coordinator, who plans in-year activities as well as the March 2023 Festival
a weekly email to over 1,000 subscribers with listings and information

maintenance of the Classical Sheffield website and fees for the Website manager
fees for the Digital Officer to support members with the website and weekly email
other admin costs including liability insurance and Independent Examiner fees