After 18 months, we are delighted that our regular music groups will return in person from the week of 13 September!
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began we continued our choirs and orchestras online. We even welcomed new people, and are so pleased they can now meet us in person for the first time.
By the team coming together and moving online so quickly and competently, it meant that throughout all the lockdowns, we only missed two weeks of delivering music-making with our regular groups! That is an achievement we are extremely proud of.
Although our regular online delivery has ended, we have learnt so much about how we can use technology to bring more people together and share with others all over the world. Watch this space for how we use it in future! But for now, we invite you to join our Devon based choirs and orchestras as we all come back together.
Everyone is welcome to join any of our groups, no experience is required. The only exception is the Mandolin Orchestra of Devon, as this is a specialist group we ask that you can read music and are a confident player. For all our other groups there is no requirement to read music and all abilities are welcome, even if you are brand new to music!Â
The welcoming and inclusive Wren Music approach is central to all our groups. Music and lyrics are provided each week, and there is a complimentary online space. Here, copies of music and lyrics will be uploaded, along with sound files. So you can practice at home between sessions if you wish, and if you miss a week in person you can catch up.
Wren Music Choirs
East Devon Folk Choir
Location: Sidmouth College Hall, Primley Road, Sidmouth, Devon, Sidmouth EX10 9LG
Time: Wednesday 7.30pm-9.30pm.
Exeter Folk Choir
Location: Exeter Community Centre, 17 St Davids Hill, Exeter, EX4 3RG
Time: Wednesdays, 7.00-9.00pm.
North Devon Folk Choir
Location: Goodleigh Village Hall, Goodleigh, Barnstaple,EX32 7LU
Time: Thursdays, 7.30-9.30pm.
Torbay Folk Choir
Location: The Windmill Centre, Pendennis Rd, Torquay TQ2 7QR
Time: Tuesday, 7.15-9.15pm.
West Devon Folk Choir
Location: Meldon Village Hall, Meldon, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU
Time: Tuesday, 7.00-9.00pm.
MenSing
Location: Meldon Village Hall, Meldon, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU
Time: Normally fourth Saturday of the month, 10.00am-1.00pm.
Wren Music Orchestras
Folk Orchestra of East Devon
Location: The Victory Hall, The Green, Broadclyst, EX5 3DX
Time: Mondays, 7.00pm-9.00pm.
Folk Orchestra of Torbay
Location: Palace Theatre, Palace Avenue, Paignton, TQ3 3HF
Time: Thursdays, 7.00-9.00pm.
Fiddle Orchestra of Devon
Location: Meldon Village Hall, Meldon, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU
Time: Usually the third Saturday of the month, 10.00am-1.00pm.
Mandolin Orchestra of Devon
Location: Meldon Village Hall, Meldon, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4LU
Time: Usually the third Saturday of the month, 2.00pm-5.00pm.
See the current term dates for all groups on our online calendar
Joining your choir or orchestra
We have introduced a new easy way to join your group and pay your membership fees. Through our online community, you can now join your group and pay your membership fees. For weekly groups, you enrol five weeks at a time (what we have previously called ‘half terms’). For monthly groups you enrol for a 3-4 month block (what we have previously called ‘terms’). You may still hear us say ‘half-term’ or ‘term’ but as our dates don’t line up with school terms this has caused some confusion before.
By joining your group through the online community, we know who is in which group and we can make sure you get the right communications.
Pricing structure:
To make our groups even more accessible we offer three prices. There is a standard price, a subsidised price (for those on lower incomes) and a supporter price (for those who feel they’d like to support Wren a little more).
Weekly groups, the price for five weeks:
Standard price: £30
Supporter price: £50
Subsidised price: £20
Monthly groups, the price for September to December.
Standard price: £60 (£15/month)
Supporter price: £80 (£20/month)
Subsidised price: £40 (£10/month)
Not sure about paying online?
If you aren’t comfortable paying online, you can pay by card over the phone. Call the office on 01837 53754. If we aren’t here, leave a message with the best day and time to call you back. You can also join and pay at the first week’s rehearsal (please note we won’t have the technology with us in person after week one to take card payments)
If you’d like to arrange paying by cash or cheque, drop us an email or give us a call. We would like to minimise handling cash at rehearsals wherever possible.
If you don’t pay online you won’t automatically have access to the online materials. However, if you would still like to access these please let us know when you speak to us.
We look forward to making music with you!
