BECOME A COMMUNITY CHOIR LEADER
Lead a Local Community Choir With Real Pay, Real Support and Real Community Impact
Become a People’s Show Choir leader and build a welcoming adult choir in your area, with paid weekly rehearsals, training, marketing support and the backing of The People’s Orchestra charity.
It only takes a few minutes to tell us about your musical background and where you would like to lead.
Lead with a trusted music charity behind you, with award-winning impact and practical support built in.
This role may suit you well if you:
are a confident musician, singer, instrumentalist or music educator can lead people with warmth, clarity and encouragement enjoy helping adults of mixed abilities feel confident and capable can explain musical ideas in a friendly, accessible way are organised enough to plan rehearsals and prepare for concerts want to build something meaningful in your local community are inspired by both the musical and human side of leadership
If you have the musical foundation, the right attitude and the potential to lead, training and support can help you grow into the role.
Formal conducting qualifications can be helpful but you do not need formal qualifications to apply. Musical competence, communication, warmth and leadership potential matter too.
START YOUR CHOIR LEADER JOURNEY
If you are ready to lead a local choir, grow a real community through music and be paid for your skills, we would love to hear from you.
Whether you are ready to step into choir leadership now or want to develop through training first, this could be the start of something meaningful, creative and lasting.
Why lead with The People’s Show Choirs?
Build your own local choir with real backing behind you.
Lead something that feels like yours.
Shape the sound, culture and identity of a choir in your area.
Start with support in place.
Access training, guidance, resources and practical help from the wider organisation.
Earn through paid musical leadership.
Build a valuable strand in your portfolio career through rehearsals, concerts and other opportunities.
Grow under a trusted charity.
Lead with the backing of The People’s Orchestra and a wider musical network.
Focus on people and music.
Spend less time building everything alone and more time creating a choir people genuinely value.
This is a chance to lead your own local choir with real backing, real purpose and real potential.
You may already have the musical skills. What you may be missing is the right opportunity.
Many talented musicians spend years balancing teaching, performing, accompanying or freelance work while wondering whether they could lead something of their own.
This role gives you the chance to build a local choir, shape its sound and culture, and create work that is both meaningful and paid.
With The People’s Show Choirs, you do not have to start from scratch. You step into a role with support, structure and a wider network behind you, while still building something that feels personal, local and truly yours.
This is not just a rehearsal to run. It is a community to build.
Why this role is worth doing
This is paid musical leadership with purpose. You are rewarded for your time, preparation and skill, while building something that can grow in confidence, sound and impact over time.
Week by week, you become the person your singers trust: the one who brings focus, energy, encouragement and direction to the room.
For many musicians, this role fits naturally alongside teaching, performing, accompanying or other freelance work — offering regular paid work, creative fulfilment and the chance to lead something that feels personal, local and worthwhile.
Meaningful work.
Help people grow in confidence, belonging and joy through singing.
Paid properly.
Be rewarded for your time, leadership and musical skill.
Long-term impact.
Build a choir that becomes part of local life, not just a one-off project.
What You Earn as a Choir Leader
Clear pay, real progression, and room to grow.
- £80 per 2-hour rehearsal
- Typically one weekly choir during term time, 36 rehearsals a year
- Opportunity to increase income through community performances
- Some leaders go on to lead more than one group
Most leaders combine this role with teaching, performing or other freelance work, making it a strong addition to a portfolio career.
Income can grow over time as your choir grows, your audience builds and your local concerts become established.
You are paid for your time, expertise and leadership — not expected to carry the role as a volunteer.
What you’ll do as a choir leader
As a People’s Show Choir leader, you will help adults of mixed abilities sing with confidence, enjoyment and pride.
- Lead a contemporary, non-auditioned community show choir in your local area.
- Work with adults of mixed abilities in a welcoming, inclusive environment
- Shape uplifting pop, film and musical theatre repertoire
- Plan fun, structured rehearsals that help singers improve week by week
- Create a culture where new people feel welcomed and nobody is left behind
- Help your choir prepare for performances and local concerts
- Grow something that becomes part of the social and cultural life of your area
This role gives you room to lead in a way that reflects your strengths. Whether you care most about confidence-building, musical quality, wellbeing through singing or high-energy performance, you will help shape the experience your choir has every single week.
Not sure whether you are ready? You can still register your interest and we will talk through the next step.
Training and support: you do not have to figure it out alone
We provide support designed around the real challenges of leading a community choir — not just theory, but the practical reality of standing in front of a room and helping people sing well, feel safe and enjoy the experience.
Musical Leadership Support
You’ll receive support with:
- Conducting and rehearsal leadership
- Teaching by ear and leading non-music-readers
- Planning engaging rehearsals that build confidence
- Working with adults of mixed abilities
- Accessing resources, arrangements and practical guidance
- Growing a local choir with the backing of an established organisation
- Developing your confidence as a leader over time
Practical Growth Support
You’ll also be backed behind the scenes with:
- Venue sourcing and practical rehearsal logistics
- Support with accompanist recruitment and payment
- Marketing support, promotion and member communications
- Systems for enquiries, sign-ups and onboarding
- Membership payment structures, invoicing and reporting
- Safeguarding, compliance, insurance and core operational processes
You will not be expected to know everything from day one. Whether you are already experienced or stepping into leadership more seriously for the first time, you will have support around you as you grow.
The Bigger Opportunity
This is more than a weekly rehearsal. It is a chance to grow a choir that becomes part of local life, while building your own profile as a trusted musical leader.
As a People’s Show Choir leader, you are not just teaching songs. You are creating a regular place where adults can sing, connect, build confidence and feel uplifted at the end of the week.
Over time, your choir can become something people genuinely rely on: a welcoming community, a source of local pride and a performance group that brings people together through concerts, events and shared musical moments.
For you, the role can become a meaningful part of a wider portfolio career. You gain regular paid leadership work, local visibility, creative fulfilment and the chance to shape something with your own musical identity.
You will also be part of The People’s Orchestra charity’s wider mission: using music to support wellbeing, reduce isolation and help communities thrive.
Build something local people value
Grow a choir that becomes part of the social and cultural life of your area, not just another weekly activity.
Raise your profile as a musical leader
Lead rehearsals, shape performances and become known locally for creating music with quality, warmth and purpose.
Change how people feel
Help singers grow in confidence, belonging and joy — while giving audiences concerts they genuinely remember.
If you want your musical leadership to mean something beyond the rehearsal room, this is the opportunity to start building it.
We are especially looking for choir leaders in these areas
We are actively looking to hear from musicians who could lead new or developing People’s Show Choirs in:
Sandwell, Tenby / Pembroke, Coventry & Harrogate
Live nearby? Still register your interest. We are always open to conversations with strong musicians who could help us grow in the right local area.
What our choir leaders say
Leading a People’s Show Choir has become one of the most rewarding parts of my musical life. It is not just about teaching songs. It is about helping people grow in confidence, creating something local people genuinely care about, and being part of a bigger purpose through music.
I felt supported from the start. There was room to lead in my own way, but I never felt like I had to work everything out on my own. That made a huge difference
FAQ: Choir Leader Questions Answered
Yes. We would still like to hear from you. Let us know your location and musical background, and we can explore potential opportunities with you.
Yes. If you have strong musical foundations and leadership potential, the Choir Leader Training route may be the right next step.
You will benefit from a wider support structure around venues, promotion, systems, communications and operations, while still having the freedom to build local relationships and shape your choir’s identity.
You will receive practical support around rehearsal leadership, teaching by ear, working with mixed-ability adults and growing in confidence as a choir leader.
Formal qualifications can be helpful, but they are not essential. We are looking for musical competence, communication skills, warmth and the ability to lead people clearly and encouragingly.
Most leaders run one weekly 2-hour rehearsal during term time, along with preparation and a small number of concerts across the year. Some choose to grow into leading more than one choir over time.
Yes. Many choir leaders build this into a wider portfolio career alongside teaching, performing, accompanying or other freelance work.
This is paid, self-employed work with clear rehearsal fees and concert income potential. It is not a voluntary post.
Not quite ready to apply yet?
If now is not the right time, but you would like to hear about future choir leader opportunities or training, register your interest and we will stay in touch.
Whether you are still building experience, waiting for the right local opening, or simply exploring what this could look like for you, we would still love to hear from you.
Questions? Get in touch
For further enquiries, please contact us:
hello@thepeoplesshowchoir.com
0121 569 2616
We’re happy to talk through the role before you apply
