What is Menagerie?
Menagerie is Perth's premier Indie Pop choir, formed way back in July 2013. "Indie Pop" is a clue about what kind of repertoire we sing. "Choir" is a clue that singing will be involved. Menagerie had about 60 delightful members in season one, and has grown to become a 100-strong choir.
Where and when are rehearsals held?
Rehearsals are held weekly on Monday nights in Perth City or close by. (We have been at Perth Mod for the last two.) There are also 2-4 workshop days throughout the season - on Saturdays and usually at Fremantle Surf Lifesaving Club.
How much does it cost?
Members generally pay $190-240 per season, depending on the size, length and what types of shows we do. Winter seasons tend to be shorter, while summer seasons are often quite substantial - having culminated in a Fringe show for the past 8 years. This money primarily covers venue hire, insurance, copyright licensing, purchasing arrangements, photocopying and director's fees.
Menagerie is pretty huge now (with at least 150 recent members) and we want to continue to be a happy, social group that does not give our Zookeeper a hernia to manage. There is currently a waiting list for folks wishing to join the choir. We feel pretty icky about having to make people wait, but we want to do the best thing we can for everyone concerned and we think this is the way to do that at the moment. Newbies are invited to join the choir prior to each season starting, generally with a preference towards particular vocal parts that need boosting.
How do I join?
If you would like to register your interest or find out more, please contact us directly using the CONTACT FORM so we can get you on the wait list.
Do I have to do an audition?
Definitely not! Menagerie is for anyone, with or without singing experience.
What if I'm not a very good singer?
Don't worry. One of the best things about choir is that collectively we sound way better than any one of us on our own. Hopefully by being part of Menagerie you will become more familiar with how to get your voice to do what you want it to, and you will get better at singing (or at least feel better about your singing!)
Do I have to be able to read music?
There is no expectation that choristers can read music, however we use sheet music as a reference while we're learning the parts. You never know, you might pick it up -- and if not, you at least can read the lyrics! There are practice tracks available for members, which are commonly heard blasting out of people's cars before they rock up to rehearsals.
I've been in a few choirs before, is Menagerie for me too?
If you are a fan of indie pop music, then Menagerie could be right for you! Menagerie learn songs arranged especially for this choir, so they'll be new and fresh for everyone. We sing in 3 or 4 part harmony, with some easier and some more challenging parts. We try to be accessible to any level of experience and musically satisfying at the same time.
Menagerie was formed as, and continues to be, an indie choir. This is expressed not just in the musical repertoire we perform, but in our identities and attitudes.
Indie music is a key aspect of Menagerie's identity. If you enjoy this music, or are keen to give it a go, then we are probably the right choir for you! If not, you may find our musical choices frustrating, or hard to get into. If you want to join us and have any reservations, get in touch, and hopefully we'll be able to help!
Menagerie was formed as, and continues to be, an indie choir. This is expressed not just in the musical repertoire we perform, but in our identities and attitudes.
Indie music is a key aspect of Menagerie's identity. If you enjoy this music, or are keen to give it a go, then we are probably the right choir for you! If not, you may find our musical choices frustrating, or hard to get into. If you want to join us and have any reservations, get in touch, and hopefully we'll be able to help!
Does Menagerie do performances?
Yes. Menagerie has been involved in pop up gigs, flash mobs and headliner performances.
Menagerie has performed at and for:
Menagerie has performed at and for:
- Festivals: Fringe World Festival in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as various street parties and festivals including the Massed Choir Festival, Dunsborough SongFest, and Perth events in Beaufort St, Subiaco, Leederville, South Perth and Mount Hawthorn
- Cultural venues: the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the State Theatre Centre, Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge Piazza
- Gig Venues: The Bakery, The Rosemount Hotel, The Bird, Badlands Bar, Revelation Film Festival
- RTRFM events, plus other fundraiser and corporate events
Who picks the songs?
Songs are suggested by the choir, before being chosen and arranged by our creative panel and arrangers before the start of each season.
Do I have to attend every single week?
We're all busy, so of course you might not be able to make it every single week. However, choirs are teams and when people are absent it's a bit harder for everyone else; we will miss having you there, and you will miss learning things so you might feel like you're behind everyone else next time. No-one will be taking attendance or checking up on how often you attend. But if you're not planning to be there most weeks you should seriously think about whether you really want to do it. A season is only a short term commitment!
We recommend joining the waitlist even if you're not certain of whether you could commit season to season. You will not be immediately kicked off if you turn down an invite, and you will be invited again in the following season!
We recommend joining the waitlist even if you're not certain of whether you could commit season to season. You will not be immediately kicked off if you turn down an invite, and you will be invited again in the following season!
Two hours seems like a very long rehearsal, have you thought this through?!
You're right, two hours straight would be a lot of singing, that's why we always have a break for a cup of tea in the middle. Rehearsals are generally structured with 10-15 minutes of warm ups at the beginning, then 45 minutes of singing, a 15 - 20 minute break, and 40 - 45 more minutes of singing. All times are approximate and depend on the whim of the Zookeeper. Ultimately we find we need 2 hours, and it goes very quickly!
Who is running this zoo?!
CURRENT ANSWER!
Hi! I'm Sal Banyard, the newly-minted Zookeeper 3.0 from Season 9 and beyond! I call myself a music teacher and composer/arranger: I teach classroom music in schools, as well as piano, and various other bits and pieces.
As well as that my music major at UWA was composition and I have done some study at WAAPA and NYU. Through my teaching I have substantial experience conducting and running choirs, and love to sing in choirs! Rest assured, I am very excited to have taken on this position leading this truly lovely menagerie!
NEW AND IMPROVED ANSWER 2:
Hi, I'm Kate and I am the new Zookeeper reboot 2.0. I call myself a Musical Entrepreneur for want of a better phrase, as most of my music work is working in community contexts where I help people who have never made music before to feel confident performing and collaboratively creating music, especially newly composed music.
I was a member of the choir since season two, happily singing and arranging music for our wonderful leader, Claire. When she decided to take off to Berlin on an amazing adventure and I took up the mantle, despite having a small mess-producing newborn at home. I'm still mad (but glad) as I've signed on for another season with this special and lovely bunch of people.
I, like Claire, am totally appreciative of the Control Panel and other vollies who help out with Menagerie-related stuff, without whom there would be NO choir.
NEW AND IMPROVED ANSWER:
Menagerie is run by a small group of delightful and charming volunteers. "The Control Panel" ('committee' is a dirty word) is made up of seven skilled members and ex-members of the group, without whom Claire would never get any study done.
AMENDMENT 11/06/13:
Claire's sister read this answer and she said "Tsk. That bio makes it sound like you are some kind of loser music-teacher-drop-out who has No Clue what you're doing, you can't just leave it like that! You should tell them about all the choirs you've been in like WASO chorus, and how at uni you took a specific choral pedagogy unit, ands about how you did that choir and that musical, and how you've been in bands, and how you're on the Board for Catch Music, and how you're doing a PhD."
All right, that's not really a direct quote of what she said, it's more of a paraphrase, but still. If you read the bio above and were concerned that Menagerie is being run by someone with No Clue, hopefully this will reassure you that I have Some Clue.
ORIGINAL ANSWER:
I am! Hello! My name is Claire. I trained as a music teacher but never really settled in a school so I haven't had a choir of my very own long-term.
The choirs I've taken short term have been pretty fun, and as I recently returned to study I decided it was a good time for a new project. I love singing, especially choral singing although it's not my specialty area, and I love popular music, and I thought maybe some other people might feel the same way so we should get together and make a choir.
What do you think of the idea? I think you should definitely be in it. DEFINITELY.
Hi! I'm Sal Banyard, the newly-minted Zookeeper 3.0 from Season 9 and beyond! I call myself a music teacher and composer/arranger: I teach classroom music in schools, as well as piano, and various other bits and pieces.
As well as that my music major at UWA was composition and I have done some study at WAAPA and NYU. Through my teaching I have substantial experience conducting and running choirs, and love to sing in choirs! Rest assured, I am very excited to have taken on this position leading this truly lovely menagerie!
NEW AND IMPROVED ANSWER 2:
Hi, I'm Kate and I am the new Zookeeper reboot 2.0. I call myself a Musical Entrepreneur for want of a better phrase, as most of my music work is working in community contexts where I help people who have never made music before to feel confident performing and collaboratively creating music, especially newly composed music.
I was a member of the choir since season two, happily singing and arranging music for our wonderful leader, Claire. When she decided to take off to Berlin on an amazing adventure and I took up the mantle, despite having a small mess-producing newborn at home. I'm still mad (but glad) as I've signed on for another season with this special and lovely bunch of people.
I, like Claire, am totally appreciative of the Control Panel and other vollies who help out with Menagerie-related stuff, without whom there would be NO choir.
NEW AND IMPROVED ANSWER:
Menagerie is run by a small group of delightful and charming volunteers. "The Control Panel" ('committee' is a dirty word) is made up of seven skilled members and ex-members of the group, without whom Claire would never get any study done.
AMENDMENT 11/06/13:
Claire's sister read this answer and she said "Tsk. That bio makes it sound like you are some kind of loser music-teacher-drop-out who has No Clue what you're doing, you can't just leave it like that! You should tell them about all the choirs you've been in like WASO chorus, and how at uni you took a specific choral pedagogy unit, ands about how you did that choir and that musical, and how you've been in bands, and how you're on the Board for Catch Music, and how you're doing a PhD."
All right, that's not really a direct quote of what she said, it's more of a paraphrase, but still. If you read the bio above and were concerned that Menagerie is being run by someone with No Clue, hopefully this will reassure you that I have Some Clue.
ORIGINAL ANSWER:
I am! Hello! My name is Claire. I trained as a music teacher but never really settled in a school so I haven't had a choir of my very own long-term.
The choirs I've taken short term have been pretty fun, and as I recently returned to study I decided it was a good time for a new project. I love singing, especially choral singing although it's not my specialty area, and I love popular music, and I thought maybe some other people might feel the same way so we should get together and make a choir.
What do you think of the idea? I think you should definitely be in it. DEFINITELY.
I have a question that is not covered here. How can I find out more?
You can ask your questions using the contact form on this website. Ask away! We'd love to hear from you.