Tips for a THRIVING Guest Program

By Greater Richmond Chorus

Are you looking to recruit new members for your chorus? Do you want to increase the diversity and reach of your chorus? Of course! We all want to share the joy of our music with as many people as possible across our entire communities. The secret? Host themed guest events!

Over the past year, Greater Richmond Chorus (GRC) has developed a successful formula. This approach has helped us recruit guests who align with our culture and core values, and successfully convert a large number of those guests into dedicated members in just a few weeks. Our most recent event, Summer Fling, was an 80s-themed program that drew 15 guests over 5 weeks, garnered a news feature on the local CBS affiliate, and packed the house for a Friends & Family night.

Here are the six essential strategies we’ve learned that can help you create your own show-stopping guest event.

1. Block Your Calendar

Find a 4–5 week period where you can dedicate about half of your regular rehearsal time to the guest program. Rehearsing for about 90 minutes once a week gives your guests a fantastic taste of the chorus life without overwhelming them. While we love our week-to-week routine, experiencing everything we have to offer all at once can be intimidating for newcomers. A focused, short-term commitment works best. Guests can always stick around for the second half of your rehearsal team and learn more about your typical rehearsal plan.

2. Ignite the Excitement

Everyone Loves a Theme! Focusing your event on a fun theme—like Summer Fling or a Decades Night—gets both your members and guests energized! A theme is more than just dressing up; it drives your publicity efforts and music choices and helps catch the attention of a diverse segment of your community. It gives your event a unique identity that’s easy to promote.

3. Choose Your Charts

Select two or three songs that align with your theme, are familiar to your guests, and perfectly showcase the joy of a cappella and barbershop harmony. This isn’t the time to whip out that 12-page, contest-worthy chart! You want your guests to feel successful, have fun, and immediately grasp the essence of what your chorus does week-to-week. Simple, catchy, and satisfying is the goal.

4. Spread the Word

Getting the word out is critical! Reach far and wide so that your message connects with a diverse audience. Gone are the days of relying only on printed posters on bulletin boards!

 Go Digital: Create fun, high-quality digital graphics to post on your website and social media pages. Sites like Canva are great for this!

 Target Community: Post to local community calendars and shared social media groups.

 Pitch the Press: Reach out to local media with a professional press release.

 Print Smarter: Posters are still useful, but make sure they feature a QR code so interested singers can easily register for your event online!

5. Roll Out the Welcome Wagon

Connect with registered guests ahead of time with helpful tips and guidance. You can even send out a link to the sheet music and learning tracks early. Create welcome packets with key chorus information, audition details, and copies of the sheet music. Most importantly, get your members involved! Recruit a dedicated team of greeters and riser buddies to support, guide, and socialize with your guests throughout the program. A warm welcome makes all the difference.

6. Raise Your Voices

Plan a short Friends & Family performance at the end of your program so your guests can show off their new talents! Invite community members to join and learn more about your chorus. Provide refreshments afterward to encourage socializing. It’s a great way to connect with your guests and the larger community in a relaxed setting.

A thriving chorus is determined by its members—those who show up each week as their authentic selves and bring their dedication, talents, and skills for the benefit of the larger group. Thematic, structured guest programs like this can consistently add talented and devoted members to your chorus while significantly increasing your visibility within your community.

Stay tuned! Our next guest series, Holiday Hullabaloo, will begin on October 30, with community performances scheduled in early December.

Want more details on our process? Reach out to Greater Richmond Chorus! We’d love to hear about your plans!