For event managers
Choirs and singers that pass procurement and still bring the room to a stop

How we work with event managers

You send a brief — date, venue, headcount, format — and we come back within 24 hours with a written quote, a suggested ensemble size, and three or four programme options. Most briefs land at a sextet (six trained voices, fine for processionals and rooms up to about 250 capacity) or a 12-voice chorus (the workhorse for awards ceremonies and larger ballrooms). For background, a jazz trio or string quartet is usually the right answer.

Lead times: two to three months ahead is the comfortable window. We can usually do two to three weeks for awards dinners and summer parties. The exception is the first three weeks of December — office carol services and Christmas parties — which we close out by mid‑September every year.

Formats we are asked for most often: cocktail singing or a string quartet during drinks; an after-dinner spotlight set of three to five pieces; a processional choir for award presentations or a CEO entrance; carol singing in office lobbies; a half-hour concert set as the showpiece of the evening.

Briefing is light. You tell us where music sits in the running order, the dress code (we match), the corporate tone, and any genres off-limits. We come back with a programme, recordings to play to your client, and a one-page logistics sheet. Public liability: Alma Consort Ltd carries £5m PLI; we email the certificate the same day you ask.

What your delegates and clients receive

Repertoire chosen for the room and the moment, not pulled off a fixed list. For an awards dinner, that usually means an opening flourish (a Handel coronation anthem, an arranged fanfare for winners’ entrances), a quieter mid-dinner moment, and a big finish. For a charity gala, we will often programme one piece that connects to the cause — arranged on request — alongside the celebratory repertoire. For Christmas, the singers know the carol service repertoire by heart and can lead a 250-strong sing-along without a printed score in front of any of them.

Dress matches the event tone — black tie for galas and awards, lounge suit and dark dresses for daytime conferences. The choir arrives changed. There is no setup of music stands or visible cabling unless the venue insists. Singers stay in position discreetly between sets and do not mingle with guests unless you want them to.

Mic and monitor logistics for hotels and conference centres: most ballrooms over 250 capacity need light reinforcement — two condenser mics on stands, fed into the house PA. We work directly with the venue’s AV team or your production company; if there is no AV team we bring our own technician for a flat additional fee. The choir arrives 90 minutes before the first cue for soundcheck.

Booking and invoicing

The legal entity on every invoice is Alma Consort Ltd, the operating company behind the London Choral Service. We are VAT-registered. Standard payment terms are 30 days net from the invoice date. We invoice against your PO and put the buyer reference, project code, or cost-centre number on the invoice if you tell us at the booking stage — this is what your AP team needs to clear it without coming back to you. BACS to a UK business account is the usual route.

Late invoicing matters when an event sits awkwardly across a financial quarter. If you need to invoice in advance for budget reasons, we are happy to issue an advance deposit invoice (typically 30 percent) at confirmation, with the balance invoiced after the event. If you want a single invoice, we send it the working day after the event. Either pattern is fine.

For repeat bookings — an annual carol service or a regular awards dinner — we can put a master service agreement on file once and invoice each subsequent year against it without further paperwork. Several of our City clients have been doing this for years; the December booking takes one email from start to confirmation.

Frequently asked questions

Can you provide a quote on a PO basis?

Yes. We invoice on receipt of a PO with your buyer reference, on standard 30-day terms. The legal entity is Alma Consort Ltd; we are VAT-registered and accept BACS to a UK business account.

How far in advance do we need to book?

Two to three months is ideal. Christmas dates fill up by September. We can usually do two to three weeks for awards dinners and summer parties outside the December peak.

Do you carry public liability insurance?

Yes. Alma Consort Ltd carries £5m public liability cover. Most hotels and conference centres ask for the certificate before releasing the loading bay or green room — we send it the same day. PAT certificates for any equipment are available on the same basis.

Can you perform without amplification in large venues?

A 12-voice chorus carries a 250-seat ballroom unamplified during a quiet moment, but as soon as guests are eating or talking we recommend two condenser mics on stands feeding the house PA. For rooms over 400 capacity, or anywhere with a low ceiling and soft furnishings, light reinforcement is always the right call.

What ensemble size is right for a 200-person awards dinner?

A sextet works for a processional or short spotlight after dinner. If you want the choir to underscore the whole evening — drinks, dinner, awards — a 12-voice chorus gives more programme variety and a bigger sound when the moment matters. A jazz trio or string quartet is the right call for background music rather than a focal performance.

Send us a brief

Tell us the basics and we’ll come back within 24 hours. For a quicker conversation, head to the contact page or call Luca on 07356 042468.

Or visit the contact page, or call Luca on 07356 042468.