Behind the Curtain: Welcome to the Haus!
When more than 100 singers come together every week, something wonderful happens: a lot of music gets made.
But there’s also a challenge. How do you make a chorus of more than 100 people still feel like a close-knit community?
At the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus, one of the answers is the Haus System.
Four Hauses. Four Icons. One IMC.
Every IMC singer belongs to one of four Hauses, each inspired by an artist whose individuality, artistry and impact make them an icon:
Haus Beyoncé. Haus Billy Porter. Haus Prince. Haus Tina Turner.
The Hauses divide our large chorus into smaller communities within IMC. New singers are welcomed into a Haus, veteran singers get to know people they might not otherwise encounter as often, and throughout the season the Hauses provide another way for singers to connect beyond voice parts and where they happen to stand on the risers.
Yes, There Are Points
Of course, we couldn’t just put everyone into a Haus and leave it at that. Throughout the season, singers can earn Haus Points through challenges, participation, ticket sales, special activities and the occasional surprise opportunity. And sometimes the Haus muses themselves get involved. A birthday for Beyoncé? That might be worth something. A big moment for Billy Porter? Keep an eye out. Prince or Tina Turner suddenly back in the cultural conversation? You never know when points might appear. The rules can be a little unpredictable. That’s part of the fun.
More Than a Competition
The points and friendly competition give us something to laugh about, but the real purpose of the Hauses is belonging. IMC has always been about more than rehearsing music and putting on concerts. Singers describe the Chorus as a place to build friendships, find community and discover a place where they belong. As the organization grows, we want to make sure we don’t lose that.
The Haus System creates smaller circles within a very large ensemble. It’s another reason to meet someone new, cheer for someone else, work together and feel connected to the larger IMC family.
Behind Every Performance Is a Community
When an audience sees the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus onstage, they see more than 100 singers coming together to create one performance. What they don’t see are all the relationships being built along the way. The conversations before rehearsal. The friendships. The inside jokes. The people who notice when someone is missing. The singers who help a new member figure out where to go and what to do. And, apparently, an ongoing struggle for Haus supremacy.
The music brings us together.
The community is what makes us IMC.
