That's what the church I mentioned does. I found out that choir thing last night was something different, through the college. A bit more formal, and they're doing just a part of Messiah and a lot of other Christmas songs. For the college students it's considered a class, but they also open it to the public.<p?I had a lot of fun, but ended up turning traitor and joining the "faux tenor" section by the middle of the practice. No men showed up (supposedly there are four tenors coming next week, though) so a few of the women were doing the tenor part. I was really straining on some of the high notes, and the tenor part was so comfy...so I went over there instead. I'll probably get kicked back into the alto section when the men return, I guess, though I'm tempted to beg them to let me stay.
My sister plays for the Messiah screech-along every year.
LOL!! I used to have to do that for our Festival Choir. For the first few years, we hardly had any men, and the tenors showed up the last couple of practices. The higher tenor notes I can do fine, and I can hit most of the lower notes, but I don't have any volume on them. I've never had to to the actual tenor parts during Mass, thank goodness. But it means I had to learn 2 parts, which is a pain. I don't read music, even after having been in choirs for lo these last 35 yrs! I guess I really ought to learn, huh?
Fortunately the last two times we've sung (last Christmas and Easter) we've had LOTS of men show up, so I've been happy to go back to the alto corner!