Re-auditions

Arrangements

Most chorus members are re-auditioned every three years.  The re-auditions are normally organised over three or four sessions in June and July.  They are conducted by voice part over a three-year period, ie, sopranos one year and altos the next, with tenors and basses in the third year.

Re-auditions are organised by the Membership Officer, who will contact everyone involved and ask them to sign up for their slots. People who are not able to attend during the main sessions will be accommodated at some other time, usually on a Saturday but sometimes immediately before or after a rehearsal.

Members who have not been heard after they have been called for re‑audition, may not sing in subsequent concerts without obtaining specific permission from the Music Director.

The re-auditions are held in various venues, often the same as the current rehearsal venue. A map and directions are provided at the time.

What to expect

Re-auditions usually consist of scales to establish if the vocal range has changed. Members will be asked to sing from something we are currently rehearsing or have recently performed. However, members who didn’t take part in the previous concert won’t be asked to sing a piece they haven’t rehearsed.

The real purpose of the re-auditions is to check that the voice is still in good condition, to see whether instructions re interpretation, pauses, breathing points etc have been taken on board, and to help our Music Director to choose a semi-chorus if necessary. Members will be told the outcome there and then, and given an explanation for the decision.

If any vocal problems are becoming apparent, the Music Director will explain them as best he can, and probably reduce the time between re-auditions to one year.  If the problems are more serious, members may be asked not to sing in the next concert and/or go for a session with our Voice Coach so she can advise the member and Darius on the best course of action, and whether a further audition will be necessary.

Darius is often asked at what age people should stop singing.  There is no general rule that can be applied: some voices are worn out by their early forties; a few last into the eighties.

For more detail about audition and re-auditions, please see the Chorus Rules

Preparation

Please refer to the general guidance and advice provided for chorus members at Preparing the Music and Preparing Your Voice.