# Suggestions needed for choir audition



## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

I am auditioning next month for a large 80-member choir and needed some suggestions for a piece to prepare. I am a bass. I need something fairly easy. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Vox Gabrieli (Jan 9, 2017)

Does it require operatic solos, or can it be part of a specific choral work? Does this choir specialize in sacred music and liturgical events? Does this audition require new choral repertoire to be performed?


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Vox Gabrieli said:


> Does it require operatic solos, or can it be part of a specific choral work? Does this choir specialize in sacred music and liturgical events? Does this audition require new choral repertoire to be performed?


Does not require operatic solos. Can be part of a specific choral work. Choir does some sacred music but I wouldn't say "specializes" in it. The audition has no requirements. I get to choose whatever I want.


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## Vox Gabrieli (Jan 9, 2017)

What forms of vocal music would you say you're strongest in? Repertoire choices are a little broad presently, but i'm sure we can find you something.


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Well, I have very little experience. The only experience I have is singing 4 years in high school choir a long, long time ago. We sang individual movements from larger pieces by Bach, Haydn, and the like and also modern pieces/arrangements but they were always very tonal pieces, nothing dissonant. If I had to choose what I'm strongest in, I'd say Baroque as long as the melisma is not over-the-top with a bunch of runs and there aren't a lot of fancy trills and such (I could just ignore them I guess). My range is from low C under the staff to E above the staff (and higher in falsetto). I just need something to show a good tone and show I sing the right pitches, I think. I'm open to modern pieces too.


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## Johann Sebastian Bach (Dec 18, 2015)

I've spent many years as a choral conductor so I've auditioned lots of people.
Quite often, one can decide very quickly if someone's good enough.
The first thing I listen for is to see if the applicant can sing in tune. It's not easy for an individual to check this but you really ought to start here. Record yourself singing along with a backing track, or get someone who knows music well enough to judge. A singing teacher would obviously be a good start.
I then listen to the tone of the individual. Here, the applicant must be able to blend with the choir, and only the Musical Director will know what s/he wants. Personally, I look for vocal purity with applicants for an early music chamber choir (little vibrato) and a full, strong voice for a choral society which covers the large-scale classical repertoire.
I check the applicant's vocal production and breathing.
Some choirs will ask you to do some sight reading.
I'd recommend "But who may abide the day of his coming" from Messiah as a fairly straight-forward aria.
Make sure you do a really good warm-up before your audition, and leave your nerves at home!

Good luck!


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Thanks for the advice and suggestion, Johann! I will take note of it and check out the selection this weekend.


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## Vox Gabrieli (Jan 9, 2017)

Is this something you can sing?

Edit: I mistakenly thought you were a baritone!


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

I like it, but yeah, might be a little too high.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

How about 'Jerusalem'? We always sang it for auditioning for our school choir. Our old music teacher said it was perfect for the task.


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