I had an audition to rejoin the Chantry Singers (with whom I used to sing) earlier this week. I really dread auditions – much worse than doing solos in front of large numbers of people. This time at least I was able to demonstrate I wasn’t bluffing when I said I could go at least up to B flat, though my mind blanked when I had to sing the middle note of a chord! Sight singing (Lassus) was OK, especially as I had sung the piece a year or so ago (I owned up to this). The standard sight-singing test at auditions used to be the Sanctus from Byrd’s 4-part Mass. For a prepared piece I used one of Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder which I’d recently learnt. (I used to do Mozart’s Laudate Dominum, but I felt I’d had enough of it after a while). Anyway I shall be rejoining the Chantry Singers for their Christmas concert.
(Written March 2004) A number of people have posted here asking how they get started with auditioning and realising their potential as singers.
I have a number of contacts in choirs around Britain, but can’t help with specific places elsewhere. If you’re looking for a choir in Britain, I recommend British Choirs on the Net.
If you aren’t in Britain, the chances of someone in your area reading your contribution to what is now a fairly old article in my blog are extremely small. I can only offer the following advice:
Try to have some lessons. Failing that, find out who the good choir trainers in your area are and join one of their choirs. You may learn a lot about how to sing well from what they say in rehearsal. Your local community choir might be a good place to start. If you know someone who sings well, ask them where they learnt/are learning. But make sure you get some singing, rather than just staying on a waiting list!