CHOIR AUDITIONS
At TAFA, we want to give students of all abilities and ages confidence in using their voice. We believe that EVERYONE can sing and especially love to give students the tools to overcome the typical voice cracks, sudden pitch drop, air-spewing tone, and insecurities that are so common in pre-teen & teenage voices. We have different levels to train students of varying abilities and are sure to challenge the amazing songbird too! We have multiple choirs that do not require auditions. (Elementary Singers & Chorale) If your 12-18-year-old has not yet had choir ensemble experience, there is no need for them to audition, simply register them for Vocal Techniques where they will be given wonderful tools to use their voice in a safe, encouraging environment. This class advances to CHORALE by the spring.
CHOIR & ACCOMPANIST AUDITIONS/PLACEMENT
LIVE Auditions: Tuesday, May 14 (sign up below)
VIDEO Auditions: Through the Summer
*For Chamber Choir and Resonant Jazz, please find the "Video Instructions" page to print down below.
You will need to fill out the audition link to tell us when to expect your video audition.
*For Con Spirito & Concert Choir, email Mrs. Hames for video instructions.
RESONANT JAZZ AUDITIONS: contact sarah.shannon@tafa.org
CHAMBER, CHORALE & ACCOMPANIST AUDITIONS: contact ondrea.schenck@tafa.org or sarah.shannon@tafa.org
CON SPIRITO & CONCERT CHOIR AUDITIONS: contact elizabeth.hames@tafa.org
These auditions are for students who wish to advance to Con Spirito (10-13), Concert Choir (12-15), Chorale (12-18), Chamber (14-18) or Resonant Jazz (14-18).
Primary Level Choirs
Elementary Singers
Ages 8-11
Instructor: Elizabeth Hames
Monday 1:00-1:55 and Tuesday 12:30-1:25
No Audition Necessary
Con Spirito
Ages 10-13
Instructor: Elizabeth Hames
Monday 2:00-2:55
Audition Only
Secondary Level Choirs
Vocal Techniques (Level 1)
Ages 12-18
Instructor: Elizabeth Hames
Tuesday 10:30-12:00
No Audition Necessary
Fall semester only. Students advance to Chorale for the spring semester.
Chorale (Level 2)
Ages 12-18
Instructor: Ondrea Schenck
Tuesday 10:30-12:00
No Audition Necessary, but students must first complete Vocal Techniques or pass a Choral Evaluation test.
Concert Choir (Level 3)
Ages 12-15
Instructor: Elizabeth Hames
Tuesday 9:00-10:30
Audition Only
Chamber Choir (Level 4)
Ages 14-18
Instructor: Sarah Shannon
Tuesday 10:30-12:25
Audition Only
Resonant Jazz Ensemble (Level 5)
Ages 14-18
Instructor: Sarah Shannon
Tuesday 1:15-2:55
Audition Only
Click on one of the links below to schedule your vocal audition for one of the choirs or to be a student accompanist.
Read below for LIVE and VIDEO audition expectations & study files for each of the choirs.
CON SPIRITO (Ages 10-13) & CONCERT CHOIR (Ages 12-15):
CONTACT: elizabeth.hames@tafa.org (For video audition instructions, contact Mrs. Hames.)
Auditions last about 10-minutes. Students will do the following in their audition.
Students will echo short melodic patterns played by the director.
Students will be asked to sing a scale ascending and descending on solfege.
Students will sight-sing a short selection on solfege.
Con Spirito: The example will be in C Major
Concert Choir: The example will be in a Major key other than C Major. Students will need to identify the key signature and use appropriate solfege.
Students will be asked to sing a short excerpt in two-part harmony with the director.
Students are asked to bring to the audition a song of their choice to perform. It may be a folk song, hymn, patriotic song, or piece the student has sung in choir.
Students will be tested for basic music literacy by looking through a score with the director and answering questions about it.
CHORALE: (Level 2)
Students usually move into this choir with no audition after completing Vocal Techniques. However, some students may by-pass VT by taking and passing the Vocal Evaluation test. If passed, students will need to audition for a director to show their understanding of Kodaly hand signs, sight reading, music theory, and ear training. Chorale auditions will be the same structure as Chamber Auditions.
CONTACT: Please email questions and video to ondrea.schenck@tafa.org
CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS: (Level 4)
CONTACT: Please email questions and video to sarah.shannon@tafa.org
Auditions last about 10-minutes. Students will do the following in their audition.
Sing a vocal exercise to determine range
Echo short pitch motives
Sing a major scale using Kodaly Handsigns (ex. Do, Do-Re-Do, Do-Re-Mi-Re-Do, etc)
Sight Read (Determine key signature, time signature and starting solfege syllable)
Sing an art song, hymn, or short traditional song. You may provide music for the director to view, an accompaniment using your device that connects to our speaker, bring an accompanist, or sing a cappella.
*How to prepare:
Study the solfege exercises below (Information to be added to the website soon.)
Confidently know your solo
Practice playing 3-4 random pitches (in your range) on a piano and sing them back
Study the Vocal Evaluation Sheet (to be added below soon)
Go to musictheory.net and practice identifying key signatures and where “Do” is for each key.
Study sight reading lessons from class or click on the SIGHT READING EXERCISE below to study.
RESONANT JAZZ AUDITIONS: (Level 5)
CONTACT: Please email questions and video to sarah.shannon@tafa.org
Auditions last about 15-minutes. Students will do the following in their audition.
Sing a vocal exercise to determine range
Echo jazz phrases on simple scat syllables, imitating vocal style of Mrs. Shannon
Sing a half-step (chromatic) scale
Sight Read (Determine key signature, time signature and starting solfege syllable)
Sing a jazz selection from memory. You may provide an accompaniment using your device connected to our speaker or bring an accompanist. It is better not to sing a cappella for this audition.
*How to prepare: All audition files are below for rehearsal purposes or to play during your video audition.
Study the CHROMATIC Exercise & SCAT exercises linked below.
Confidently know your solo from memory and show vocal freedom
Practice playing 3-4 random pitches (in your range) on a piano and sing them back (Use the ECHO PITCHES exercise below.)
Sing harmony over melody to EVERYTHING. Try to sing a part that others are not singing (Use HARMONIZATION to "AMAZING GRACE" below.)
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to other great jazz musicians/vocalists
Go to musictheory.net and practice identifying key signatures and where “Do” is for each key. Practice singing back intervals in the ear-training portion
Review sight reading using lessons from class (Use SWING STYLE SCAT MUSIC & EXERCISE below.)
JAZZ FILES TO USE WITH A VIDEO AUDITION OR TO REHEARSE WITH FOR LIVE AUDITIONS: (Try to record these in the order listed below with as short a lag time between.)
CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS
SWING STYLE SCAT MUSIC (for exercise below)
SWING SCAT EXERCISE ACCOMPANIMENT (Sing with this for your audition)
Student Accompanists
TAFA has ensembles in need of a student accompanist. These students would need to be advanced in their piano playing as well as sight-reading skills. Ensembles in need of accompanists are: Chorale (Tue, 11:00-12:00) and Chamber (Tue, 11:30-12:30) To learn how to prepare & schedule an audition, please contact sarah.shannon@tafa.org for more details.
ACCOMPANIST AUDITIONS/PLACEMENT: Tuesday, May 14 (Sign up on the CHAMBER, CHORALE, & STUDENT ACCOMPANIST AUDITION SIGN UP Button at the top of this page.)