Upon determining that a candidate is ready for an audition, the section leader will discuss with them the two songs they will use for their audition. It is recommended but not mandated that the candidate choose one repertoire song and one audition polecat. By the time that the candidate is ready for their audition, they should already know one of each type so this should be fairly easy to accomplish.
The section leader or the director will designate a quartet which will include the auditioning candidate. The other three parts should be either section leaders or members who are performance ready and can accurately sing the songs selected. When using remote software, such as Jamulus, everyone in the quartet will need to have their voice levels set as equal a level as is possible. A qualified non-singing observer will listen to all four parts and share their observations of the candidate's performance. Upon completion of the audition, the directors will determine whether to recommend to the Board of Directors the acceptance of the candidate as a chapter chorus member.
The candidate may use printed music while auditioning but it is encouraged that they memorize their part.
The goals of the audition include:
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confirming that the candidate can sing their part's notes accurately and repeatably.
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listening for whether the candidate's part drifts into or is otherwise affected by the other parts.
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ascertaining the candidate’s ability to blend with the other parts, and "tune" within each chord.
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observing if the candidate is singing too loudly or softly and if they are aware of it.
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observing if the candidate appears to be engaged with the other three singers.
