<p>Hi everyone! I'm thinking about joining a vocal performance group at D, and I have a couple (well, a LOT) of questions. :)</p>
<p>I heard that auditions for all groups are combined, and each ensemble will contact you separately if it likes your sound. How exactly do these auditions work? Do you just get up on stage, introduce yourself, and sing 16 bars? Will you be asked to sight-read? Will there be any sort of audience besides the groups involved, i.e., other interested students?</p>
<p>In high school, I joined choir for one year because the group was making a trip to Hawaii. I haven't done any singing beyond or outside of that, but I really enjoyed the experience and I think it'd be a fun way to make some new friends with similar interests. Do people who end up making the "cut" usually have pretty extensive singing r</p>
<p>Hi '12s,
Here's the run down: auditions for a cappella groups are held separately from auditions for groups like Glee Club, Handel Society, and Chamber Singers. For the former, there are 2-3 rounds of auditions with things like pitch-matching in the earlier ones and ensemble work in the later ones. For the latter, you will do some sight reading and warm-ups and the directors will place you. Other auditionees will be present for round 1 a cappella auditions. Each a cappella group invites people back, and you decide which groups with whom you would like to continue the process. Everything takes place in the music department in various rehearsal rooms, so no stage involved. We (Dartmouth upperclassmen) are all very excited to have you on campus and I will speak for myself and the rest of Sing Dynasty (the Sings) when I say we are all anxious to hear you audition for us! Please post any other questions and I'll try to get answers for you. See you in Hanover!</p>
<p>Thanks for the response - could you tell me what's involved in the pitch matching? Do they call out a name of a note or do they play the note and ask you to match? What types of songs would you suggest for the audition? Do you have to be or be close to pitch perfect to be in A Capella or to get a lead in a group?</p>
<p>I think in the music world in general, nobody is ever expected to have absolute pitch, so don't worry about that. Pitch matching is when someone plays two or three notes on a piano and then you repeat those notes back. A good audition song should show off your talents. I think you should avoid songs with very small ranges if you can, and do something you love so you can be expressive with it. I can't say that you don't have to be close to pitch perfect--of course with any musical instrument, you are expected to have excellent pitch. What you don't need is an extensive resume--college should be an opportunity to try out new things, and singing is most definitely one of them! The good news is that there are a variety of groups both in terms of style/genre and expected committment/quality. Most people can find a great match for them. Rehearsal times for many groups is about 2hrs, 3times a week, but there are groups that may practice more or less. As for solos, I believe all groups on campus have open auditions within the group to fill each part. I hope this helps =)</p>