Doyoulearnhowtosinginachoir?
Singinginachoirisagreatwaytoimproveyourvoice,yourknowledgeof music,andyourperformanceskillsItcanalsoboostyourhappinessand healthiness.Determineyourvocalrange,followthedirector’sinstructions, listentothesingersaroundyou,anduseproperbreathingandposture techniquestogetthemostoutofyourchoirexperience.
JoiningaChoir
Determinewhichpartyoucansing Choirmusicisdividedintofourbasic parts:Soprano(C4toC6),Alto(G3toF5),Tenor(D3toA4),andBass(E2to E4)Testoutyourvocalrangebyplayingthenotesinthoserangesona pianoandsingalongtoseewhichpartismostcomfortable.
ClassicalvoicetypesarefurthercategorizedintopartslikeMezzo Soprano,Contralto,andBaritone
Ifyoujoinabeginners’choir,thedirectormaybeabletohelpyou determinewhichpartyoucansing
Selectandjoinachoir.Selectthekindofchoirwouldbestsuityou dependingonyourage,yourlevelofexperience,thetypeofmusicyoulike tosing,andhowmuchtimeyouareabletocommit
Worldmusicgroups(ornaturalvoicechoirs),communitychoirs,and churchchoirstendtobemoreinformalanddon’tusuallyrequire auditions
Contemporaryorclassicalchoirs,gospelchoirs,barbershopchoirs,and acappellagroupsaremoreadvancedandarelikelytorequireauditions.
Children’schoirsareagreatoptionforyoungersingerswhosevoices don’tblendinaswellwithadultvoicesThedirectingstylewillalsobe gearedtowardchildrentohelpthemlearnandhavefun.
NailyourauditionForsomechoirs,youmaybeabletojoinrightaway,but forothers,youwillneedtoaudition.Ifthedirectorgivesyouapieceto auditionwith,findyourpartandpracticeituntilyoufeelcomfortableIf you’reallowedtochooseyourownpiece,findonethatsuitsyourvocal rangeandpracticeitwellforyouraudition.Selectasongwithinthegenre thatthechoirtypicallysings
Thedirectormayaskyoutodosomevocalexercisesorscalestotest yourcontrolandrangeTheymayalsowantyoutodemonstrateyour sightreadingskillsandpitchmemory
Paymembershipfees.Mostchoirsrequirefeestocoverthecostofsheet music,travel(ifthechoirtours),anduniforms(ifthechoirrequiresthem). However,everychoirisdifferentandtheremaybeadditionalcoststocover
SomechoirsrequireformalwearforperformancesThedirectormay allowthechoirtochoosetheirownclothingaslongasitfitsthe requirements,ortheymayrequirememberstopurchaseidentical formalwearthroughthesamecompany,whichwillcostextra Theseduesaregenerallypaidannuallyandaretypicallypretty reasonable.Ifyoucan’taffordthefee,talktothedirectortoseeifthey areabletoofferyouascholarshiporwaivethefee
PracticingandImproving
Arriveateachpracticeearlyandbeprepared.Aimtoshowup10minutes beforethesessionstartsDirectorstypicallyexpectchoirmemberstobe seated,havetheirmusiconhand,andbereadytobeginatthebeginningof eachrehearsal
Ifyouaren’tgivenafoldertoholdyoursheetmusic,useablackbinder. Whenlookingatthemusicwhilesinging,holdithighupsoyouaren’t tiltingyourchindown,butdon’tallowittoblockyoursoundoryour viewofthedirector.
Followthedirector’sinstructions.Yourdirectorwillleadyouthrough warmups,practices,andperformances.It’simportanttopayclose attentiontoyourdirectorandlearnfromtheirteaching theyarethereto helpyouimproveasanindividualandasagroup
LearnmusicaltermsandhowtoreadmusicYouwilllikelylearnthisasyou go,buthavingabasicunderstandingofhowtoreadmusicwillhelpyou immensely,particularlywithsightreading
Alongwithstudyingthenotesandrhythms,reviewmusicaltermsused inchoralmusicTheseterms,suchassottovoce(whichmeanstosing softly)andstaccato(whichmeanstomakeyourpronunciationshortand snappy),willindicatethevolumeandattitudewithwhichyoushould singthewords.
ChorSymphonicaisaprofessional,projectbasedensembleofmusicians drawnfromacrosstheMidAtlanticregionandbeyond.Nearlyallofour musicianshaveearnedgraduatedegreesinvocalperformanceEveryoneof ourmembersarededicatedtousingtheirartisticlifetoimprovethelives ofothers,toinspireotherstoamorecompletepointofview,reachingout toaudienceswithourmusicmakingthroughourconcerts.Thispurpose guidesanddirectseveryrehearsalandeveryconcert
ChorSymphonicaisaprojectbasedensembleWedon’tmeetonaregular basisforrehearsals,butcometogetherforbrief,intenseworkperiods (“projects”),whichculminateinperformancesMusiciansselfselectfor projects,dependingontheirownavailability.Inthiswaywecandrawupon therangeofqualifiedmusiciansthroughouttheregionforourconcerts
Auditionsareheldperiodicallyformembershipinourdatabaseofsingers, andforsoloopportunities.Soloistsaredrawnfromtheranksofthechorus.
Ourmusicreachespeopleonapersonallevel,bringsthemtocontemplation
ChorSymphonicamakesmusicthattouchesandmovespeople
WearetheHouseEnsembleofTheRockvilleBachAcademy,Inc,anonprofit organizationcharteredinMaryland
Toknowmoreaboutusvisit:https://chorsymphonicaorg/whatwedo/