What you should know before you audition for the Choir.
This next Tuesday is my last Class and I will be set apart on May 8th. Things are moving forward but I wanted to recap things.
If you have a chance to audition, I would highly recommend that you do. It was one of the best things I have ever done and I have been so blessed by it.
This is not in any particular order either.
- Following instructions is paramount. It is important to follow instructions. Instructions begin with the application. Instructions explain what to do, where to be and what to wear. With an organization with so many people it could be chaotic but it is amazing how efficient the choir is because people follow instructions. You will also be asked to follow instructions in regards to singing styles, volume, etc. All instructions have been based on what is needed for improvement.
- You need to have knowledge of music theory. You don't need to have an advanced degree in music but you do need to have some understanding of it. I've been surprised at the variety of musical experience in our group. Some have a lot of choral experience, some have a little and some are instrumentalists. Everyone is tested on music theory and you continue to learn about it in Choir School.
- Choir School teaches you things you may have never learned before. Choir school became the equalizer for many of us. Those with a lot of chorale singing experience and those with less experience learned new things together. This educational experience is amazing. I was talking to a few of the men in my group and even some of the more experienced chorale singers said they learned things they had never heard before. We covered a lot of great information. The instructors are amazing.
- Before you audition you should already know the repertoire of the choir. Seems foolish to say this but people should be familiar with the music of the choir before they audition. People should also watch Music and the Spoken Word a lot and see the variety of music the choir sings. It is not just LDS hymns. There is such a wide variety of music styles from Chorale music to broadway to Nigerian carols (yes, I'm talking to you Betelehuma).
- The choir is a choir. You may have a great voice but a choir is a choir. This is obvious and goes for any choir really. Blending-in and being part of the "fabric" of the group is the most important. I love this aspect of it. It is wonderful to be a part of such a talented group of people. Everyone I have sat by have beautiful voices in their own right but the goal is blending so everyone adjusts for the benefit of the choir sound. (It suspiciously sounds like the law of consecration where we give up all we have and are for the benefit of the kingdom of God. I love it when I can get all devotional up in here.)
- There is a time commitment. In the week that we recorded the He Is Risen CD I spent more than 24 hours that week doing choir related things. Attending rehearsals, travel, etc. This is addition to my regular full-time job. During the Chorale Concert I was at the Tabernacle 6 days out of 7 and then I was back again on Sunday morning for Music and the Spoken Word. Only off on Monday that week for Family Home Evening. Most rehearsals are during the evenings after work. I have also found that I need time outside of an official rehearsal to memorize music or go over notes on my own. I think the same goes for a lot of the other choir members. I haven't even been through a Christmas Season either. Just know that there is a time commitment and be willing to invest in it. For me it has been absolutely worth it. Luckily I have a job where I set my own hours so finding time for family is really easy but I can see how hard it might with less flexibility.
- You will be asked to memorize a lot of music. This can be challenging because you have to memorize lyrics and melody and incorporate it into the harmonies of everyone else. For me to do this I have to read and repeat things over and over and over again. Some music is easier than others but it is still memorizing. Every week one or two pieces are to be memorized and they can range from a hymn to an oratorio. I have found it interesting that I thought I knew the hymns but when asked to sing by memory I become completely lost and fumble over the lyrics. Seriously, does anyone know all the lyrics to If You Could Hie To Kolob? I'm relearning music I thought I knew and it's great. I have made a goal to memorize as much of the weekly music as I can.
- You stand on your feet the majority of the time. You may think that this is easy to do but I realized that standing in one position for long periods of time can be challenging, at least for me. Bring on the comfy shoes! It's strange that I can walk around fine for hours but standing still seems to make my feet ache sometimes. I also didn't mention how many stairs you have to climb. Not a ton but there are stairs. I think they do it to give us some physical activity. So far in my experience we are standing maybe 95% of the time.
- You will be mentally and physically exhausted at times. I think there is a huge misconception that you just show up and sing. There is a lot of mental focus needed. Maybe it is just me. In addition to singing the right notes we are focused on our posture, breathing, blend, facial expressions, volume, pitch, diction, conductor cues.. and the list goes on and on. The mental focus is more exhausting for me than the physical but they are intertwined.
- The choir has very high expectations for attendance and participation. This is a given. Why would anyone join and not be involved? It seems silly but if you join you are expected to give it everything you can. Choir School (from January to May) requires 100% attendance. From January to May this includes: Tuesday evening rehearsal, Thursday evening class, some Saturdays and some Sundays. If there is a special project (This year we is the Messiah recording) there are extra things to do. Each night begins promptly at 7:00 pm and goes until around 9:30 pm. Just know that you are expected to be in attendance for rehearsals, concerts or whatever is required. The time commitment can be very demanding so I'm sure everyone has to consider what works best for them and their circumstances for work and family.
- Things move at lightning speed. It is seriously fast paced. There is always new music every week for Music and the Spoken Word as well as other performances (i.e. Messiah Concert, extra performances, General Conference). I find it amusing that most choirs have weeks or months to prepare a musical piece before they perform it publicly. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a Thursday evening and Sunday morning rehearsal to get it to the same standard and this goes on every week. It is pretty miraculous.
- Choir rehearsals are very focused. Because there is only a limited amount of time to work on things the rehearsals are very focused. Instructions are given very quickly with the expectation that as a singer you will adjust. If you have the chance you should go to a rehearsal on Thursday night and you can see how focused a rehearsal can be. As a member of the choir I'm required to be attentive, prepared and focused during rehearsals.
- Understand that you may never be shown on tv. I'm putting this in because someone mentioned they did not see me on tv during general conference and how I felt about that. I sang for two sessions of conference. For me being in the choir isn't about being on tv, it's about singing and serving. I don't care if they put me in a corner where I am never seen on tv. Singing with the choir has its own reward and I love it. The joy of just being there is amazing. How many people can say they are a member of the choir? I'm sure my seat in the choir could be filled by thousands of other people who would love this opportunity and I'm just grateful for this time in my life I get to do this. I still have to pinch myself that I'm not dreaming when I'm up in the loft.
So, here is my list of things someone should know before they consider joining the choir and about the choir. I hope this was helpful.
