Choral Auditions | Graduate Choral Conducting

Choral Auditions

Choral Audition Dates 2019-2020 Academic Year

Auditions will be held in Voertman Concert Hall (except 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21, which will take place in the Orchestra Hall MU 232):

• Monday, August 19, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 20, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 21, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, August 22, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, August 23, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

The UNT Choral Studies Program offers two opportunities for consideration for membership in a choir at the University of North Texas.

1. Mixed Choirs: Students from every major are invited to participate in this audition process and will be considered for membership in one of our three SATB mixed choirs. This audition is required of all undergraduate vocal performance majors and undergraduate choral music education majors. Graduate voice majors are also invited to audition for choral participation and for choral scholarship consideration. 
   • Collegium Singers: UNT offers a high-level choral ensemble experience that specializes in early music. Frequent performers at the Boston Early Music Festival, the singers selected for this ensemble are held to a professional expectation. For those interested in being considered for this ensemble, please indicate your interest on the information form and select a Baroque era audition piece (e.g. Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, etc.). 

2. Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus: A voice screening is offered for those who wish to sing in either the Men’s Chorus or Women’s Chorus. This process does not require preparation and will be scheduled with the conductor of the respective ensemble. Students must complete a screening prior to becoming an official member of the ensemble. 

Incoming Freshmen: For those incoming Freshmen who are interested in a Mixed Choir Audition, you are requested to sign up for a Mixed Choir Audition on either Monday, August 19 or Tuesday, August 20.

The procedure to sign up for a Mixed Choir Audition is below:

1. REGISTER for Men's Chorus (undergrad: MULB 1815.500; grad: MULB 5171.505) or Women's Chorus (undergrad: MULB 1803.500; grad: MULB 5171.503) before you audition. 
2. COMPLETE an information form HERE. 
3. SIGN UP for a live audition time HERE.
4. ARRIVE 15 minutes early on your audition date.
5. The Mixed Choir Audition will INCLUDE: (1) a prepared solo song which demonstrates the beauty of your voice; (2) vocalizing on various vowels to display range and tone quality; (3) sight-reading examples of varying difficulty.
6. An ACCOMPANIST will be provided. Please prepare your music with clearly marked cuts and instructions. Music should be double-sided and placed in a three-ring binder. To avoid glare, do not place music in plastic sheet covers or protectors.
7. CALLBACK auditions will be held beginning on Saturday, August 24, 2019. Callback information will be emailed and posted on the Choral Bulletin Board (across from room MU217). Failure to attend a callback audition will jeopardize your placement in one of the auditioned ensembles. 

The procedure to sign up for a Men’s or Women’s Chorus Voice Screening is below:

1. REGISTER for Men's Chorus (undergrad: MULB 1815.500; grad: MULB 5171.505) or Women's Chorus (undergrad: MULB 1803.500; grad: MULB 5171.503) before you audition. 
2. SIGN UP for a Men’s Chorus Voice Screening time HERE.
3. SIGN UP for a Women’s Chorus Voice Screening time HERE.

Callback Auditions are by INVITATION ONLY and will occur at the following times:

A Cappella Choir – Saturday, August 24 | Voertman Hall | 10:00am-2:00pm

Basses: 10:00-10:50am

Altos: 11:00-11:50am

Tenors: 12:00-12:50pm

Sopranos: 1:00-1:50pm

University Singers – Sunday, August 25| Voertman Hall | 2:00pm-6:00pm

Basses: 2:00-2:40pm

Altos: 2:50-3:30pm

Tenors: 3:40-4:20pm

Sopranos: 4:30-5:10pm

All Sections: (Octets) 5:15-6:00pm

Concert Choir – Monday, August 26 | Recital Hall | 2:00-2:50pm

Collegium Singers – Wednesday, August 28 | Voertman Hall | 2:00-2:50pm

Graduate Choral Conducting

APPLICATIONS
Application Materials: Apply online here. Once completed forms and all required materials have been received and evaluated, the choral faculty will invite selected applicants to campus for an interview and audition with one of our university choirs. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Allen Hightower at Allen.Hightower@unt.edu. Applications are due by the first Monday in December.

*The interview will include vocalizing and skills testing. Please bring an art song / aria to perform.

AUDITION INFORMATION

Video 
Your video should include rehearsal and performances recordings of your conducting. The camera should face the conductor. Video submissions may be in digital upload or DVD format.

Application Deadline
Because our on-campus choral conducting audition dates are January 27 & 28 and it takes several weeks for the application materials to clear the university, the college and finally get to us, you would be well served if your application packet got to us no later than December 1, 2019. Early November is preferred.

Application Process
Go to the College of Music web site and apply online. Be sure to include a video of your conducting (view of the conductor) comprised of rehearsal and performance.

On-Campus Audition
Once we receive and evaluate your materials, we will make a determination about inviting you to campus for an audition and interview. We will do our best to let you know at least a month before the audition date on January 27, 2020. The earlier we receive your materials, the earlier we can make this determination.

Audition Process
The student will conduct two pieces in the audition to be assigned by the Director of Choral Studies.