Audition Information

Choral Auditions | Graduate Choral Conducting

Choral Auditions

 

Choral Ensemble Auditions for the 2020-2021 Academic Year

Auditions will be held in the Choir Room (MU 230) in the Music Building.

  • Monday, August 17 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday, August 18 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday, August 19 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Thursday, August 20 | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Friday, August 21 | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Students from every major are invited to participate in the choral audition process and will be considered for membership in one of our choirs.  

Undergraduate vocal performance majors and undergraduate choral music education majors are required to audition for choir placement. 

Graduate voice majors are also invited to audition for choral participation and for choral scholarship consideration. 

Please register for Chorale before you audition. Once choral placement auditions are completed, you will be administratively moved into the correct choir. The undergraduate section of Chorale is: MULB 1815.500. The graduate section is: MULB 5171.505.

Incoming Freshmen: You are requested to sign up for a choir audition on either Monday, August 17 or Tuesday, August 18.

 

Audition Sign-up Instructions:

  1. COMPLETE audition registration HERE

  2. Choir auditions 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.

  3. UNT Choral Studies will provide an ACCOMPANIST for your audition. Please prepare your music with clearly marked cuts and instructions. Please print your music double-sided and place it in a three-ring binder. To avoid glare, do not place music in plastic sheet covers or protectors.

  4. ARRIVE 15 minutes early on your audition date.

 

Callback Information:

Callback auditions begin on Saturday, August 22, 2020. UNT Choral Studies will email and post callback information on the Choral Bulletin Board (across from MU 217). Failure to attend a callback audition will jeopardize your placement in one of the auditioned ensembles.  

 

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

A Cappella Choir – Saturday, August 22 | Choir Room | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Basses: 11:00-11:50 AM

Tenors12:00-12:50 PM

Altos: 1:00-1:50 PM

Sopranos: 2:00-2:50 PM

University Singers & Concert Choir – Sunday, August 23 | Choir Room | 2:00 – 6:00 PM

Kalandra– Monday and Tuesday August 24 & 25 | Choir Room | 1:00 – 1:50 PM

Vox Aquilae – Wednesday, August 26 | Voertman Hall | 2:00 – 2:50 PM

 

 


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.

AUDITION DATES
Monday, January 25, 2021
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 
N.B.: We generally audition no more than 8 candidates on these dates.
 
Audition Day Sample Schedule
9:00am – meet with current graduate students
10:00am – meet with director of choral studies
11:00am – lunch with audition panel as available
12:00pm-1:00pm – observe rehearsals
1:00pm – individual preparation time
2:00pm – auditions 
3:00pm-5:00pm – interviews* with audition panel in 15-20 minute slots
 

*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 25 & 26 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, 2021. 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 notify you of an on-campus audition request at least a month before the audition date. 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. 

Audition Panel
Dr. Allen Hightower, Director of Choral Studies
Dr. Kristina MacMullen, Associate Professor of Choral Studies
Dr. Jessica Nápoles, Interim Chair of Conducting & Ensembles, Associate Professor of Music Education
Dr. Joshua Habermann, Lecturer and Director, Dallas Symphony Orchestra Choruses