Choral Auditions | Graduate Choral Conducting
We are offering both an In-Person Choir experience and Remote-Option Choir experience due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year.. Students can indicate their preference when they register.
Choral Auditions
Choral Ensemble Auditions are conducted annually in August. New students enrolling in the Spring semester should contact Dr. Allen Hightower for an audition appointment.
Undergraduate vocal performance majors and undergraduate choral music education majors are required to audition for choir placement. Instrumentalists and non-music majors who prefer not to audition may enroll in our non-auditioned mixed choir, Chorale. See instructions below for registration options.
Graduate voice majors are also invited to audition for choral participation and for choral scholarship consideration.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR 2020-2021:
All new students (music majors and non-majors) should register for Chorale before your audition. Once choral placement auditions are completed, you will be administratively moved into the correct choir. Returning students can enroll in the choir they attended in the previous semester.
The undergraduate section of Chorale is:
Tenors/Basses: MULB 1815.500 for face to face instruction and MULB 1815.501 for remote only.
Sopranos/Altos: MULB 1802.501 for face to face instruction and MULB 1802.503 for remote only.
The graduate section is: MULB 5171.505 for face to face instruction.
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.
Monday, January 25, 2021
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
We generally audition no more than 8 candidates on these dates.
It is possible that these audition dates will be postponed, if covid-19 restrictions require it.
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 or aria to sing and piano piece 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. We are aware that due to the current covid-19 restrictions, applicants might be significantly limited in their ability to prepare video material. We will take this into consideration as we review your material. Please submit whatever video material you are able to prepare.
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, 2020. 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, Associate Professor of Music Education
Dr. Joshua Habermann, Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Chorus and UNT Adjunct Professor of Choral Literature