I have joined a new Choral Society. A bit bigger than the last one I was in and they can sing!

Still, they need to know if I can too so after three sessions (I have just done the first)we have to audition.

Never auditioned in my life.

Can anyone recommend something suitable for a secongd Alto (Cali?). Probably a hymn, something familiar and easy to find the music for.

I am thinking Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, because I love it, but it gets quite high.

O thou that tellest ... (Messiah) - but more for a 1st Alto.
O rest in the Lord (Elijah) - very much 2nd alto territory.
Good luck.
How are you on the middle note in a chord test?

Have never done a chord test. eek.

DSs' piano teacher is here later and she has said she can give me a run through.

Am listening to O rest in the Lord, lovely and yes well within my range.

Hi Mehgalegs

I did exactly the same audition for a choir -(after three sessions that is)

and I failed it because I hadn't learnt the piece that they had been practicing during those three rehearsals (Bach Mass in B)sufficiently well .. what a twonk I was......I'd focused solely on preparing my individual piece...

so just sending you this tip because they will also be testing how quickly and accurately you can learn new works and whether you can keep up with the rest of the choir....

Good luck with it! Sock it to 'em ... and let us know how you get on ....

I did Calon Lan cos I know full well nobody can survive it without weeping

It really needs to be something you know well. You can't risk a wobble. What do you know well? What have you sung before?

btw, my bro auditioned for Drama schools hundreds of years ago. He spent weeks preparing "Che Faro Senza Euridice" and sang it at all but one audition. For the RADA one he got up and did "I'm Henry the 8TH, I am" and RADA was the only one he got into. He reckons Old 'enery had something to do with it!

I did the Agnus Dei from the Bach B Minor Mass, seemed to do the trick.

And yes, make sure you also know whatever you're supposed to be learning at the time! On a re-audition once (we are supposed to be re-done every three years) I was asked to sing - alone - my part in Spem in Alium. Second voice in Choir V is not a very interesting line by itself, but fortunately I did know it well...

May I interrupt and say I don't understand a word you are saying & I am so

My dad says I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket & I really wish I could

Oh don't let your Dad put you off KatyMac!!...

Singing is a learnt skill ...like most things in life you can get a fair way with a bit of application ...

and there are 'degrees' of amateur choirs from local up to semi-professional

why not go and join one if you think you would enjoy it? or start your own locally? life's too short not to do something you enjoy ... have a look at these listed here:

search.bbc.co.uk/search?link=previous&go=homepage&Search=Search&tab=all&q=local%20choirs&start=1&sco pe=all

meant to add, you don't have to have that much specialist knowledge either

you will learn all the basic repertoire when you join your first choir and then join another choir at the next level up and so and so on ...

at the higher levels it is helpful if you can sight read music but not necessary to begin with

Go girl!

For more information on choirs see Gerontius.net and British Choirs on the Net. Singing is very rewarding and good for your health.

Those are great links Lilymaid ...

looks enviously from over the channel ...

Oh I can read music - just not reproduce it (my music teacher - for my Olevel (my only B) said "you tell me where you are going to start & I will play there" for the sight reading bit....I started and she looked very

I started singing in choirs as a student - could read music but hadn't played an instrument/sang since primary school. From this I still managed to get into major symphony choruses. I'm now only singing in local choirs as I don't have the time for major choirs, but enjoy the odd choir day now and then for a full on can belto experience. Singing in choirs is the best way for an amateur to get involved in world class music making.

oh, sorry, KatyMac, with hindsight my previous two posts now look horribly patronising, partic in light of yr B in music!
bet your not as bad at reproducing it as you think though ....

Oh I am

In sixth form we were asked to put on a Christmas concert - everyone said "OK - but Katymac isn't singing"

Teacher said "Oh but everyone has to sing"

They all (& me) said "No"

Teacher won

Then about a week before the concert he came in to listen to us & he said "Oh I don't think Katymac should sing" .........He got lynched

I of course did a 'John Sargent' and gracefully withdrew

Teacher didn't return the next year

LOL 'doing a John Sargeant'

our music teacher (a nun) was far from diplomatic, she used to screech "all growlers stand at the back"

How are you getting on Mehgalegs?

It was great. I had prepared a piece from Bach's Christmas Oratorio but the week before I was told to keep it simple and do a hymn. I sang Be Still for the Presence of the Lord. He then made me do some killer scales. I wa sthen told I had a beautiful voice, a great two ocatve range and that I was really a first Sop not a 2nd Alto!

Am very, very chuffed

hurrah!

(simpel things are the way to go - my party piece is O Thou That Tellest (am alto 1) but use Vaughan William's I Will Give My Love An Apple for auditions since OTTT took an inexperienced pianist by surprise...)