Chorus Austin

Ensembles

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLES

The Austin Civic Chorus (ACC) is an award-winning large symphonic chorus with 100-140 members that performs choral masterworks with professional orchestras. Members of this ensemble range from amateur, untrained singers with good ears and basic vocal technique to professional musicians with extensive training. ACC has a minimal of three performances during its own concert season, and is also regularly seen performing in conjunction with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Georgetown Symphonic Society, and the other ensembles of Chorus Austin. The Austin Civic Chorus has performed in Carnegie Hall, Bass Concert Hall, Dell Hall @ the Long Center for the Performing Arts, and Riverbend Centre. In 2010, members Chorus Austin will perform Haydn's "Paukenmesse" as part of the 2010 World Expo in China.

 

• All singers that audition for Chorus Austin membership are automatically considered for all ensembles unless specific preference has been indicated. No call-back auditions are required for membership into ACC.
• Required skills for ACC include:
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• Ability to match pitch
• Control of vocal tone
• Good rhythm and variance in dynamics
• Attention to language pronunciations
• Ability to learn music with instruction
• Sight-singing ability is beneficial but not required for membership. All singers demonstrate sight-singing ability at their audition.
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• Rehearsals are held Monday evenings from 7:00 pm-10:00 pm at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church in Austin
• Annual dues for ACC are $150 payable in full by December. Members joining in January pay $75 (January through July). Payment plans and reduced fees are available.
• ACC members purchase their music through the Chorus Austin library or independently.
• Womens’ uniforms are standard for the organization and can be purchased through Concert Black (www.concertblack.com). Men wear a standard black tux, white shirt, black bow-tie, and black shoes. All singers provide their own uniform.
• Rehearsals for fall 2009 begin Monday, August 17.

 

The Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble (AVAE) is a small, 40 voice chamber chorus that performs smaller choral works ranging in style from early Renaissance music to contemporary pieces, accompanied or a cappella. The members of this ensemble have extensive choral backgrounds, the majority of which are professional musicians. AVAE performs a minimal of 2 concerts during its regular season and a combined concert with the other ensembles of Chorus Austin. AVAE has performed on the stages of the ACDA convention in San Antonio and at the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, in addition to performing with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and as part of the Georgetown Festival of the Arts.

• Singers that audition for Chorus Austin are automatically considered for membership into AVAE unless the candidate expresses otherwise. If a candidate demonstrates the necessary skills for AVAE, he/she will be invited to participate in a call-back audition. The Director will evaluate the balance and blend of the ensemble, and make final decisions on members based on the call-back audition.
• Required skills for AVAE include:

• Sight-singing and quick learning skills.
• Strong vocal technique is required.
• Ability to sing a cappella is required.
• Able to be independent on own voice-part and be comfortable demonstrating preparedness by singing in an octet or other small ensemble.
• Strong small-ensemble singing technique and understanding is crucial. Ability to blend volume, tone, and vowels is required.
• Flexibility on singing various choral styles and periods is required. Ability to switch between several styles of music in one concert is required.
• Working on music outside of rehearsals is expected. Rehearsals are spent on musicality; not on note learning.

• AVAE rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings from 7:15 pm-9:45 pm at Hope Presbyterian Church.
• There are no dues requirements for AVAE. Members purchase their own music through the Chorus Austin library.
• Womens’ uniforms are standard for the organization and can be purchased through Concert Black (www.concertblack.com). Men wear a standard black tux, white shirt, black bow-tie, and black shoes. All singers provide their own uniform.
• Call back auditions are scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2009. All singers invited to participate are required to attend this call-back audition or forfeit eligibility.
  
• Regular rehearsals for Fall 2009 are currently scheduled to begin August 25, 2009

 

The Chorus Austin Consort (CAC) is a small, 24-voice ensemble that is the public relations and community outreach ensemble for Chorus Austin. This group of singers performs a cappella repertoire, ranging from madrigals to jazz to spirituals, and has performed at such events like Fox 7 Music in the Morning, Round Rock Express National Anthem, charity fundraisers, nursing homes, hospitals, private events, and many more. Consort frequently performs prelude concerts for the Austin Civic Chorus, and is a regular participant in the holiday concerts of the Austin Civic Chorus and Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble. Typically, membership and participation in the ACC or the AVAE is a requirement for eligibility to sing in Consort.

• Sight-singing and quick learning skills.
• Able to be independent on voice-part (typically only 2 voices are on a single part).
• Strong small-ensemble singing technique and understanding is crucial. Ability to blend volume, tone, and vowels is required.
• Flexibility on singing various choral styles and periods is required. Consort sings classical choral to contemporary jazz, and everything in between.
• Flexibility on singing in various environments is beneficial.
• Working on music outside of rehearsals is expected. Memorization of music is preferred.
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• Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM at Hope Presbyterian Church.
• A once per month extended rehearsal will be scheduled on Thursdays from 7:00 to 10:00 PM or at the discretion of the Director.
• Depending on the needs, Consort sometimes purchases music and sometimes it is provided.
• Concert-black uniforms are standard for the organization. Consort has additional uniforms which include:
• Formal- black trousers/pant/skirt and top. The uniform is to be accented with Chorus Austin red.
• Casual- jeans with black polo shirt or top.
• Rehearsals for Fall 2009 are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 11 with an extended rehearsal scheduled on Thursday, August 13.

 

PLEASE NOTE- Each ensemble requires a very specific set of vocal skills, and each ensemble presents a very specific style of music. Membership is divided based on those requirements, and not on a tiered structure.

Membership into the Chorus Austin ensembles is by audition only. Our next auditions are currently scheduled for August 10th & 11th, 2009:

Auditions are held in front of a panel consisting of the section leaders of the Austin Civic Chorus, the Chorus Austin Consort conductor, and a voice teacher. The audition itself is conducted by one of the conductors of the Austin Civic Chorus and the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble.

 Each audition lasts approximately 15 minutes and includes 3 components; performance, vocalization/tonal memory, and sight-reading.

• Performance piece- should be an art song, aria, or a choral selection that you know. Does not have to be memorized, but sheet music is required for the accompanist. You may also sing any piece a cappella that is of a classical nature (America the Beautiful, hymns, Amazing Grace, the National Anthem, etc.) NO POP SONGS are accepted for an auditions. If you have questions regarding your piece, please do not hesitate to ask.

• Vocalization & Tonal Memory- you will be led through vocal warm ups to test your high and low ranges. You will then be tested on tonal memory…a series of intervals will be played and you will be asked to sing them back. Each test will get longer and more difficult.

• Sight Reading & Harmonization- you will be given a short section of a choral piece to sing. You will be given opportunity to work on the selection and then asked to sing it for the conductor. The piano will accompany you by playing the other 3 choral parts and/or the accompaniment. Ability to sight-sing is helpful, but harmonization is the key point of this part of the audition.

Auditions can be scheduled by CONTACTING US HERE

 

This project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

© Chorus Austin 2007   [ Singers Entrance ]