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theatokosFriday I auditioned for the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. And I didn't suck, neither did the experience. This was a complete and total triumph. Whether or not I get in doesn't even matter at this point. The audition was enjoyable and was an accurate measure of my skills and abilities at this time. A miracle.
Now, it's very likely I will not get in. There are 100 people auditioning for 20 spots (I don't know what number of soprano slots are available). There were many components to the audition: First, vocalising. My comfortable range was G below middle C to high D. Next, I had to sight read three pieces: a choral piece, a fugue style piece, and an a capella melody. I was not so hot on this. I've been practicing, but these were trickier than what I had practiced. Next came intervals. HA! I haven't practiced that in years, like 5 years or more. I never sit around and think, here's one note can I sing a 6th above that? Plus, my vocal warm-ups are all thirds, fifths and octaves. I just laughed and said, no, I couldn't do that. Then I had to identify key changes in a passages. Impromptu music theory! Ack! But I got them right, thank god. This is the price I pay for not singing with any group. I feel confident in my ability to get up to snuff quickly in these areas. There's nothing like learning new music every 6 weeks to get the sight reading skills sharp.
After that, I sang my aria with recitative (a spoken-sung intro), a piece from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. I made a mistake at the end of my recit that I've never made before, which was so frustrating, but the aria went really well. Then I had to sing two prepared excerpts from pieces that the chorus will be singing: one from Brahms' Requiem and the opening to "For unto us a child is booooooooooorn" from Handel's Messiah. I think I did well on those. Lastly, I had to match dynamics on a flat tone.
This was the most involved audition I've been through, though one of the more pleasant.
I realize in writing this post that I don't expect to get in. I'm just a little out of practice on the general musicianship side of things. I now really want to find a good group to sing with and get my skills sharp and audition again next year.
But no matter what: I did it! Triumph is mine.
Now, it's very likely I will not get in. There are 100 people auditioning for 20 spots (I don't know what number of soprano slots are available). There were many components to the audition: First, vocalising. My comfortable range was G below middle C to high D. Next, I had to sight read three pieces: a choral piece, a fugue style piece, and an a capella melody. I was not so hot on this. I've been practicing, but these were trickier than what I had practiced. Next came intervals. HA! I haven't practiced that in years, like 5 years or more. I never sit around and think, here's one note can I sing a 6th above that? Plus, my vocal warm-ups are all thirds, fifths and octaves. I just laughed and said, no, I couldn't do that. Then I had to identify key changes in a passages. Impromptu music theory! Ack! But I got them right, thank god. This is the price I pay for not singing with any group. I feel confident in my ability to get up to snuff quickly in these areas. There's nothing like learning new music every 6 weeks to get the sight reading skills sharp.
After that, I sang my aria with recitative (a spoken-sung intro), a piece from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. I made a mistake at the end of my recit that I've never made before, which was so frustrating, but the aria went really well. Then I had to sing two prepared excerpts from pieces that the chorus will be singing: one from Brahms' Requiem and the opening to "For unto us a child is booooooooooorn" from Handel's Messiah. I think I did well on those. Lastly, I had to match dynamics on a flat tone.
This was the most involved audition I've been through, though one of the more pleasant.
I realize in writing this post that I don't expect to get in. I'm just a little out of practice on the general musicianship side of things. I now really want to find a good group to sing with and get my skills sharp and audition again next year.
But no matter what: I did it! Triumph is mine.
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Date: 2007-05-14 07:24 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2007-05-15 05:18 pm (UTC)Woo hoo!
Date: 2007-05-15 02:22 am (UTC)I hate auditions, tests, or even interviews (they called in a janitor to mop up all the sweat after my last one). So good job; kudos; three cheers!
Re: Woo hoo!
Date: 2007-05-15 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-15 11:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-15 05:21 pm (UTC)What's up with yer hands, lady?
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Date: 2007-05-15 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-15 10:39 pm (UTC)You are very much on my mind these days. Weird. But pleasant.
Also!!
Date: 2007-05-17 05:42 pm (UTC)May this year be everything you need it to be. And may you experience more joy than last year.
Re: Also!!
Date: 2007-05-17 07:52 pm (UTC)