Auditions

Auditions for the 2010-2011 Aristocracy will be on May 3^rd and 4^th (Monday and Tuesday)

All Aristocracy members must pass an audition to become a part of the choir. Every year, students prepare for a series of evaluations designed to tests the student's abilities in solo performance, ensemble performance, music memory, and sightreading. Returning members must also audition to remain in the choir for the following year.

In late March/early April, Mrs. Jensen holds a meeting to give the auditioning students the information and paperwork they need. Each student chooses to audition for one section, which determines song selection and vocal part for the ensemble audition. Soon afterward, sectionals begin to give the students practice for the ensemble portion of the audition. These sectionals range from once to twice a week and are scheduled according to the availability of current Aristocracy members. Attendance at these meetings and sectionals is highly encouraged. Not only do they provide students with the necessary practice, they also reflect on the dedication of each student to the advanced choir, and attendance will be reflected in the audition results.

Three-Part Audition

The Aristocracy audition consists of three parts, one of which is held on the first day, and the other two are held on the second day.

Solo Performance

The solo tryouts comprise the first day of auditions. Students, who have prepared one solo piece from a mandatory list given by Mrs. Jensen, perform for a panel of judges, which includes Mrs. Jensen and a number of current Aristocracy seniors. Although the seniors are available to provide input and extra opinion for Mrs. Jensen, the final decisions are made by Mrs. Jensen alone. The solo audition gives the judges a chance to evaluate the auditioning student's vocal tone, musicality, and ability to sing with accompaniment. This portion of the audition is closed, meaning only the judges' panel and the single auditioning student are in the room at one time.

Ensemble Performance

The second day of auditions begins with the ensemble audition. Each student is required to sing as a member of an a cappella quartet in order to test intonation, blend, balance, and sensitivity when singing in a group. The student is one of the four in the quartet - the other three parts are sung by the current section leaders of the respective parts. All participants are the same room at the time of the ensemble tryouts. Music for the quartet tryouts are distributed by Mrs. Jensen, and the sectionals held before the audition days are to help the students learn their part and practice singing in groups.

Music Memory/Sightreading

Aristocracy learns music at a very rapid pace: one song per week during the fall semester and between one and two songs a week during the spring semester. Members must have the ability and dedication to learn all the necessary music quickly and be able to fully memorize and test on a song within two weeks, as each song is taught two weeks in advance of the testing date. Thus, auditioning students are expected to either read music or be able to memorize songs by ear. The music memory and sightreading portions of the audition are held after the quartet tryouts.

Commitments

When Mrs. Jensen holds the Aristocracy auditions, she considers the voice and vocal potential of all auditioning students. In order to create a group with a well-blended, balanced sound, Mrs. Jensen must select the right amount of members for each voice part and choose the best voices to fit within each part. Therefore, all auditioning students must be committed to being a part of the program for the entire year. To drop out after the auditions are over would change the sound of the group.
Since Aristocracy performs quite frequently, there is a large amount of logistic work that needs to be done every year. These items range from fundraising events to setup and tear-down assistance for concerts. Each student, by joining Aristocracy, commits to helping out in a certain number of items, as described in the student contract. Parents, also, are required to help at least once every school year.

Interested?

Those students who are interested in joining should contact Mrs. Jensen in late March or early April to receive the necessary forms, choose a section, and select an audition song. Auditions are held in the West High School Choir Room during the second Monday and Tuesday of May. Students should begin practicing their solo and the quartet song to prepare for the audition.
Good luck!