Thursday, June 12, 2008

What choirs want

This e-mail is from a singer we heard audition last weekend, but could not accept into Portland Symphonic Choir:

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Thanks for your feedback and for hearing me at my audition.

I wonder if you could answer a few questions that would help me perform better in the future:
What do you look for in members of the PSC? What can I do to improve my voice as you heard it, and how can I perform better in future auditions? How can I improve my chances of getting into an auditioned choir in the near future? Thanks for your input--- and good luck with the coming season of song!
Sincerely,

- [name and e-mail withheld]


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Hi!

Gary Shannon, Portland Symphonic Choir tenor section leader here. Mark in the choir office forwarded your e-mail to me.

Generally, any major choir is looking for strong voices with a free, natural tone color. We cannot accept voices that are regularly out-of-tune, forced, nasal, swallowed, throaty, shouting, inaudible, strained, quavering, breathy, or pinched. Preparing music on your own, adequate vocal range and sight reading ability are secondary considerations.

Voice lessons are always recommended - even our very best singers take voice lessons, sometimes from each other. A free, well-supported sound, without much strain or effort is the goal, and it usually takes an outside ear or two to help develop it.

The audition committee generally does not generally give out details on why we select some singers and not others. However, if you will write back to me and tell me what song you sang for us to jog my memory, I will answer what I can regarding your own audition, and preparing for your next one.

Yours, Gary Shannon
I teach online voice lessons! www.voice-mentor.com My passion: Your art.
4022 SE 100th Ave. Portland OR 97266 503-761-1837
( 8-{D} Balding, bespectacled, mustachioed, happy, bearded guy, usually open mouthed.

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