How to Audition and Join
GENERAL INFORMATION
We now meet as a Community Education class at Allan Hancock College. This is a FREE class and we can explain the registration and enrollment process when you first attend. You may join us at anytime during the Fall, Spring, or Summer terms. If you are already a student at the college, enroll in OLDR 7411 Barbershop Harmony Chorus. If you are new to the college, there is an admission process that we can assist you with.
Successful members are EITHER strong singers with extensive ensemble and/or stage experience, OR motivated novices who can/wish to (1) learn music and apply musical instruction quickly,
(2) perform with emotional intent, and (3) have fun and stay humble in the process.
STYLE
Successful auditionees tend to have some type of experience in at least one vocal discipline:
choral, karaoke, barbershop, pop, jazz, theater, opera, or something else (even shower singing counts!).
A collection of singers with diverse crafts creates a richer experience for all of us.
Thus, we want classical choristers just as much as we want barbershop posters,
jazz crooners, bass woofers, and tenor riffers!
MUSICIANSHIP
We memorize all of our music, and we provide learning tracks to help our singers accomplish that outside of rehearsal. You can get by without reading music well if you practice enough at home (practicing at home will be necessary even for strong music readers-our director has a doctorate in music and learns this way), but basic facility with rhythm, phrasing, and general musicianship is helpful for understanding musical instruction and applying it quickly in rehearsal.
PRELIMINARY VOICE PLACEMENT
The chorus director will meet with you to determine in which section you should be placed. Although similar, your mixed chorus voice placement may not be identical to your placement in the Chordsmen sections.
You may switch sections as we grow more familiar with your voice and you grow more familiar with the vocal ranges of each of our four parts.
