Ensemble Audition Information

Fall 2022 Audition Information

Dr. Rick Mason, Director, rlmason@georgiasouthern.edu

The Georgia Southern University Jazz Ensemble is a “big band” of 16-22 members. It is open to all Georgia Southern students by audition.

Auditions date:

Monday, August 8, 2022 (Annex)

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Rhythm section (piano, bass, drums, guitar, aux percussion)

Tuesday, Aug 9 (Foy 3029)

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Trombones

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Saxes

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Trumpets

Instructions:

• All musicians must perform the prepared music etudes for their instrument.

• If you are auditioning for Lead Trumpet, you will play both the Trumpet (Lead) and the Trumpet (Low) excerpts.

• If you are a trumpet player and not auditioning for a Lead spot, you will only play the Trumpet (Low) excerpt.

• All musicians (with the exception of drum set auditionees) will have prepared the following blues scales (concert pitch): C, G, F, D-flat.

• All musicians must be prepared to sight-read.

Prepared music download:

The Choral Audition process

WHEN?

Auditions for Southern Chorale and voice placement for University Singers occur the weekend before classes start each Fall Semester. Placement for U singers also occurs the weekend before the Spring Semester. Southern Chorale is a year-long commitment with the exception of Student Teachers who are allowed Fall admittance only. When unexpected events require a person to leave Southern Chorale auditions will be held for that student’s
voice part.

WHERE?

Auditions occur in the Foy Music Building on the Georgia Southern University campus room 4030 on the fourth floor. Building number 205 on the campus map.

WHO?

Anyone is welcome to audition for Southern Chorale and all are welcome to sign-up for University Singers. Again, there is no “audition” for acceptance into U Singer, just a voice placement, so a placement time is required.

HOW?

In August, you will find a link to a Google Doc via the Sing at Southern and Southern Chorale Facebook pages. On this online document, you will sign up (whether you are audition for Southern Chorale or doing voice placement for University Singers) for a 10 min time slot for your in-person audition on either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Call Backs for Southern Chorale occur on Sunday afternoon. A list of student who are invited to “Call backs” will be posted on the Sing at Southern and Southern Chorale Facebook pages. You must attend Call Backs in order to be considered for Southern Chorale. During these, you will take a Music Skills Test.

WHAT?

You do NOT need to have a solo prepared. The audition focuses on materials that you have not seen. Please, however, be ready to sing “My Country Tis of Thee”.

1. Application:
   You will receive this when you arrive from the choral assistant. Please arrive about 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
2. In Person Audition
   “You have to be brave enough to put it all on the line and try your hardest”
   a. Simple vocalizations to determine your natural voice, areas of strength and weakness, and find the voice that best serves the choir.
   b. “My County Tis of Thee”
3. sing at a given tempo unaccompanied in a couple of keys
4. sing a few bars straight tone
5. sing a few bars sotto voce (with a quiet undertone quality, as if singing to yourself)
6. sing a few bars loudly
7. perform a few short vocal exercises to help determine your natural voice range
   c. Aural Skills/tonal Memory
8. sing back a series of played pitches
9. a chord is played (only once) – sing the middle or top or bottom pitch
   d. Sight-Reading
10. You are given a sing line written in either treble or bass clef, I-IV-VI in the key area, and your starting pitch.
11. You have a about a minute to look over the example (best to sing out loud) and then you will be given the key area and starting pitch again.
12. You Sing!
13. The starting pitch will not be played again, nor any other pitches in the example.
    e. Before leaving, the candidate will be told when they can expect to hear back about how they did (posted on Facebook). Do not expect any feedback immediately following your audition.
14. Call Backs
    a. Usually men and women are first asked to come at separate times then will meet back all together
    b. I will give everyone a copy of a least two choral pieces for which you will sight-read and rehearse together
    c. You may be asked to sing a part by yourself or with another
    d. Music Skill Test
    This is a multiple-choice test taken aurally. Music examples will be played twice; you will indicate whether they were the same, if the rhythm was different or if a pitch was different.