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Lee H. Pritchard,
Artistic Director Lee
Dixon,
Associate Director
Gary
Palmieri,
Accompanist
There are several
opportunities for interested singers
to audition for Camerata Chorale. We always hold auditions the second
Tuesday night after Labor Day each
season, whatever that date may be. Auditions begin at 6:30 p.m. and
singers must remain for the
rehearsal which follows at 7:30. Our rehearsals never last beyond
10:00 p.m. Auditions are simple and
need not be an inhibiting
experience. We do our best to put
all auditionees at ease. The
process is always the same and is as
follows:
-
Vocalize for range
and sectional placement. We
always want to place singers on
the most comfortable vocal part
for the best range of their voice.
-
Sing a verse of 'America'
in one or more keys.
-
Sight-read a passage of the work
currently in the rehearsal
process.
We are looking for
seasoned choral singers, not
(necessarily) soloists. In fact the
most important thing is that a
person must have control of their
voice and have a wide range of vocal
expression. No one should prepare a
vocal solo because we won’t hear
it. Before the audition we ask
potential members to fill out an
application form which is retained
by the organization and not shared
outside the audition committee. The
information we ask includes name,
address, phone numbers, e-mail and
background information as a singer.
In addition to the
September auditions we sometimes
audition singers before the
beginning of the January concert
cycle. Singers are expected to
commit to our organization so that
they can sing every Tuesday night
from Labor Day to Memorial Day,
excluding the Christmas Holiday
season, with some extensions into
early June when each year the group
holds its Annual Dinner and
Meeting. At the Annual Meeting the
group elects three new persons to
its nine person Board of Directors.
As for our
performance repertoire, it is
extremely broad in style and time --
from the Renaissance to the 21st
Century. In addition to the
standard classics of the choral
literature we sing Gregorian and
other chant, music from the ballet
repertoire to Broadway musicals, and
music from Gilbert & Sullivan to
Grand Opera. We sing with
orchestral, organ and or piano
accompaniment, and we sing a
cappella. We generally use
professional vocal soloists in our
larger oratorio and opera
programming.
Finally, we audition
singers for the Choral Union,
which is described elsewhere in this
website. The Choral Union is
a combination of the Camerata
Chorale of Poughkeepsie, and the
Ulster Choral Society of
Kingston with additional singers
invited to perform the larger choral
masterworks in the repertoire. This
series of performances now occurs
each season at the end of April.
For more information
and to set up an audition time,
call [845] 255-8111 or [845]
255-3243 and leave a voice mail
message. Please be sure to leave
your name and a phone number at
which you may be reached. You may
also e-mail the Director at
pritchal@newpaltz.edu.
NEXT AUDITIONS NOTICE !
Auditions for regular full-time
membership:
Tuesday, January 15, 2008 – 6:30
p.m.
(Rehearsal to follow – 7:30-10:00
p.m.) *
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 – 7:00
p.m.
Accepted members orientation with
Section Leaders
*
Singers who audition must remain for
the rehearsal that follows which is
a part of the audition for
membership. No appointment is
necessary. |
