Auditions

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Qualifications

The Audition Process

An audition for Pacific Chorale is an opportunity for our audition team to hear your voice, to explore your skill with sight-reading, and to get to know a little bit about you. The process takes about 10 minutes.

The elements of the audition include:

1. Singing
You will perform one piece of your choice, not longer than three minutes in length. We suggest you choose a classical art song or aria. Memorization of your selection is not required. An accompanist will be provided (please bring a second copy of your music for the accompanist).

2. Sight-reading
You will be asked to read musical passages at sight. Our audition team will evaluate your ability to read musical intervals and rhythmic patterns.

Click here for a sight reading example.

3. Vocal Flexibility
You will be asked to perform a short selection from the standard choral repertoire to evaluate your vocal flexibility. Please review the appropriate selection from the score samples here before your audition.

4. Pronunciation
You will be asked to recite passages encompassing a variety of foreign languages at sight, including English, German, French, Latin and Italian.

We will contact you approximately two weeks after your audition to notify you of the results.

Auditioning for a paid staff position

Pacific Chorale pays professional singers to perform as the core of the Pacific Chorale ensemble. Additionally, the Chorale produces the John Alexander Singers, an independently contracted vocal ensemble of 24 singers. While most of these singers also serve as part of the paid core to Pacific Chorale's 140-voice ensemble, their work with the John Alexander Singers focuses on specialized repertoire appropriate for a professional chamber choir. Singers interested in either ensemble must demonstrate superior vocal and musical skills.

To be notified of upcoming audition dates, please use the registration form found here to be added to our contact list, or send an email to Pacific Chorale's personnel manager, Andrea Klyver. Include information about your previous choral experience and your preferred contact information. If you would like further information about our audition process, please call our office: (714) 662-2345.

Level of Commitment

Pacific Chorale's annual concert schedule typically includes 8 self-produced season performances and more than 5 guest appearances of ensembles varying in size. Performance opportunities are determined on a per-repertoire basis. Rosters for performances are developed according to singer audition results, the musical requirements of the repertoire and singer availability. If you are invited to sing a particular program, you have the option to accept or decline the opportunity.

Rosters for each engagement are announced in the Pacific Chorale singer newsletter and posted to the Singers & Alumni section of the Chorale web site. Singers are expected to commit to all rehearsals and performances of each repertoire in which they participate.

Rehearsal Schedule

Rehearsals generally take place every Monday evening with occasional Saturdays from September through May. Rehearsals typically begin around September 1st and continue through the beginning of June. During the week or two prior to a concert, there may be several mandatory rehearsals. These rehearsals fall on weekdays, usually in the evenings. Rehearsal schedules for each concert are posted to Pacific Chorale's online calendar.

Please browse through our website to learn more about Pacific Chorale.