Auditions

Updated on October 28, 2025

Pacific Chorale will hold public auditions in Orange County, California in January 2026 for admission into the ensemble’s 2026-2027 season (earlier entry may be possible in spring 2026, subject to availability).
​​​​​​​Audition applications for this cycle will only be open to Bass volunteer candidates.

Auditions for all staff and Soprano, Alto, and Tenor volunteer candidates will likely resume in January 2027.

​​​​​​​This page contains detailed application and audition requirements, as well as a FAQs section and resources for interested singers. If you have questions after reviewing this material, please contact us at auditions@pacificchorale.org. 

JUMP TO: Timeline | Singing with Pacific Chorale | Volunteer Applicants  |  FAQs

Audition Timeline

Application Schedule

Tue., October 28, 2025: Audition Requirements & Application Posted
Mon., December 15, 2025 at 7:00pm PT: Open House Rehearsal | Newport Beach, CA (RSVP here)
Mon., January 12, 2026 at 10:00am PT: Application Deadline
Tue., January 13, 2026: Scheduled Audition Time Confirmed​​​​​​​

Audition Schedule

Wed., January 21, 2026: Audition Session #1 |7:30-10:00pm | Newport Beach, CA
Sat., January 24, 2026: Audition Session #2 | 10:00am-2:00pm | Fullerton, CA 
Dates and times are subject to change with notice. 

Decisions & Next Steps

Early February 2026: Audition Decisions shared with all Applicants
Early March 2026: Commitment Deadline for Admitted Singers

Singing With Pacific Chorale

Pacific Chorale’s 2025-26 roster of singing musicians includes 230 people committed to excellence in choral performance. Our ensemble sizes range from all-staff chamber choirs of 24 singers to large oratorio choruses of 120. While repertory and performance needs determine the size of each choir, the overall Chorale roster is typically two-thirds volunteer and one-third employee. 

Volunteering has been at the heart of Pacific Chorale since our founding as an all-volunteer chorus in 1968. The Chorale’s 140 volunteers together contributed 15,150 rehearsal and performance hours to the ensemble during the 2024-25 season. Many Chorale volunteers have music degrees and many do not. Some join right after graduating college, some are retired, and many work in non-arts sectors. All Pacific Chorale singers are choral enthusiasts who cherish the unparalleled performance opportunities offered by the Chorale.

As Chorale resources and artistic capacities expanded, an acoustic core of paid staff singers was developed to anchor the ensemble. Many of our staff singers regularly perform in solo settings, are staff members of other area choirs, lead church choirs, and/or teach choir in public or private schools. 

All Pacific Chorale singers demonstrate strong vocal and musical skills. Staff Singers are expected to additionally excel in sight-reading and demonstrate superior vocal/repertory flexibility. Staff positions are especially competitive and limited from year-to-year.

Volunteer Applicants

Bass volunteer candidates are welcome to apply for the winter 2026 cycle.  We encourage singers to submit your application as early as possible.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL VOLUNTEER SINGERS:

  • One aria/art song of your choosing, not to exceed 3 minutes in length. Plan to bring a copy of your music for our pianist.
  • Short sight-singing exercise(s) upon request.
  • Short rhythmic exercise(s) upon request.
  • A prepared excerpt, linked here, from Vaughan Williams' DONA NOBIS PACEM.
    • You are to prepare your part (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass) as indicated.
    • This section will be accompanied on the piano.
    • The tempo is dotted half note=64.
  • For Bass singers, a prepared excerpt, linked here, from Handel’s MESSIAH.
    • You are to prepare your part (soprano, alto, or bass) as indicated.
    • This section will be accompanied on the piano.
    • The tempo is quarter note=100.
  • Note that applicants auditioning for volunteer Chorale positions do not submit a prescreening and do not prepare the separate Stravinsky excerpt required for staff applicants.

The audition application is brief and there is no application fee. Resumes detailing music/artistic experience are required for all applicants.

About Pacific Chorale

Calling all passionate choral singers! Are you ready to be part of an extraordinary musical experience? Pacific Chorale is seeking dedicated voices to join our ensemble, and we want YOU to be a part of it! From classical treasures to new masterworks, our choral repertory and performance opportunities will uplift your spirit. Limited membership available in all sections. Don’t miss the chance to be part of an exceptional community of singers!

Why Sing with Pacific Chorale? Hear directly from our singers in this quick video:

Audition FAQS

Although it is important for Pacific Chorale members to possess a high level of musical and vocal ability, a conscientious, diligent, and punctual work ethic is also valued. Experience in ensemble singing is essential.

Auditions are approximately 9 minutes in length.

Sessions will take place in Orange County’s Fullerton-Brea area and/or Newport Beach.

At this time, we will not accept virtual auditions in lieu of live auditions.

As a past reference, here is the full Chorale-wide schedule for the 2022-2023 Season. Very few singers perform the entire calendar. We regularly rotate singers from program to program across the year, balancing singer capacity with artistic needs. 

Click here to view rhythmic and sight signing examples from the most recent round of auditions.


Free Online Sight Singing and other Ear Training exercises:


Resources/ideas available for purchase below:

Pacific Chorale Singer FAQs

Please review our website, including our YouTube page, for information and videos of Pacific Chorale performances. We also invite applicants to attend our upcoming performances.

Rehearsals are regularly held on most Mondays between September and May every season. Depending on the program, additional rehearsals may be added during the week/weekend as schedules permit. Weeknight rehearsals are generally held from 7:15 to 10:00pm. Performance weeks see additional nightly rehearsals from Tuesday through Friday (with a performance on Saturday). 

As a reference, here is the full Chorale-wide schedule for the 2022-2023 season. Very few singers perform the entire calendar. We regularly rotate singers from program to program across the year, balancing singer capacity with artistic needs. 

Rehearsals are held in several Orange County locations, regularly in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, CA.

Pacific Chorale’s annual concert schedule typically includes 6-7 self-produced season performances and numerous guest appearances with ensembles such as Pacific Symphony and the LA Phil. Including our July 2023 tour, the 2022-2023 season saw a total of 110 rehearsals for 27 performances.

Several months before an upcoming season, singers submit schedule availability based on the Chorale’s season calendar of rehearsals and concerts. Submitting full availability for a program does not guarantee assignment to that program. Performance opportunities for singers are determined on a per-program basis, where individual singer availability is weighed against artistic need and singer performance.

Chorale volunteers are typically required to sing at least one program each season to maintain active membership. Chorale staff are assigned to programs based on individual availability, performance, and artistic needs.  

Once assigned to roster programs, our absence policy is flexible, depending more on the concert program, number of rehearsals, and musical difficulty. For instance, planned absences would not be allowed for a program that only has two or three rehearsals. On the other hand if a large program has eight or more rehearsals, one to two planned absences are allowed depending on the circumstances. Any absences from dress rehearsals and performances, barring family emergencies or illness, are not permitted.

Pacific Chorale singers pay no dues as members of the ensemble. There is also no music deposit fee, however singers may be asked to recover the costs of lost or damaged music that is loaned by the Chorale.

If you have questions after reviewing this information, please contact us at auditions@pacificchorale.org.