Sing with Us
Join the Choral Society
an ongoing community of singers
With a strong musical Leadership Team
We are scheduling auditions now.
They are "singer friendly".
What to expect
You will be asked to sing 1-on-1 for GCS Music Director, Dr. Christine Howlett. Expect to do some vocalizing in order to warm-up and determine range and quality. This will be followed by some sight-reading exercises. If possible, bring a copy of a favorite hymn or folk-song to sing at the audition (or offer to sing your part from a choral work that you know well.) If you simply don’t have access to any music, skip this step and just bring your voice! The audition will be relaxed and informative for you and the Music Director, taking about 15 minutes. You’ll be notified of the outcome within the week.
Time Commitment
Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings, 7:15 – 9:30 pm in the St Paul's Episcopal Church, 200 Riverside Ave, Riverside, CT 06878, USA. Singers are expected to attend rehearsals in their entirety; concert dress rehearsals are mandatory. Participation in concerts is contingent upon rehearsal attendance. Singers must contact their section leaders about absences. We recognize that business and family commitments sometimes interfere with Tuesday rehearsal attendance, so we have intermittent Saturday morning “make-up” rehearsals, popular because of added rehearsal time and snacks! Members who miss more than three rehearsals in a given concert rehearsal period will be required to sing for and/or speak with the Music Director to determine if the singer is adequately prepared for the performance. All Members are expected to sing in every scheduled performance unless an exception is granted.
How to Prepare
The main purpose of the audition is to determine vocal range, vocal quality and skills. Assuming that everyone is a bit “rusty” in September, the best way to prepare for the audition is to vocalize briefly...about 10-15 minutes each day for a week prior to the audition. Use your favorite exercises that you may have learned in other choral settings. Certainly avoid singing for lengthy periods of time the day of the audition or the day before! If you fear that your sight-reading skills are weak, do not let that deter you. We know that everyone is nervous in an audition and that everyone will do better when not under pressure. We’ve all been through it, too!
Financial Commitment
Membership dues for the season are $195 and must be paid by the fourth Tuesday rehearsal. Payment of dues is a condition for participation in performances with GCS. Singers may apply for an extended payment plan and a limited number of partial scholarships may also be available. Scholarship recipients are expected to participate in volunteer activities benefiting GCS, as agreed upon with our GCS Board Chair.
If you are under 35 years of age, your dues are waived!
Members are required to re-audition on a two year cycle.