NEW for Academic Year 2020 – 2021
MUS–X70 face-to-face participation is not obligatory this academic year, the online-only version also fulfills the ensemble requirement. The choral department encourages you to choose the option that feels safest to you.
Students auditioning for Singing Hoosiers can find information on this page.
All other X70 students:
Everyone, face-to-face or remote, needs to fill out the Chorus Audition Form.
Face-to-face participation in X70 will require a face-to-face audition. Face-to-face ensembles include the opera choruses (8 SAs in Little Women; 12 TBs, maximum, in The Barber of Seville) and the Vocal Chamber Ensembles.
Students participating remotely are not required to audition.
Face-to-face auditions will occur August 24-29, during the first week of class, not before school starts as they have in the past. Sign up for an audition time here. Auditions take place in the Musical Arts Center, MAC301. Enter through the Stage Door entrance, red, metal framed glass door on the south side of the building.
There will be separate auditions for all spring choral ensembles in the beginning of the Spring 2021 semester, including the La Bohème opera chorus.
All face-to-face auditions will be sung in masks.
THE AUDITION
Auditions will consist of a vocal solo, a prepared choral excerpt, a prepared rhythmic reading exercise, and an on-line pitch memory exercise.
Solos: New Procedure This Year
Face-to-face auditions will consist of a solo chosen from the list below. It does not need to be memorized!
You will not bring in your own solo or music. This new procedure is being put in place to lower the risk of transmission of COVID-19 by eliminating the need for students to hand their music to, and come in close contact with, the audition pianist.
All students are required to sing a song. If you are not a vocal performance major and/or do not know any of the music on the audition repertoire list, you may choose to sing one of the melodies available here instead. Sing each note on the syllable “La”, sustaining the sound for the full value of each note at a comfortable mezzo forte volume. You may sing the words if you wish. Again, it does not need to be memorized.
There will be 3 elements to the skills part of the audition as usual: rhythm, melody, and pitch memory. Rather than have you sight read, however, you will have the opportunity to look at the melody and the rhythm example ahead of time. Here’s why.
In order to mitigate the risks of group singing in the era of COVID-19, ensembles will consist of no more than 12 singers. The choral department sees this as a real opportunity which includes the chance to work with you in a true chamber music format, the chance to provide more individual attention, and the chance to choose repertoire based on each chamber group.
You will have very little rehearsal for your performance this semester—six 35-minute rehearsals over the course of just 3 weeks. This puts you in a situation that mirrors the preparatory expectations of the professional choral world. You will need to prepare your X70 music before and between rehearsals. Due to these time restrictions, each group will prepare 10–12 minutes of music.
We are therefore approaching the musical skills part of the chorus auditions differently this semester. Rather than testing your sight reading skills, you will have the chance to look at a short excerpt or piece ahead of time, showing us your preparatory as well as your musical skills.
MUSICAL SKILLS 1: MELODY
There are three melodies to choose from, each getting progressively more difficult. Choose only one example, the one that best reflects your skills and abilities. Specific instructions are included on the excerpts themselves.
MUSICAL SKILLS 2: RHYTHM
Please speak the exercise (no pitch) at the indicated metronome mark on the syllable “ta”, or using whatever rhythm-reading system that works for you. Further instructions on are the exercise.
MUSICAL SKILLS 3: PITCH MEMORY
This aspect will be conducted via Zoom. During the first week of class you will schedule five minutes with one of our associate instructors, who will play the pitches for you to echo/sing back.
We look forward to seeing and hearing you soon, even if behind masks!
AUDITION SOLO LIST
Soprano
Caro mio ben (Giordani) – Key of E-flat major
Le violette (Scarlatti) – Key of B-flat major
Quia respexit (JS Bach Magnificat) Original key
Come unto Him (Handel Messiah) Original key
Widmung (Schumann) – Key of A-flat major
Allerseelen (Strauss) – Key of E-flat major
Zueignung (Strauss) – Key of C major
Beau Soir (Debussy) – Key of E major
Mandoline (Fauré) – Key of G major
Pierrot (Debussy) – Key of E minor
The Year’s at the Spring (Amy Beach) – Key of D-flat
Sure on this Shining Night (Barber) – Key of B-flat major
Deep River (arr. H.T. Burleigh) – Key of F major
Mezzo/Alto
Caro mio ben (Giordani) – Key of C major
Il mio bel foco (Marcello) – Key of E minor
Sebben crudele (Caldara) – Key of C minor
He shall feed His Flock (Handel Messiah) Original key
O thou that tellest (Handel) – Key of D-major major
Widmung (Schumann) – Key of G-flat major or F major
Er, der Herrlichste von Allen (Schumann) – Key of E-flat major or D-flat major
Dein blaues Auge (Brahms) – Key of D major
Allerseelen (Strauss) – Key of B major
Zueignung (Strauss) – Key of A major or A-flat major
Beau soir (Debussy) – Key of D major
Sure on this Shining Night (Barber) – Key of G major
Deep River (arr. H.T. Burleigh) – Key of D-flat major or C major
Tenor
Caro mio ben (Giordani) – Key of E-flat major
Già il sole dal gange (Scarlatti) – Key of A-flat major
O del mio amato ben (Donaudy) – Key of A-flat major
Comfort ye (no Every Valley – Handel Messiah) Original key
If with all your hearts (Mendelssohn Elijah) – Key of E-flat
Ma rendi pur contento (Bellini) – Key of A-flat major
Der Neugierige (Schubert) – Key of B major
Widmung (Schumann) – Key of A-flat major
Allerseelen (Strauss) – Key of E-flat major
Zueignung (Strauss) – Key of C major
Lydia (Fauré) – Key of G major
Loveliest of trees (John Duke) – Key of A-flat major
Black is the color (Niles) – Key of G minor
Deep River (arr. H.T. Burleigh) – Key of F major
Baritone/Bass
Caro mio ben (Giordani) – Key of C major
Già il sole dal gange (Scarlatti) – Key of E-flat major
Sebben, crudele (Caldara) – Key of C minor
Si, tra i ceppi (Handel – ‘A’ section only) – Key of C major
The people that walked in darkness (Handel Messiah) – Key of B minor
Beau soir (Debussy) – Key of D major
Der Neugierige (Schubert) – Key of A-flat major or G major
Widmung (Schumann) – Key of G-flat major or F major
Allerseelen (Strauss) – Key of B major
Zueignung (Strauss) – Key of A major, A-flat major, or F major
Bright is the ring of words (Vaughn Williams) – Key of C major
The Roadside Fire (Vaughn Williams) – Key of D-flat major
The Vagabond (Vaughn Williams) – Key of C minor
Deep River (arr. H.T. Burleigh) – Key of D-flat major
Chorus Placement Audition FAQs
Who needs a chorus placement audition?
Anyone who needs or wishes to sing in one of the vocal chamber ensembles, the opera choruses, or the Singing Hoosiers. These groups, including all students participating remotely, all earn MUS-X70 credit. Registration is required to participate in any Jacobs choral ensemble.
MUS-X70 is required of the following students:
All voice majors except:
– doctoral students
– MM students who have completed four semesters of fall & spring MUS-X70.*
All 1st- and 2nd-year piano majors
Junior and senior piano majors who are not registered for MUS-X2
All master’s degree choral conductors
*Summer enrollment does not count towards the ensemble requirement.
MUS-X70 also fills the major ensemble requirement for students majoring in organ, composition, guitar, music history, music theory, orchestra conducting, 2nd year master’s degree in piano, and instrumentalists who are unable to register for MUS-X40 due to injury. If MUS-X40 is the typical requirement for your degree, please get approval from Tom Wieligman and your teacher to use MUS-X70 as a substitute. You will also need to successfully audition for X70.
Please see the Jacobs School of Music Bulletin for the specific requirements of your degree, it supersedes any information provided here.
If this is a required course for your degree program, you must register for MUS X-70 by the end of the first week of classes. This is a Jacobs School requirement.
How do I sign up to audition for the vocal chamber ensembles and opera choruses?
Fill out the Choral Audition Form, the link at the top of this web page.
When are auditions held?
During the first week of class. These are not drop-in auditions, sign up for a specific audition time here. Schedule your audition as early in the week as possible.
We will hold auditions for the spring semester choruses later this fall.
What are the Vocal Chamber Ensembles?
Due to safety protocols set by the university, singing groups in the fall semester are limited to 12 people or fewer. This gives us a unique opportunity to work with students in small groups—the Vocal Chamber Ensembles. Repertoire will be chosen specifically for each ensemble based on the students’ majors and skill levels, both musical and vocal. Each group will learn 10–12 minutes of music to be performed in Auer Hall at the end of a 3-week rehearsal period. Concerts will be shared by no more than 8 ensembles.
The vocal chamber ensemble format will allow the student to develop greater musical independence and responsibility. With a 3-week preparation period and 35-minute rehearsals, students will be expected to prepare for the first rehearsal and practice on their own.
In the spring semester of 2021 we hope to offer our usual concert choirs: University Singers, NOTUS, and the University Chorale.
Will a pianist be provided?
An accompanist will be present for the face-to-face auditions.
What if I’ve never sung before?
No worries! Choose a melody from one of the three hymn tunes in this PDF. If you are doing a face-to-face audition, we may ask you to sing some 5-note scales in order to determine your voice type and range.
How long is the audition?
The entire process will last about seven minutes.
Do I need to audition separately for the opera choruses and the vocal chamber ensembles?
No, one audition will suffice to be considered for vocal chamber ensembles and opera choruses for the fall semester.
What happens next?
All rosters and call back information will be posted on Canvas in the second week of classes.
Please check regularly, the first chamber ensembles start rehearsals on Sept. 7
Can’t find your name on a chamber ensemble roster once they are posted?
Please write David Villanueva, dvillanu@iu.edu.
What is the Conductors Chorus?
There will be no Conductors Chorus (CC) in the fall semester. We are planning on three performances by the CC this spring.
The Conductors Chorus is a paid chorus that sings for choral conducting graduate student recitals.
The group rehearses Wednesdays and Fridays from 2:30–3:50. This ensemble does NOT fulfill MUS-X70 requirements. The compensation, established by the Jacobs School for all paid student ensembles, is $12 an hour. Each Conductors Chorus concert will have a separate roster. You may be selected for only one of these recitals. Rosters for the spring CC concerts will be posted in early November.
What if I’m not a music major?
Any student currently enrolled at IU Bloomington is welcome to audition for the Jacobs School of Music choruses. You are also eligible to participate in the All Campus Choir (ACC), MUS- X01, which does not require an audition. In Fall 2020 All Campus Choir will be offered entirely online. All Campus Choir does not fulfill the MUS-X70 requirement for music majors.
When do the choral ensembles meet?
Keep the following times free in your schedule until you receive your assignment for the semester:
daily 3:00-4:35pm (vocal chamber ensembles) and 5:00–7:00 (opera choruses & Singing Hoosiers.)
What if I have a conflict with another class?
Ensemble assignments are based on your skills as demonstrated in your MUS-X70 audition and the needs of the Jacobs School’s programming; assignments cannot be built around student schedules. If you have a conflict with your ensemble placement you will be asked to find an alternate section of the conflicting course or to change the off-campus commitment. Avoid this complication and keep the chorus ensemble times open! You must be able to attend all rehearsals and performances in order to receive credit for MUS-X70, i.e., it is not possible to miss one or even a portion of one rehearsal per week.