LHS HONORS CHORUS AUDITIONS
Last updated March 2020 - this site will be updated in late February 2021.
Thank you for your interest in select ensembles at Lexington High School. Our program is large and thriving, with a tradition of excellence in choral music. While each chorus has its own personality and specialties, all singers in the high school program perform a wide variety of repertoire and work hard to improve their vocal skills and musicianship. This page contains all of the information you need in order to audition for a select ensemble at the high school.
The first step to qualify for an audition is to be registered for a chorus at LHS. If you are new to our program, you must register for LHS Chorale before you will be permitted to audition. If you are a current LHS student, you must be registered as per the course recommendation sheet I filled out. All students will need to schedule private audition appointments with Mr. Iannuzzi, and your performance at this audition can qualify you for membership in LHS Chamber Singers, Concert Choir or Madrigal Singers. If you audition and are not placed in a select ensemble, you will be scheduled for LHS Chorale. The audition dates are listed below, along with a link to the sign ups. Please do not sign up unless you are serious about auditioning, as audition slots are limited.
AUDITIONEES WILL SUBMIT VIDEO AUDITIONS THIS YEAR. DUE DATE TBD
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
Each 7-minute audition will have four elements: a vocal solo, vocalizing/range check, a prepared choral excerpt and sight-singing. Details about each of the four areas are listed below.
(1) VOCAL SOLO: You are to prepare a vocal solo that you feel best shows off your voice. Ideally this piece would be something you are studying with a private teacher. If you do not study currently, you can find easy art songs online with a Google search. A classical piece will give me the best idea of where you are vocally. However, if you do not feel up to learning this type of piece, you could plan to sing a folk song (e.g. “The Water is Wide”) or a hymn tune (e.g. “Amazing Grace”). A third option would be to sing a tune from a Broadway show, but it must involve your "legit" (head) voice--no belt songs. Pop tunes are not permitted for audition. Whatever you choose to sing, you must bring sheet music with you to your audition for me to play from. You do not need to memorize your piece. You do not need to learn the entire song. Bring a section of the song that will give you an opportunity to showcase your best singing. I am listening for your vocal technique, your ability to shape phrases and sing musically, and your ability to prepare sophisticated music (a substantive art song will reflect better on you than a showtune or hymn tune).
If you auditioned last year, you would naturally be expected to choose a different song.
(2) VOCALIZING: I may take you through some easy vocal exercises to hear how your voice moves, your range, the color or timbre of your voice, etc. I will not hear everyone do this.
(3) CHORAL EXCERPT: This year's choral excerpt is MUSIC OF LIVING by Dan Forrest (measures 1-50).
The sheet music and practice/performance files are linked HERE. For your audition, you will sing your part against a pre-recorded PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT track. Note, all sopranos will prepare the soprano 1 part.
(4) SIGHT-SINGING: If you are NEW to the choral program, you will be asked to perform some melodic examples during the audition. You may sing on solfege (do, re, mi) numbers or “loo loo.” I do not expect perfect sight-singing, but want to get an idea of what your reading ability is and how you would fare in rehearsal.
Please fill out the linked AUDITION FORM and bring it with you to your audition. I am very much looking forward to hearing all of you sing!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.
Good luck!
Mr. Iannuzzi
jiannuzzi@lexingtonma.org
The first step to qualify for an audition is to be registered for a chorus at LHS. If you are new to our program, you must register for LHS Chorale before you will be permitted to audition. If you are a current LHS student, you must be registered as per the course recommendation sheet I filled out. All students will need to schedule private audition appointments with Mr. Iannuzzi, and your performance at this audition can qualify you for membership in LHS Chamber Singers, Concert Choir or Madrigal Singers. If you audition and are not placed in a select ensemble, you will be scheduled for LHS Chorale. The audition dates are listed below, along with a link to the sign ups. Please do not sign up unless you are serious about auditioning, as audition slots are limited.
AUDITIONEES WILL SUBMIT VIDEO AUDITIONS THIS YEAR. DUE DATE TBD
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
Each 7-minute audition will have four elements: a vocal solo, vocalizing/range check, a prepared choral excerpt and sight-singing. Details about each of the four areas are listed below.
(1) VOCAL SOLO: You are to prepare a vocal solo that you feel best shows off your voice. Ideally this piece would be something you are studying with a private teacher. If you do not study currently, you can find easy art songs online with a Google search. A classical piece will give me the best idea of where you are vocally. However, if you do not feel up to learning this type of piece, you could plan to sing a folk song (e.g. “The Water is Wide”) or a hymn tune (e.g. “Amazing Grace”). A third option would be to sing a tune from a Broadway show, but it must involve your "legit" (head) voice--no belt songs. Pop tunes are not permitted for audition. Whatever you choose to sing, you must bring sheet music with you to your audition for me to play from. You do not need to memorize your piece. You do not need to learn the entire song. Bring a section of the song that will give you an opportunity to showcase your best singing. I am listening for your vocal technique, your ability to shape phrases and sing musically, and your ability to prepare sophisticated music (a substantive art song will reflect better on you than a showtune or hymn tune).
If you auditioned last year, you would naturally be expected to choose a different song.
(2) VOCALIZING: I may take you through some easy vocal exercises to hear how your voice moves, your range, the color or timbre of your voice, etc. I will not hear everyone do this.
(3) CHORAL EXCERPT: This year's choral excerpt is MUSIC OF LIVING by Dan Forrest (measures 1-50).
The sheet music and practice/performance files are linked HERE. For your audition, you will sing your part against a pre-recorded PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT track. Note, all sopranos will prepare the soprano 1 part.
(4) SIGHT-SINGING: If you are NEW to the choral program, you will be asked to perform some melodic examples during the audition. You may sing on solfege (do, re, mi) numbers or “loo loo.” I do not expect perfect sight-singing, but want to get an idea of what your reading ability is and how you would fare in rehearsal.
Please fill out the linked AUDITION FORM and bring it with you to your audition. I am very much looking forward to hearing all of you sing!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.
Good luck!
Mr. Iannuzzi
jiannuzzi@lexingtonma.org
