1. What course number should I register for?
All choirs are listed under the general course number MUSIC 341. Please pay careful attention to which choir you are registering for.
Concert Choir (audition required) - Section 1 MTWRF at 11:00 a.m.
Choral Union (women’s section) - Section 2 MWR at 1 p.m.
Choral Union (men’s section) - Section 3 MTR at 1 p.m.
Women’s Choir - Section 4 TR from 4-5:30 p.m.
2. Do I sign up for 1 or 2 credits, and what is the difference between the two?
The expectations for the course are the same, whether you sign up for one or two credits. The flexibility is there simply for your convenience. Some students would be put into an overload situation if they register for two credits and they don’t want that hassle. If you have room in your schedule for two credits, you are encouraged to register for Choir for two credits. It’s entirely up to you!
3. Is it possible for me to be in more than one choir?
Yes, but you have to make sure that you register for the different section numbers.
4. What is the concert attire for the choirs?
The concert attire is the same for all choirs. Men are asked to wear tuxedos. Women are asked to wear the same dress. Details regarding purchase of attire can be found in the
“Choir Concert Attire” link under “Choir Information”.
5. What is the audition process for Concert Choir?
Keep in mind that the Concert Choir is the most “select” choir of all four and so, the audition is thorough. If you have a prepared solo piece, please bring it along, although a prepared piece is not required. I will vocalize you to check your range and vocal quality. I then play a series of pitches and ask you to sing them back to me - if you do that correctly, I repeat the series and add one more note on to the end and continue to do so until one of us gives up! I play a series of three-note chords and ask you to sing back to me the highest note, and repeat the process asking you to sing the lowest note, and finally, another repetition and ask you to sing the middle note. I will give you a rhythmic pattern and ask you to sing it for me. Finally, I will ask you to do some sight-singing.
6. Can non-music majors sing in Concert Choir or the other choirs?
ABSOLUTELY!!!! All four choirs are open to ALL students of the University.
7. Are auditions required for Choral Union or the Women’s Choir?
Choral Union: A painless, minimal audition will be held during the first week of classes in the fall semester and the last week of classes in the fall semester for the spring. Everyone will be asked to fill out an information sheet. You must sign up for an audition on the bulletin board opposite NFAC 250. Again, auditions for the spring semester will be held during the last week of classes in the fall.
Women's Choir: No formal audition is required. Please contact Dr. Catherine Wilson if you have questions.
8. What are the differences between the four choirs?
- Concert Choir is the most “select” and usually consists of ≈40 singers. It also rehearses five days per week and you are expected to spend some time outside of rehearsal learning your part and memorizing.
- Choral Union is a larger mixed choir of 80 singers. Each section (men and women) rehearses three times per week: the women rehearse on Wednesday, the men rehearse on Tuesday, and the entire choir rehearses together on Mondays and Thursdays. The repertoire is usually for SATB choir, although often the women sing a couple of pieces for women’s voices and the men sing a couple for men’s choir.
NOTE: Permission to register is NOT required unless a section is closed due to reaching the enrollment limit. This typically happens with the women's section (Section 2). Should you try to register and find the section closed, please e-mail me and I will be happy to put your name on a waiting list.
- Women’s Choir will celebrate its 19th birthday in the fall of 2016! They do all sorts of interesting music for women’s voices. For more information, contact Dr. Catherine Wilson.