Thank you for your interest in the Westlake Madrigals. Please read the following information carefully. Hopefully by doing so, any questions you may have will be answered. If you can't find an answer to a question you have, please email at mhatch@alpinedistrict.org
There are 4 musical sections to the auditions: Range, Pitch Memory/Harmonic Detection and Musical Literacy.
- Range--The highest and lowest notes you can produce.
- Pitch Memory--I will play 3-5 random notes on the piano and ask you to sing back what you hear.
- Harmonic Detection--I will play a chord on the piano and ask you sing sing either the top, middle, or bottom note of the chord.
- Musical Literacy--This will be done in two different parts. The first part you will have an 8 measure melody that you will sing (preferably in solfege) where I will gauge your skill in reading pitch and rhythm. The second section is preparing the following section of music--you will sing measures 21-51. Click here for the music. I will ask the treble voices to sing both the soprano and alto parts and the changed voices to sing both the tenor and the bass part, while I play the other 3 parts on the piano. This shows me how well you can prepare music on your own and how will you can hold a vocal part.
Thank you for auditioning for Madrigals. I look forward to working with ALL of you in one of the ensembles next year, regardless if you made this particular ensemble for the coming year.
At Westlake, Madrigals is a supplemental or enrichment choir--It is IN ADDITION to one of the core ensembles, which is why there is the expectation of singing in one of the core ensembles. Madrigals must also commit to a weekly sectional- (Wednesdays 2:30-3:00) as well as the expectation of participating in the tour.
In the Westlake Choral Program, there are three core ensembles: Men's & Women's Choirs for sophomores and
A Cappella for juniors and seniors if they demonstrate the required musical skill during an audition. Sophomores sing in Men's and Women's Choirs because vocal coordination and development is an ongoing process. Specific vocal instruction for men and women can be given to the sophomore singer as they come out of a junior high program. If singers go on to sing at college, many singers begin in a college-level Men's or Women's Choir. No-one should view singing in Men's and Women's choir as a step back from what they did in their junior high program, just as no-one should view singing in a Men's or Women's choir as a step-back if they sing in college. It is a natural progression in many choral programs throughout the country.
A large part of selecting a choir is based on each individual audition--the tone quality of the voice and the musical skill level each person demonstrated with their sight-reading and other musical exercises during their audition. But a director also has to balance a choir with different voice types; an SATB choir wouldn't sound very good if all the women were altos and all the men were tenors.
For the coming year, each Madrigal will have to do a weekly grade check to show their continued eligibility to participate in the ensemble. If you have made the group and have any reservation about this requirement, please let me know so I can discuss it with you and see if this ensemble is truly the right fit for you.
Again, thanks to all who auditioned.
Maureen Hatch
Please fill out the following google form to sign-up for a date and audition time slot.
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