Audition
How do I audition?
To become a full member of Hallmark of Harmony you must pass a two-stage audition. Before auditioning for the chorus, we strongly encourage you to come along to visit a rehearsal. All our rehearsals are open to prospective members, where we can help you learn the music, prepare for the audition, and answer any questions you might have about the process.
What’s the audition like?
The rehearsal audition requires you to sing one song from our standard repertoire in a small group (a barbershop quartet), without using sheet music. The audition is held in private at one of our Tuesday night rehearsals and only the musical director or one of his assistants will be in attendance. He will judge the audition as pass or fail and provide feedback. After passing this initial audition you will become a rehearsing member of the chorus, gain access to all the club repertoire, and will start paying subs. In order to become a full, performing member of the club you will need to record yourself during a full chorus rehearsal singing two songs from the standard repertoire. These will then be evaluated by your section leader and the musical director, who will give your audition a pass or fail.
What are we looking for in an auditionee?
We’re looking for:
● Accuracy on the music, both notes and words
● Good vocal tone quality
● Ability to sing your harmony part without getting distracted by others
● Good attitude to coaching and feedback
Overall, we’re looking for someone who is willing to learn, has a good work ethic, and has potential. We’re not looking for perfection! We understand auditioning can be a scary process - every member has been through it and we know what it’s like! Our music team is there to guide you through the process, and will gladly help with individual coaching to help you prepare.
How do I learn the music for the audition?
As a prospective member, you will be given access to sheet music and learning tracks for the Stage 1 audition song, and this will be rehearsed regularly in chorus. In your fourth week, you will be invited to audition in a quartet. Don’t worry, you will have plenty of opportunities to practise for the audition, both in chorus and quartet!
How many rehearsals can I attend before auditioning?
All prospective members take their Stage 1 audition after 4 weeks, and usually submit recordings for their Stage 2 auditions within 3-4 weeks of gaining access to the music. Your section leader will help you to identify songs to target based on upcoming rehearsal plans, and they will give you feedback!
Can I audition more than once?
Yes! We allow people to reaudition, and don’t have a limit on the number of auditions they take. In fact, it’s quite normal to audition a few times over several weeks, as members use the feedback from the audition to improve for the next time.
What happens after I pass my auditions?
After you’ve passed your Stage 2 audition you’ll then need to get to work to learn the rest of the Hallmark repertoire songs, your section leader will be able to advise on the best order to learn these to get you ready for your first performance with the chorus! We work on all songs in rehearsals, but this is more to refine and add polish to existing songs, so you’ll need to use our learning tracks, sheet music and videos to get the basics.
We expect all singing members to attend rehearsals regularly so that we can build on progress week to week, and everyone is as prepared as possible for every performance!
If you have any questions about the Audition Process please speak to Rob Stonewood (musicdirector@hallmarkofharmony.org.uk) or any other member of our Music Team.
