| What is All-State: |
Preparing for All-State, and participating in All-State auditions is an excellent way to help prepare for college scholarship auditions, and is something you can add to your college resume.
The All-State process is a multi-level set of auditions which help choir directors throughout the state prepare and select their best singers for these prestigious positions. In our region, Region V, the audition process is 4-tiered. The first audition, Round 1, reduces the pool of singers to approximately 36 on each voice part (SSAATTBB). At the second audition members selected at the 1st audition compete on new music, and are selected for either the All-region choir, the All- district choir, and in some cases the 9th/10th Region Choir. The top 16 chairs from this audition continue on to Round 3. This third audition, once again on new music, determines the top five singers (with alternates) in the region who will compete with the top five singers from the other regions which make up our area for the coveted All-State Choir positions. Winners of this 4th audition are in the All-State Choir. Sight-reading is only done at the 3rd and 4th Rounds of auditions.
At each round of auditions, the singers are held together in a holding area. They run through the audition cuts together one time before the auditions begin, and then they wait for their turn to audition. During that time, they may not sing, nor may they listen to the audition music. Students are not allowed to have ANY electronic devices, or they may be disqualified. Once their audition is number is called, they are led in a small group to the hallway outside the audition room. They will enter the audition room one at a time. When they enter the audition room they will be behind a curtain, and cannot be seen by the judges. They will set their music on a provided music stand, and will signal the CD monitor when they are ready to begin the audition. Once the CD has started, it cannot be stopped, and they cannot go back for missed entrances or notes. Excerpts from three pieces will be heard back to back with a five second pause for each selection. Once the audition is over, the student quietly leaves the audition room and waits patiently to be taken to the holding area. Once they have finished their audition, they are free to leave and go home, but must check out before leaving, and may not return. Results will be given to the choir director after the auditions, and the choir director will notify the student.
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| Audition Music: - All State |
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SATB: |
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****Set Down, Servant! - Robert Shaw |
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*Your Voices Tune - G.F. Handel |
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*Ballade to the Moon - Daniel Elder |
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**Zigeunerleben - Robert Schumann |
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***Nunc Dimitis - Gustav Holst |
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Coronation Mass - Mozart |
| | ****Kyrie |
| | **Gloria |
| | ***Credo |
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SSAA: |
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*How Can I Keep From Singing - Gwenyth Walker |
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**Seal Lullaby - Eric Whitacre |
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TTBB: |
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*Minnesanger - Robert Schumann |
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**Cantique de Jean Racine - Faure |
| | * Round 1 audition pieces |
| | ** Round 2 audition pieces |
| | *** Round 3 audition pieces |
| | **** Pieces to be certified at the Region Clinic/Concert |
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| Audition Music - 9th & 10th All-Region: |
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Cum Sancto Spiritu from Gloria - Vivaldi ed Liebergen (SATB) |
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Things That Never Die - Dengler (SATB) |
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Barter - Clausen (SSA) |
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Think on Me - Johnson (TTB) - T1 & TT2 audition on Tenor Line with divisi on final page B1 sing what is marked as Tenor 2, B2 sing what is marked as Baritone |
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Tshotsholoza - Ames (SATB) (Not auditioned) |
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| Audition Dates: |
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Round I All-State - September 24th, Seguin HS |
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9th/10th All Region - October 22, Arlington HS |
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| Audition Hints: |
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KNOW YOUR MUSIC |
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1. Know the audition piano CD frontward, backwards, inside out, and sideways. |
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2. Can you begin the CD at any point and be able to start singing within a couple of beats? |
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3. Make up several audition cuts of your own so that you can start the music at any point. |
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4. Can you effectively perform the audition material with accompaniment only? |
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5. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! |
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BE MUSICAL |
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1. Remember that this is a solo audition on choral music. |
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2. Clearly mark all dynamic and phrase indications. Attention to detail will distinguish you. |
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3. Rehearse the details every time you practice. You need to do these automatically at the audition. |
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4. Overdo everything: dynamics, consonants, articulation, expression, etc. |
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5. Separate yourself from the other singers by making every note do something musically. |
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LOGISTICS |
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1. Know the audition procedure well. Know what to expect. |
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2. Walk into the audition room ready to focus only on the music. |
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3. Open all your music to the page where the CD will begin. |
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4. Mark on your music where the CD starts and where you will enter and end. |
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5. Take your time. Let the monitor know you are ready only when you ARE ready. |
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ODDS AND ENDS |
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1. Practice under game conditions. Have at least one rehearsal with audition conditions in place. |
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2. Sing for your peers. The more times you get your pulse rate up while performing, the better you'll do under the pressure of audition day. |
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3. Sing for your director. She will notice things that you don't see or hear. Don't wait until the last week to do this. |
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4. You are "competing" with your own "best self" and the demands of the music. Concentrate on putting forth your best effort, not on "beating" someone else. |
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5. Get plenty of rest the night before the audition. |
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6. Do not vary your regular routine for the audition day. If you normally eat breakfast, then eat. If you don't…don't. Try to have as normal a day as possible under the abnormal conditions. |
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7. Do not over-sing in the warm-up. Save your best performance for the audition. You MAY NOT sing the audition material in the holding area after warm-up, or you will be disqualified. |
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8. Take expansive breaths in the audition. Try not to breathe
at the obvious "no breath" areas,
but don't be afraid to sneak a quick breath if needed.
Remember, it is a solo audition on choral
music. If a breath is necessary for well-controlled, supported
singing, then, by all means,
breathe
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9. Save your voice a few days before the audition and the day of; sing softly and talk little. |
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10. Eat lots of fruits and nuts, plenty of healthy food. Avoid dairy products and sweets. |
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11. Drink lots of water. |
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12. When you're standing outside the audition room, don't talk or even think about how scared you are. Just stay calm, cool, and collected. Think about the music and the task at hand.
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13. Breathe. It'll be ok. The judges aren't going to come from behind the curtain and yell at you if you mess up. They are rooting for you to do well. If you do mess up, keep going. Find your spot and move on. Don't laugh and don't stress out! You're going to do great!
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