Audition Information
Audition for the Larimer Chorale
Would you like to sing with an outstanding symphonic chorus that's dedicated to singing the finest masterworks in the repertoire? Do you love singing with a large orchestra and professional soloists with international reputations? Can you read music, sing in tune, and blend and balance as part of a section? Have you had choral experience as an adult (in college, church choir, a community chorus, through voice lessons, etc)?
We’d love to have you join us!
Our 2023-2024 season is an inspired one - from William Walton’s bombastic Belshazzar’s Feast to Franz Joseph Haydn’s incomparable oratorio The Creation - the Chorale’s repertoire is timeless, powerful and oh so much fun to sing.
Auditions for all voice parts are being scheduled on Sunday, August 13, 2023 from 2:00 – 7:00 PM and again on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 from 5:00 – 9:00 PM. The audition takes only 15 minutes – short and sweet, and you needn’t prepare a solo piece.
Please contact membership chair Eileen Hostetter for more information and to set up an appointment: eileenohostetter@gmail.com
About the Larimer Chorale
The Larimer Chorale is an auditioned chorus numbering approximately 120 active singers. Members represent a wide variety of ages, occupations, and interests. There are singers who have been with the Chorale since its inception, and many who are new to the northern Colorado area. It's a stimulating and diverse group of people, drawn together by the need to sing and make beautiful music. Many in the Chorale have been singing since high school while others have less experience.
The performance repertoire of the Chorale is primarily focused on the classical choral repertoire, typically grand sacred/secular works with full orchestra, but we also throw in a twist sometimes.
Who can join the Larimer Chorale?
The Chorale is an auditioned organization for active adults, college age and older. The audition is low-key and takes only fifteen minutes. It is not necessary to prepare a formal solo. The audition is intended to assess a singer's ability to sing independently in a larger ensemble and to gauge one's potential. The audition consists of general vocalizing and the singing of a familiar melody such as "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (with words and music provided!) The "skills" portion of the audition includes basic sight singing - typically a straightforward Bach chorale or diatonic melody - along with tonal memory exercises and rhythmic tests. Basic musicianship skills are important, because the members of the Chorale have to learn a lot of music in a short period of time. Within the group, members re-audition for the director every three years.
When are auditions held?
Auditions are held every year in mid-August. We sometimes offer auditions mid-season, as well.
Please contact Eileen Hostetter, membership chair, for more information and to schedule your time: eileenohostetter@gmail.com.
What is the cost of membership?
Membership dues are $200 annually. Members of the Chorale purchase their own music, which runs $10 to $25 per concert, as well as their own concert attire. Men wear a black tuxedo, white shirt, black bow tie and black cummerbund, and closed-toe black shoes. Women wear a concert skirt and tunic, which can be purchased through the Chorale.
When and where are rehearsals?
The Chorale rehearses on Tuesday nights, from 7:00 to 9:30 PM, at Christ United Methodist Church, at 301 East Drake, Fort Collins. Rehearsals and performances follow an academic calendar, taking June and July off. The Chorale presents four concerts each year and for each concert cycle, singers are allowed two or three absences, depending on the length of the rehearsal process. Members are, of course, expected to be at rehearsal whenever possible. Two final dress rehearsals are mandatory; those with conflicts take a leave of absence for that particular concert. Rehearsal/performance dates are established several months before the start of each season.
Larimer Chorale Ensembles
There are opportunities to sing with smaller groups within the Larimer Chorale. The separately-auditioned Dickens Carolers, clad in Victorian finery, sing at parties, fundraisers, and special events throughout the holiday season.
The Touring Chamber Choir gives Chorale members the opportunity to participate in European concert tours every three years. Performances are held in the great cathedrals and concert halls of Europe. Touring choir members pay their own way, serving as ambassadors for Fort Collins, northern Colorado, and the Colorado front range.