Auditions for next year’s A Cappella, Madrigals, and Diva’s Choirs as well as PMEA Choral Festivals will take place Wed. May 25 - Fri. June 1 in the WAHS Choir Room at 3:15.

You will need to sing “America the Beautiful” for auditions.  Click this link for a recording.

FAQs

Q - What do I have to sing?

A - “America”, a short song of your choice, and an optional short sightreading exercise.

Q - Do I have to do the sightreading?  I’m pretty sure I would stink at it.

A - You are guaranteed to get at least 1 point from each judge (for a total of 3) if you try.

      You may wimp out & get 3 zeros, but often the difference between getting in and not

      getting in is only 1 or 2 points.  You are better off trying and sounding horrible.

Q - I’m not sure that I know “America” very well.

A - Well then go practice it.  It sounds like THIS.

Q - Who do I have to sing in front of?

A - Mr. Pearce (me) only, and I will be behind a screen, so I won’t be able to see you.

     A senior will be there to help you out if needed, but you may chase them away if you like.

     You should also stop ending sentences with prepositions, it is poor grammar.

Q - Will Simon Cowell be one of the judges?

A - No.  We think he’s a jerk.  I only get nice judges to help.  Remember Miss Honey from the

      movie, Matilda?  She’s vicious compared to these people.

Q - I’m not sure if I’m a soprano, alto, tenor, or bass.  What do I do?

A - It isn’t a big deal.  The first thing I will ask you to do is sing some a simple warm-up that goes

      down to your lowest and up to your highest note.  That will tell us which part you should sing.

Q - What if I sound terrible singing really high notes?

A - You will.  I just want to see how high you can go before you start sounding terrible.  The

      warm-up isn’t counted as a part of your score at all, so it doesn’t matter.  Don’t worry about it,

      even Mariah Carey has notes that are too high for her to sing.

Q - What should I wear?

A - Who cares?  I can’t see you anyway.  Just be your usual, fashionable self.

Q - What am I scored on?

A - Tone Quality, Pitch, Diction, Support, Rhythm, and Sightreading - 1 to 10 in each.

Q - What is a perfect score?

A - 6 Categories X 3 Judges X 10 = 180.

Q - If you are the only one in the room, how do the judges score me?

A - I record auditions and we score them over the weekend.  With snacks.  It’s fun.

Q - Will you know who I am by my voice?

A - If you are in choir now, maybe or maybe not.  It is unlikely the other two judges will, and I’m

     not telling.

Q - Just who are these other two judges, anyway?

A - My wife, the lovely and talented Stephanie Pearce, and Beverly Peterson, the

      choir director of Grace United Methodist Church.

Q - What kind of song should I pick for my choice?

A - Anything that you can sing well.  Simple is usually better.  Try out a few on a friend and have

      them tell you which one they like the best.

Q - Is there anything I should avoid?

A - Yes - Don’t imitate your favorite singer’s voice.  Sing it your way, with your natural voice.

      You should also avoid practicing with a recording.  Listen, then sing without it.  You won’t

      be able to use the CD during auditions.

Q - What if I’m sick?

A - It could happen.  We can tell, and won’t hold it against you.  Just do your best.  We’ll listen

     to the good parts between the sniffles.

Q - What if I’m nervous?

A - You probably will be.  You’ll also be nervous for your first kiss, your first date, job interviews,

      your wedding, and the eventual birth of your two children, Nicolas and Hadrian.  But it

     won’t stop those things from happening, will it?  What are you going to do?  Tip-Toe through

     life so you can arrive at death safely?  Fortune favors the bold - take a risk or two.  Most

     people looking back on their high school days don’t regret the things they did, they regret

     the things they didn’t do.

Q - But what if I don’t make it?

A - If you don’t try, you will spend the rest of your life wondering whether or not you would have

     made it.  Do you want that kind of emotional baggage hanging over your head?  Not me.

Q - Why should I want to be in choir?

A - Because you sing into your hairbrush staring at the mirror, and would rather go without food

     for a day than without music.  Because you work your schedule around televised episodes

     of Glee, and still record it.  Because music consoles you when you’re down, brings tears to

     your eyes, reminds you of friends, places, & good times, lifts your spirits, makes you dance,

     pumps you up, and gives you an excuse to hold someone tight on a dance floor.  You

     have spent all of your life as a music consumer, and have a feeling that being the one

     making the music is an even more amazing experience.  It is.  Try it, and you’ll see.