Auditions
Alchemy regularly hold auditions and always welcome new choir members who are committed and talented. We are not a community choir in the sense that singers just turn up and anyone can join. Alchemy A Cappella singers must be able to sing, sing in pitch and on key and be able to learn quickly.Contact Ronelle Knowles: 0419621751, to get the venue details and ask any questions you may have.
We need all parts but, of course, mainly male tenors and basses.
Audition requirements
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Learn part of a new song with the choir |
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Prepare a solo piece (after a short tea break) |
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Demonstrate vocal range |
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Demonstrate pitch ability |
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Demonstrate personal style |
Read on for more details
Preparing to audition
Alchemy wants to make your audition as easy as possible.
Learning a song with the choir
It's not Australian Idol! This is why we get you to learn a song with us first so you don't walk into a room full of strangers and have to sing.
Prepare a solo piece
We don't need a full 3 minute song. About a minute or so is enough. We just want to hear that you can carry a tune on your own, and hear the unique qualities of your voice. Please don't sing the full song - although if you're really nervous you might need a bit more time to get into the song, so we're not that strict!
We also get to hear if you can stay in key, on time, pitch each note precisely and hold a note for a reasonable length.
Song choice
Gospel songs (Amazing Grace, People Get Ready), pop ballads (Yesterday by the Beatles, Breathe by Ricky) or torchlight jazz songs (Summertime, Nature Boy). Ballads from musicals, eg Close Every Door (Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat) or The Music of the Night (Phantom), Aquarius (Hair).
No fast pop tunes. Choose something melodic that can show the qualities we're looking for. Something with a bit of range - not a song with the same three notes.
Vocal range
As musical director and conductor, I need to see what your highest and lowest notes are, and whether or not you can follow me up the piano as I play each note. This tests your pitch as well as your range. You will be singing Laaah Laaah Laaah up and down the piano.
Learning a song with the choir
It's not Australian Idol! This is why we get you to learn a song with us first so you don't walk into a room full of strangers and have to sing.
Prepare a solo piece
We don't need a full 3 minute song. About a minute or so is enough. We just want to hear that you can carry a tune on your own, and hear the unique qualities of your voice. Please don't sing the full song - although if you're really nervous you might need a bit more time to get into the song, so we're not that strict!
We also get to hear if you can stay in key, on time, pitch each note precisely and hold a note for a reasonable length.
Song choice
Gospel songs (Amazing Grace, People Get Ready), pop ballads (Yesterday by the Beatles, Breathe by Ricky) or torchlight jazz songs (Summertime, Nature Boy). Ballads from musicals, eg Close Every Door (Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat) or The Music of the Night (Phantom), Aquarius (Hair).
No fast pop tunes. Choose something melodic that can show the qualities we're looking for. Something with a bit of range - not a song with the same three notes.
Vocal range
As musical director and conductor, I need to see what your highest and lowest notes are, and whether or not you can follow me up the piano as I play each note. This tests your pitch as well as your range. You will be singing Laaah Laaah Laaah up and down the piano.
Musical Knowledge
Having a basic knowledge of music and music notation is useful when singing with a choir. Being able to "sight-sing" - ie read the music and sing at the same time - is also useful. If you can't "sight-sing" we really want you to be able to memorise a part off-by-heart. IE you should be able to sing back what is being taught to you and memorise it.
However, if you can't read music or don't have musicianship skills, but can sing up a storm (& can memorise a part), you are still welcome to audition.
The musical director tries to incorporate a bit of music theory into the rehearsals.
For example:
A rhythm-based warmup to help the choir learn triplets - a scale might be sung with three notes to each beat instead of four.
Singing the harmonic minor scale to help with singing songs in minor keys.
Explaining musical symbols (eg Dal Segno and Coda) to help navigate the sheet music.
Click here for links to some free music theory resources.
However, if you can't read music or don't have musicianship skills, but can sing up a storm (& can memorise a part), you are still welcome to audition.
The musical director tries to incorporate a bit of music theory into the rehearsals.
For example:
A rhythm-based warmup to help the choir learn triplets - a scale might be sung with three notes to each beat instead of four.
Singing the harmonic minor scale to help with singing songs in minor keys.
Explaining musical symbols (eg Dal Segno and Coda) to help navigate the sheet music.
Click here for links to some free music theory resources.
After a successful audition
After your audition you may be offered a trial period of four rehearsals, so that you can see if being in the group fits in with your life, and we can see if you fit in with the group!
We are a close group of strangers who have become friends through a common love of singing... the atmosphere is one of respect and fun. It is family-friendly & quite a social group.
We are a close group of strangers who have become friends through a common love of singing... the atmosphere is one of respect and fun. It is family-friendly & quite a social group.
