Call 608.332.8245 for info or to schedule your audition.
May 19, 25, 26 or by appointment
The Solo
How to pick a solo
Be prepared to play two solos, one up-tempo, and one down tempo on each instrument. Pick these solos to showcase your talent. For example, if you have an expressive high register on your instrument, pick a solo that features that range.
Pep band, musical theater, jazz, and top 40 pieces are all great choices. You always want to fit the audition music to the group for which you are auditioning. In this case, if you've visited our website (which you should!), you know we do all American Pop Music from the past 50 years...that includes jazz, top 40, musical theater, country, rock and roll, etc.
Be sure you are playing the melody of the song for your audition. For example, if you're playing a pep band chart, play the melody line.
Music does not need to be memorized nor do we need a copy of it for the panel. That being said, you don't want to be so tied to the music that you can't play if you have to turn a page or get lost.
When practicing your solos, if you make a mistake, keep playing so you can do this in your audition. We look for the ability to recover from mistakes more than perfect performance.
Practice in front of a mirror to develop a good presence while playing. Wisconsin Singers is in the entertainment business and we are always impressed with a musician who has a little showmanship too.
Practice talking about your musical experience, and explaining your involvement in musical organizations you've participated in. This will help you be comfortable with the interview we do during the audition.
Be sure you have visited the website audition page that pertains to instrumentalists. If you have any questions or need clarification on anything about the Singers, bring it with you.
You will be asked to play several scales. Familiarize yourself with major, minor, and chromatic scales; don't be concerned about whether the minor scale is harmonic, melodic, or natural minor.
If you play another instrument, bring it and have a solo prepared to play. We really like using players on more than one instrument when they are available.
You will be asked to sight-read. We especially look at your improvement the second time through a sight-reading example, so don't stress about this. Take time to sight read some music ahead of time (your music director is a good resource for this) and figure out how you best read a piece of music...do you look at rhythm first? Do you finger it on your instrument before playing anything aloud? Remember, knowledge of key signatures is a must for playing anything new so make sure to practice a few things in different keys.
When you arrive (30 minutes prior to your audition)
Bring everything you need to keep your instrument in working order, i.e. valve oil, drum key, extra strings etc.
Make sure to warm up before you arrive for your audition. We will have a few forms for you to fill out and will allow you time to play a little before you come into the audition room.
You will be asked if you wish to play your solo first or demonstrate your range. Choose whatever you are MOST comfortable with so that you can feel confidant right away.
If you are playing more than one instrument for us, choose to play your major instrument first.
When demonstrating your range, take your time to play from the bottom of your range to the top of your range by half steps. It's not about how fast you play but how well you play.
When playing your solo, focus on making it musical. Think of phrasing, dynamics, and style. If you make a mistake, play through it rather than reacting to it. If necessary, you may ask to start again but don't ask more than once. BREATHE!
You will be asked to do some sight-reading. This should not worry you...take your time to look at the music, play or finger it, ask for the tempo from the audition panel and play. We will probably ask you to play it a second time as we are looking more for how you improve than how you are the first time through.
After playing, we will have you tell us a bit about yourself...(see Interview Tips)
Be yourself. We cannot emphasize this enough! The whole point of the interview process is for the director, executive board member and the Company Manager to get to know YOU.
Smile. It is much more advantageous if you present yourself as having a positive disposition on life.
Answer truthfully. Give some thought to the role you think you would play as a new member..what can you offer?
Humility is a valued character trait in this business. You don't have to impress with what you know, but rather, who you are!
What to expect
RELAX!!! Take some deep breaths and share yourself with us. We are really interested to get to know you.
Eye contact as you answer is a big plus.
Think about how you can incorporate personal strengths and successes into your answers without coming across as egotistical. It is also nice to hear about real life examples of how you achieved success by overcoming an obstacle, or how you learned from failure.
Remember that we are not trying to put together a troupe of thirty identical personalities. Diversity is key to keeping one's sanity when we spend so much time together so don't hesitate to highlight something about you that is interesting.
We are simply looking for individuals who know their strengths/weaknesses, take direction well, and get along with others.
"I auditioned for the Singers because I missed the experience of playing drums in a quality band. As a result of touring with Singers, I've diversified my musical abilities, and the great people involved have kept me coming back for three years."
keys/synth