Audition/Final Exam Instructions  

 

ALL AUDITIONS/FINAL EXAMS SHOULD BE COMPLETED VIA THE APPROPRIATE GOOGLE FORM (See below) AND THREE VIDEOS SUBMITTED TO YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER THAT IS SHARED WITH MR. THOMASSON.

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DUE DATES:

• CURRENT CHOIR STUDENTS: By the end of your Final Exam Period

• NEW CHOIR STUDENTS: Thursday, May 31, 2018

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New Choir Students (Incoming 9th grade or not currently in Choir) send an email to Mr. Thomasson to let him know that you are interested in auditioning for choir. In your email, give him your NBISD email address, and he will set up a shared folder for you to upload audition videos. If you are not currently a NBISD student, Mr. Thomasson will give you instructions on how to submit your audition videos.

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Current Choir Students - Audition/Final Exam Videos must be uploaded to the Google Drive Folder Shared with Mr. Thomasson

 

INFORMATION FORM

​Current Choir Students

This Google Form must be submitted as part of your Final Exam/Audition

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Incoming/New Choir Students

Please complete This Google Form with information including email contacts so that we may get you all of the information you need for next year. 

 

AUDITION VIDEOS

Video 1 - Vocal Assessment 

1. Say your name and grade

2. Tell us what choir you would like to audition for using the information from our CHOIRS page. Unless you tell us otherwise, you will be considered for the highest level choir your audition qualifies you for. 

3. Begin on G (Call this Do) and sing down the scale to your lowest note Do Ti La So Fa Mi, etc… You may sing on solfege or a neutral vowel of your choice

4. Begin on G (Call this Do) and sing up to your highest note: Do Re Mi Fa So, etc… Gentlemen, it is ok and advisable to switch into falsetto and demonstrate this part of your voice in the upper range.

5. Sing the melody to Verse 1 of “My Country Tis of Thee” in one of the three keys that is most comfortable for you. You must perform the melody a cappella. You may use the provided mp3 accompaniment via the buttons on the right as an intro to your performance, but it is not required.

 

High - Ab Major

Medium - F Major

Low - Eb Major

 

Video 2 - Pitch Matching/Ear Training

This video involves singing in Canon with the director, therefore, this video must be made under the supervision of a director.

1. Say your name

2. Sing and sign a Chromatic Scale: Do Di Re Ri, etc. up to high Do, then descending, Do Ti Te La Le, etc. all the way back down to Do. If you are unable to sing using solfege, you may use a neutral syllable of your choice, however, your knowledge of solfege will be considered in your audition.

3. Sing and sign an ascending and descending major scale: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do Ti La So Fa Mi Re Do, while the director sings in canon (parallel 3rds).

 

Video 3 - Sight Reading

There is a time limit for sight-reading and the exercise must remain secure, so this video must be made under the supervision of a director. There are two levels of sight-reading available. For admission into Acappella Choir you must do the advanced exercise. Students not auditioning for Acappella Choir may opt to do Level 1 Sight-Reading. Incoming 9th graders should audition with the Level 1 Sight-Reading.

1. Say your name

2. The recording will say “You may now look at your sight-reading exercise” and the tonic chord Do Mi So Mi Do So Do will be played, followed by "Begin the practice period." You may sing, chant, and/or audiate during your study time. You may not play the melody on any device. You will have 30 seconds to study the melody.

3. At the completion of the study period the recording will say "Please Stop" and the tonic chord will be played again Do Mi So Mi Do So Do (you may sing with it), followed by "Begin."

4. Sing the exercise using solfege and hand signs at a tempo of your choice. If you are unable to sing using solfege, you may use a neutral syllable of your choice, however, your knowledge of solfege will be considered in your audition.

 

All three videos should be submitted to the Google Drive Folder shared with Mr. Thomasson.

 

If you encounter any problems or have questions, please contact Mr. Thomasson.
For current choir students, Final Exams must be completed by the end of your Final Exam Class Period.
For incoming/new choir students, auditions must be completed by Thursday, May 31, 2018

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EXTRA CREDIT (make as many or as few as you wish)

Make short video clips (10-15 sec) of yourself answering the following questions in a conversational manner (no one word answers, speak in sentences). Upload to the shared folder in Google Drive. The best videos will be used in a future promotional video.

1. Why did you choose choir?

2. What has made you stick with choir throughout the years (up-to-now)?

3. What is your favorite part about choir at New Braunfels HS?

4. When you were a Freshman in choir, what upper classman did you look up to? Why?

5. What advice would you give a Middle School Student who wants to take choir all four years of High School, but has limited room in their graduation plan?

6. Who is your best friend in choir? Why?

7. What advice would you give to your Middle School self about going to high school?