Auditions for 2017-2018 School Year

AUDITIONS 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR

Audition letters have been sent home through Synervoice. Auditions will be held mid-June. Audition requests will be accepted until June 1, 2017.

Link to Children's Choir audition form: 

 CHILDREN'S CHOIR AUDITIONS

Audition letter below

Link to Chamber Choir audition form:

 CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS

Audition letter below Children's Choir Audition letter

____________________________________________________________________
OCSB CHILDREN'S CHOIR LETTER

Dear Parents:

Once again in the school year 2017-2018, students who will be in Grades 4 - 8 in the Ottawa Catholic School Board will have the opportunity to audition for the Board Choir.

In the past 25 years the choir has given annual Christmas and Spring concerts and performed at various Board functions. They have been invited to many high profile events in the city at venues such as National Arts Centre,  the National Military Cemetery, the House of Commons, to name a few. They are repeated trophy and scholarship winners at the Kiwanis Music Festival. They enjoy singing in benefit concerts and in our own schools. They have also performed in Kingston, Niagara Falls, and Montreal.  The choir rehearses weekly on Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Basil’s Church,  Ottawa (Maitland North at the Queensway) and one Saturday morning per month.

Because this is an Honours group, selected by audition, certain performance expectations are placed on successful candidates: punctuality and regular attendance at rehearsals and performances, memorization of all performance material, care of choir uniform and professional behaviour at all venues. A core group of 80 members will be chosen.  A second listing of students will be directed to the Young Voices, Training Choir.

Candidates will be contacted for a June audition, (by email) where they will be asked to sing “O Canada” in groups of 3 and to perform other common impromptu exercises such as echo singing and clapping. The audition takes place in a relaxed and supportive environment. Students will be notified by email of audition results.

The choir works with an executive team under the direction of Carla MacGregor. The annual membership fee is $90.00. Transportation is the responsibility of the parents.

If your child wishes to audition for this choir, fill out and submit the audition request form before June 1, 2017. Go to:

ocsbchoirauditions.blogspot.ca

We invite you to hear the choir in their annual spring concert at Sacred Heart High School, 5870 Abbott St., Stittsville. Sat.. June 3, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the door.

Sincerely,

Carla MacGregor

___________________________________________________________________

OCSB CHAMBER CHOIR LETTER

Dear Parents:

The year 2017 – 2018 marks the 19th year of the OCSB Chamber Choir, which was founded in 1996 by MaryAnn Dunn as an extension of the OCSB Children’s Choir. The Chamber Choir provides an opportunity for senior Children’s Choir members to continue studying and to perform more advanced choral repertoire. Under the current direction of Carla MacGregor, a teacher with the OCSB, the choir enjoys a reputation for fine ensemble work, singing at several community events such as the Olympic Torch Relay, the opening of the National War Museum, the 60th Anniversary Celebration of D Day, in the Senate Chamber of the Houses of Parliament, the 49th Canadian National Prayer Breakfast, the closing ceremony for the Truth and Reconciliation Committee and as a backup choir for Eric Church at the Canadian Tire Centre.  The choir also competes in music festivals.  The choir's accompanist, Tony Dunn, is a published composer, accompanist and arranger, who also teaches for the OCSB and is the Director of the OCSB Boy's Choir.

The Chamber Choir practices weekly during the school year on Monday evenings from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. following the Children's Choir rehearsal. Students in Grade 8 who are accepted for Chamber Choir are required to stay in Children's Choir for the year.  We have found that it is important to ease the transition, and while the Grade 8's are excited to be with the big kids, many are not ready to part with Children's just yet.  Transportation to rehearsals and performances is the responsibility of the parents.

Chamber Choir is an Honours group selected by audition. As such, high expectations are placed on successful candidates. The annual membership fee is $90.00. Students are required to purchase their own choir uniforms (between $40 and $80) and pay the fee for the annual fall choir retreat - around $80. The 2017 fall day retreat has been scheduled for October 13/14th - please save the date!  If there is a financial concern for any of these items, please let me know as soon as possible.

Auditions, lasting approximately 15 minutes each, will be scheduled in pairs between 7-9 pm on Monday, June 5th at St. Basil's Catholic Church. You will be notified by e-mail of your audition time towards the end of May.  Candidates are asked to come with a memorized piece from their Children's Choir repertoire, or your own choice. Candidates will also be asked to sing a variety of simple melodies and will also be evaluated using common impromptu exercises such as echo singing and clapping. We strive to make the audition process a non-stressful event. You will be notified by e-mail of the results within a day or two of the audition.

If your child wishes to audition for this choir, fill out and submit the audition request form before June 1, 2017. Go to:

ocsbchoirauditions.blogspot.ca

Thank-you for your interest in the OCSB Chamber Choir. We are looking forward to another successful year!

Sincerely,

Emily Snyder

OCSB Chamber Choir Manager

www.ocsb.ca/choirs