The YCA accepts its 80 participants by auditions, live on audition dates at key spots in the Northwest, or from anywhere by tape.
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OBF 2001
Audition Requirements
Important: Call for an audition time.
When you come to your live audition, be prepared to sing the steps A-G below.
For taped auditions, fill out your audition information form and a letter of recommendation, then use steps A-F below to make your tape.Perform the requirements in the order given. Sections B-C-D-E should be sung without accompaniment except for reference pitches.
A. Sing a song of your choosing, accompanied or unaccompanied (a pianist will be available at live auditions). Announce the title and composer of your song.
B. Sing the first verse of America the Beautiful ("O beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain. etc.") in the key given for each voice type.
Soprano I F Soprano II E-flat Alto I A (begin on e above middle c) Alto II G (begin on d above middle c) Tenor I E (begin on B below middle c) Tenor II D (begin on A below middle c) Bass I B-flat (begin on F below middle c) Bass II F-sharp (begin on C# below middle c)
C. Sing exercise #1 on "ah" (no initial consonants) in the manners indicated below, demonstrating your ability to sing different dynamic levels and articulations. You may repeat individual exercises if you wish.
Exercise 1
(MM=60)
a) mezzo-forte - legato
b) fortissimo - legato
c) piano - legato
d) forte - marcato
e) mezzo-forte - staccato
D. Sing exercise #2 on "ah", beginning in the middle of your range. Repeat the exercise, each time a half step higher, until you have reached the upper limit of your useful range. Please announce at the beginning in what key you are starting.
Exercise 2
(MM=60)
E. Sing exercise #3 on whatever vowel you wish, beginning in the middle of your range, at the same tempo as exercise #2. Repeat the exercise, each time a half step lower, until you have reached the lower limit of your useful range. Please announce at the beginning in what key you are starting.
Exercise 3
(MM=60)
F. Sing measures 178-212 from Bach's motet BWV 226, Der Geist hilft unser Schwacheit auf (Spirit Makes our Weakness Strong), Barenreiter Edition 5130. The YCA will sing this motet at its OBF concert July 5, conducted by Helmuth Rilling.Tempo ca. half note=MM 65, quarter note=130. If accompanied, it is recommended that the supplied accompaniment be used.
Download the three-page passage of Der Geist hilft in pdf format.
Pronunciation guide: Denn (den)
er (air)
vertritt (fair-trit)
die (dee)
Heiligen (hy-lee-gun)
weiß (vice)G. Live Auditions only
Sight-sing two different exercises to help us determine your level of musicianship.
For printed copies of the exercises, send an email to Elin England or call her at 541/346-5666 or 800/457-1486, or email the YCA.