Choral Ensembles Auditions - Fall 2022

 

Date, Time + Location

Choral Auditions will be held in-person in the new Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center on:

• Thursday, August 18 from 1-5 PM
• Friday, August 19 from 12-4 PM

Check in at the Jazz Room, SFPAC 1204 on the first floor at least 10 minutes prior to your time.

Students Required to Audition

• ALL students studying voice are required to audition.
• Students NOT studying voice are encouraged to audition as well.
• Auditions are not required to sing in:
  
  • Mazi: Soprano/Alto Choir (MUAP 2005)
  • Tigerchor: Tenor/Bass Choir (MUAP 2006)
• Simply register for the class! (No need to continue below.)

Choral Ensembles and Rehearsal Times

Choir	Rehearsal Time	Location	Conductor
University Singers	M, W, F 1:45-3:15 PM	Choir Room (SFPAC 2213)	Dr. Cathlina
Chamber Choir	T,R 1-2:25 PM	Choir Room (SFPAC 2213)	Dr. Fisher
Mazi: Soprano/Alto Choir	T,R 11:20-12:45 PM	TBA	Dr. Cathlina
Tigerchor: Tenor/Bass Choir	T,R 11:20-12:45 PM	TBA	Dr. Frizzell

Read more about our Choral Ensembles.

Audition Components

Your audition will consist of: 

• Your unaccompanied performance of Love is Love (click here for the music)
• Vocalizations
• Sight Reading and Rhythm Reading
• A brief interview

Callbacks

• Students selected for callbacks will be notified via their UofM email the evening of Friday, Aug. 19 for University Singers, and the evening of Saturday, Aug. 20 for Chamber Choir.
• ALL students are expected to keep their schedules clear for callback times:
  
  • University Singers - Sat, Aug. 20 from 1-4 PM 
  • Chamber Choir - Sun, Aug. 21 from 1-3 PM

What course should I register for in the meantime?

• Students with Voice Scholarships should register for 2 choirs:
  
  • All - register for University Singers (MUAP 3006)
  • Sopranos/Altos - register for Mazi: Soprano/Alto Choir (MUAP 2005)
  • Tenors/Basses - register for Tigerchor: Tenor/ Bass Choir (MUAP 2006)
  • All - reserve the Chamber Choir time slot in your schedule (Tues/Thurs 1:00-2:25)
• Students without a Voice Scholarship
  
  • Sopranos/Altos - register for Mazi: Soprano/Alto Choir (MUAP 2005)
    Tenors/Basses - register for Tigerchor: Tenor/ Bass Choir (MUAP 2006)

Note: registration for University Singers does not mean that you will automatically be selected for the ensemble. Invitation into this ensemble is earned through a formidable audition.

If you have additional questions not listed here, email Dr. Cathlina.

January 14-15, 2023

Three days before the beginning of each semester, the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music will hold auditions for students who wish to be placed into the school’s instrumental ensembles.

• The University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra
• The University of Memphis Wind Ensemble
• The University of Memphis Symphonic Band
• Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra

Friday, January 13, 2023
SFPAC Performance Hall

9 – 9:48 AM       Oboe (6 - eight minute slots)
10 – 10:48 AM      Bassoon (6 - eight minute slots)
12:08 – 1:20 PM      Flute (10 - eight minute slots)
2 – 5 PM      Saxophone (16 - eight minute slots)

Saturday, January 14
SFPAC Performance Hall + Harris Concert Hall

9 – 10:04 AM      Horn (8 - eight minute slots)
10:30 – 11:58 AM      Trumpet (11 - eight minute slots)
11 – 11:45 AM      Double Bass, Harris Concert Hall (All report at 11 AM)
12 – 1:30 PM      Cello, Harris Concert Hall (All report at noon)
12:30 – 1:58 PM      Trombone (11- eight minute slots)
2:30 – 3:18 PM      Euphonium (6 - eight minute slots)
3:30 – 4:02 PM      Tuba (4 - eight minute slots)

Sunday, January 15, 2023
SFPAC Performance Hall + Harris Concert Hall

11 AM – 1:30 PM      Violin, Harris Concert Hall (All report at 11 AM)
12 – 2:30 PM      Percussion (16 ten minute slots)
2 – 2:45 PM      Viola, Harris Concert Hall (All report at 2 PM)
3 – 4:28 PM      Clarinet (12 eight minute slots)

Audition Procedure

• Audition Excerpts will be posted within the first week of July for the Fall Ensembles Audition and within the first week of December for the Spring Ensemble Auditions
• Students are responsible for visiting the “Student Resources” page on the School of Music website to download their excerpts and to register for their audition time.
• On the day of the audition, students should arrive early to warm up and to check in with the audition proctor. All auditions will take place behind a screen to maintain the students' anonymity. Communication with the audition panel must be done only through the proctor.
• Each audition is scheduled to last approximately seven minutes.

Audition Panel: The audition panel for the large ensemble auditions will include the ensemble conductors and the applied professors.

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Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion

Students will be asked to perform the following:

• Scales
• All or a portion of their prepared material
• Sightreading
• Saxophone, Trumpet, and Trombone students may be asked to improvise over chord changes
• String students will be asked to perform the pre-determined excerpts and 3 to 4 minutes of a selection of their choice.

Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Panel

• Director of Bands Associate
• Director of Bands
• Director of Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra
• The instrument’s applied instructor

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Strings

Students should report at the posted time. Audition times will be assigned upon arrival.

String students will be asked to perform the pre-determined excerpts only.

Strings Panel

• Director of Orchestral Activities
• The instrument’s applied instructor or instructors

 

All students at the University of Memphis are invited to audition for The University of Memphis Marching Band, the Mighty Sound of the South. Visit this website for more information. 

Auditions 2022

Sound Fuzion is a contemporary student music ensemble from the University of Memphis whose mission is to entertain, educate, inspire, and inform. Our repertoire includes all forms of contemporary music including current and classic pop, rock, country, and R&B.

Sound Fuzion is made up of nine singers, a five-piece rhythm section, two audio engineers, and a performance and marketing/media coordinator. Our creative team of students is directed by faculty members, Lawrence Edwards and Jon Frazer, who guide the group on its musical journey.

Sound Fuzion tours throughout the mid-south, performing for corporate events, schools, universities, and city functions. Being in Sound Fuzion offers its members a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create music, learn the ins-and-outs of performing / touring, all while pursuing a degree of choice with a full-tuition scholarship at the U of M. 

Sound Fuzion offers $5000 annual scholarships to members!  The Sound Fuzion Scholarship Contract is a full one-year commitment. Contact Information: Michael Parsons, soundfuzion@memphis.edu 

Virtual Preliminary Auditions - April 9, 2022

Follow the audition instructions for your particular part below.

• Upload your video(s) to YouTube and submit an unlisted YouTube link to mlparson@memphis.edu no later than noon on April 9, 2022.

LIVE Call Back Auditions - Saturday, April 16

• Musicians invited to Call Back Auditions will receive instructions by Sunday, April 10
• Final decisions will be communicated via email by Monday, April 18

Musicians who are accepted into Sound Fuzion will be required to attend a two-weekend “band camp” to be held on Aug. 12-14 and Aug. 20-21, along with weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6:30 PM. 

Vocalists

We are looking for singers with great lead vocal abilities, tremendous performance energy and the ability to harmonize within a vocal section. You will sing two songs for your preliminary audition:

• Choose two songs of contrasting styles that best features your vocal abilities.
• Please use an accompaniment track or live accompanist for both songs.
• Upload your video to YouTube and submit an unlisted link of both songs to soundfuzion@memphis.edu

Rhythm Section (drums, guitar, bass, keys)

Perform the following songs:

• “Virtual Insanity”by Jamiroquai (perform with accompaniment track)
• Any song of your choice. Choose a song that best features your skills.
• Upload your video to YouTube and submit an unlisted link of both songs to soundfuzion@memphis.edu