MSS Core Singers are the icing on the cake of an already incredible roster of choral musicians.  Core singers bring expertise in flexibility of singing technique, musicianship, and excellence in sight reading.  Core Singers are fully integrated into the fabric of the MSS choral family and are expected to exhibit thoughtful, supportive, professionalism at all times.  From time to time a solo opportunity may arise, but Core Singers should never expect nor desire solo opportunities to be created for them.  This understanding helps frame the relationship between the Core Singer and others.

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Some of the hallmarks sought from our Core Singers have the following qualities:

• are team players,

• have extensive choral experience,

• have excellent sense of pitch and tonal center,

• exhibit flexibility of vocal production, sympathetic to the choral experience,

• possess a positive, collaborative spirit,

• have above average to excellent sight reading ability,

• possess fluency in multiple languages common to choral work.

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CORE SINGER AUDITION PROCESS

All auditions are Blind Auditions.  The auditioning panel does not see the auditionee and every attempt is made to engage audition panel unfamiliar with those auditioning.  We strive to maintain a completely neutral audition experience.  Auditionees are assigned numbers and are referred to by this anonymous identifier throughout the audition process.  The audition lasts a mere five minutes.  In that time it is fully possible to assess vocal flexibility, timbre, vocal quality, and sight reading ability.  All auditionees for a specific vocal range are given the same musical excerpt to perform.  Sight singing exercises move from the simple to more complex as ability allows.  ALL AUDITIONS ARE UNACCOMPANIED!  Starting pitches and tonality are set and from there the audition begins.  A sizable amount of Musica Sacra's repertoire is a capella and so it is important to assess the auditionee's ability to stay on pitch from beginning to end.

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PREPARED WORK - Ave Maria (Anton Bruckner)

Soprano 1 - part as written

Soprano 2 - prepare Alto 1 part

Alto - prepare Alto 2 part

Tenor - prepare Tenor 1 part

Baritone - prepare upper Bass 1/Baritone part

Bass - prepare Bass 2 part

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SIGHT READING EXCERPTS AS REQUESTED

To bone up on sight reading prowess, we suggest using chorales by J.S. Bach as your basis.  A link to a file containing 40 of his chorales follows.  Challenge yourself! If you are a soprano, read the tenor part.  If your are a bass, read your part, then the alto part.  If you are an alto, read your part then the tenor part.  Mix it up.  The chorale melodies are all familiar, so avoid singing the soprano line.

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CURRENT VACANCIES AS OF NOV. 1, 2018

• Bass I/Baritone

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Finally - Let us know you are interested in applying for an open Core Singer position.  Simply complete the form below and click the 'Submit Now' button.  We will be in touch with one business day.

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