SCVA Newsletter (on-line version) - Summer 2002

High School Honor Choir - Randi Carp
I know this seems early to be thinking about a fall event. However, the SCVA Honor Choir deadlines come up immediately after the start of school and this infomration will allow you to plan ahead and be prepared.

The following should be all the information you need to ensure a successful audition for your students. Please read the contents carefully! Deadlines will not be extended and the guidelines cannot be altered. Let's not let the students miss a great opportunity due to lack of planning on the part of the director.

What is Regional Honor Choir? - After more than 500 students from all over Southern California audition, 200 will be selected to sing in either the Women's or Mixed Honor Choir. They will receive a packet of music to prepare, meet for one rehearsal (November 1st) before Honor Choir Weekend. Then, with music memorized, the students will come together on Friday and Saturday, November 15th and 16th for two intense rehearsal days and a Saturday evening concert. This event gives serious choral students a chance to get together and work with some of the most distinguished conductors in the field.

Application Procedure - Students may audition for the SCVA Honor Choirs and the California All-State Choir at the same time. This newsletter contains the application that must be used (click on the link below). DO NOT USE THE ACDA APPLICATION! Students fill out only one application for SCVA and mark the appropriate box if they wish to be considered for All-State Choir. There is only ONE fee and ONE audition for the regional and All-State Choir auditions. Please check your availability for all dates BEFORE auditioning. Auditioning and then not participating could affect participation for your school.

All-State - Students interested in being considered for California All-State Choir need only mark the appropriate box on the SCVA application. There is no additional audition fee. There is, however, an additional participation fee should the student be accepted. The All-State Choir will take place March 13-15, 2003 in Pasadena. If a student is chosen, he/she is expected to participate. The same guidelines apply as far as dropping after notification of acceptance as do for Regional Honor Choir. Consider your decision carefully before indicating your interest. Students must remain in good standing with their home choral program and with the SCVA Honor Choir to be considered for the California All-State Honor Choir.

Audition Sites - Audition sites are listed on the application in this newsletter, on the website and in the June and September newsletters. Students are to select the school site where they will audition. To minimize waiting time, general audition times will be mailed to directors immediately prior to the audition date.

Audition Procedures
- Prepare a solo from Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias (G. Shirmer) or equivalent art song book, in Italian, with accompaniment. This solo must be memorized and emphasize tone quality, diction, pronunciation, musical sensitivity and appropriate range.
- Tonal Memory: Demonstrate tonal memory skills by singing back a played 4-5 note passage on any syllable.
- Sight-Reading: Demonstrate rhythmic and melodic sight-reading skills by singing a single, unaccompanied melodic line on any syllable.
- Scales/Triads: Be prepared to sing a major scale, chromatic scale and major and minor triad on any syllable.
- Range Determination: Be prepared to sing a range determining warm-up exercise.

Students must provide their own accompanist or accompanying CD or tape!

Honor Choir Guidelines & Policies
Directors: Please be sure your students are aware of and understand the following guidelines before submitting their application.

- Students who must, out of extreme necessity, drop out of Honor Choir after being accepted are required to provide a written note from their parents and from their school choral director stating the reason for dropping. The note must be sent immediately to the Honor Choir coordinator by mail or hand-delivered by the student, parent or director as soon as the need for dropping occurs.

Acceptable reasons:
1. Death in the family just before the concert
2. Serious medical problem
3. Other matters of an equally serious nature

Unacceptable reasons:
1. Schedule conflicts of any kind
2. Student deciding he/she would rather not participate, doesn't like the music, or doesn't want to work with the conductor.

- If a student drops for any reason, a panel of members from the SCVA Board will consider the reason given and decide whether it is an unacceptable or acceptable reason.

- Home school teachers are responsible for remaining informed about their students' continued participation in the Honor Choir.

- A student must be enrolled in his/her school's choral program in order to be eligible for participation in Honor Choir. If a student drops out of the school program, he/she will be dropped from Honor Choir as well. No sanctions will be imposed on the school in the case of this occurrence.

Acceptance Notice & Fees
Those selected for the Mixed or Women's Southern California Honor Choir will be notified through their directors. Notification will be sent sometime during the week of October 14th. The fee of $50.00 will be collected at the first rehearsal on Nov. 2nd. The fee provides music, accompanists, directors and facilities. A school check, booster check or money order will be accepted. No personal checks!

Featured Conductors
We are proud this year to feature two very distinguished California choral conductors to work with the Honor Choir. The Women's Choir will be directed by Dr. Josh Haberman of San Francisco State University. The Mixed Honor Choir will be lead by Dr. Bruce Mayhall, currently the director of the LA Gay Men's Chorus. Both men bring impressive histories and an abundance of musicality to this event. We look forward to working with both of them.

Acceptance Notice & Fees
Directors must be current members of SCVA, having paid their 2002-03 dues, in order for their students to participate. If you are not, please contact Shawn Taylor at alwaysmus@aol.com in order to remedy this situation. Or, complete the membership application that will be included in the September newsletter sent to all choral directors in Southern California.