With upcoming Honors Choir auditions, students 5th through 12th grade are meeting with Mr. Whaley, Oakwood’s chorus teacher to rehearse. Honors Choir is an auditioned choir, where chorus students from all over North Carolina come together to make one big choir.
“How it differs [from regular choir] is that it’s kind of like the most advanced kids from every single choir in the state come together to do this mass choir, with really hard music that you would not do, at your regular level of just basic choir” Mr. Whaley states.
Every year around 1,200 students audition but only 150-170 students make it in for each age group (Elementary, Middle, and High School). In the audition, choir students will be tested on their knowledge of music, sight reading skills (being able to sing the notes written on a page), and readiness of the song cut. Once a choir student makes it into the Honors Choir, they attend a two day conference where they practice all of the pieces that are going to be performed with the entire choir. When rehearsing, students get to work with professional music directors and conductors. At the end of the two days, all the choirs put on a concert to show off all of their hard work and dedication.
Whether the student makes it in the Honors Choir or not, they will gain lots of information and confidence.
“Bringing that energy back into your choir, that is the best thing. Even for kids who have made it into the choir before, when they come back, they bring a different kind of energy into the room that makes the other students want to work harder. Enthusiasm is one thing that they’ll bring back from all these things; whether you make it or not, it’s all about the enthusiasm that you get.” Mr. Whaley explains.
Tell our Oakwood choir students who are auditioning for NCMEA’s Honors Choir to break a leg!
