The following guidelines will prepare you for the audition for the Choir Magnet.

Stivers offers five choral performance levels that are designed to meet the ability level and interest of the student. Membership in each group is determined on the basis of ability and achievement. The five levels are:

1. choir beginning
   - introductory choir for seventh grade voices
2. choir I
   - beginning choir for eighth grade voices
3. choir II
   - concert choir for high school student voices
4. choir III
   - symphonic choir for advanced high school student voices
5. choir IV / Chamber Choir
   - advanced choir for high school students focusing on acappella music, madrigals and advanced musical literature

Each group meets for one class period every day. Students also receive small group lessons for one period each week in one of the following areas:

• sectional rehearsal
• note reading
• vocal technique

Audition Requirements

All incoming seventh grade students will be required to sing one prepared song. Attached is a copy of the song, "My Country! 'Tis of Thee". The audition candidate will be required to sing one verse. The song may be sung as written or transposed to any other key as required.

Audition candidates may sing another song of their own choosing in place of "My Country! 'Tis of Thee", as long as they bring a copy of the selected sheet music. Vocal music candidates will be provided piano accompaniment. Acappella singing or taped accompaniment will not be acceptable as the sole audition piece.

Students interested in attending Stivers School for the Arts in the Vocal Music Magnet area will be required to participate in a vocal audition and receive a successful audition evaluation.

Students will:

• sing an Art Song of their choosing. All vocal selections should be memorized and one minute in length. Students will need to supply the piano score for a Stivers accompanist to play. Taped accompaniment and acapella singing will not be accepted.

  Recommended anthologies include:

  20th Century Art Songs? complied by G. Shirmer Inc.

  The Young Singer compiled by Richard D. Row, R.D. Row Music Co.

  "My Country Tis of Thee" (provided)

• sight-read a simple melody provided at the time of audition
• hold their vocal part against harmony sung by another singer in a simple two part song provided at the time of audition
• vocally match a short series of notes played on the piano
• participate in a written assessment identifying a student's understanding of choral terminology and theory.? Students will be expected to define simple dynamic and tempo markings such as crescendo, diminendo, ritard and accelerando.

Students will also perform vocal exercises to evaluate pitch matching and memory, intonation and breath control, tone quality and control and general musicianship.

The audition performance will be evaluated on a five point scale with five being the highest and one point being the lowest in each of the following areas:

• vocal quality and control
• breath support and placement
• pitch control and intonation
• posture and presentation
• reading music and terminology

Students will also be asked to write a short statement that explains their goals in the field of choral music and their reasons for choosing Stivers as their school of choice.

Evaluation of the audition is based on a five point scale with five points being the highest and one point being the lowest in the following areas:

• pitch precision and placement
• breath support and placement
• vocal quality and control
• posture and presentation
• interpretation and technique
• music reading and terminology

Sheet Music

Performance music is available for download below. Sheet music is presented online in Adobe PDF format.

• My Country, 'Tis of Thee