Several weeks ago, I auditioned for the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus at the urging of my family and former vocal coaches. I got the callback, so I'm officially a new member of the choir!
We are performing with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra throughout the season, with the first performance being Mahler's Symphony #2 on October 17 & 18. We will also be performing with the CSO with repertoire including Holst, Brahms German Requiem & others.
This is, in a nutshell, my dream gig. I have a degree in vocal music but I've never wanted to turn it into a job. With the May Festival Chorus--the oldest chorus in the Western Hemisphere with a nationally acclaimed director--I can perform challenging music with professional musicians but not rely on it to pay the rent.
After several rehearsals with the group, I can see why they are held in such high esteem. Every member seems to be fluent in the major operatic languages, able to sight-sing difficult music at the drop of a hat, and blends beautifully. I am so excited to be a part of this group! As performances approach I'll keep you updated and see if I can post some audio samples from our performances.
1 comment:
Welcome aboard! This is my 27th season -- singing in this chorus is an addiction.
(Note: we're not really that good at sight singing -- the longevity in the group means that many of us have sung all this before.)
To get ready for May, you might want to read my blog from May of 2008. I told the tale of each day in probably more detail than you'd wish, but it will be good preparation. Forewarned is forearmed.
Again, welcome!
Chris (the rehearsal CD creator)
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