St. James-Assiniboia School Division
SJASD Junior Concert Choir
Audition Letter 2016-2017
May, 2016
Dear Music Teachers and choristers,
It is audition time for the SJASD Junior Concert
Choir! Elementary Music and Middle Years Choral teachers are asked to
share this information with existing choristers and recommend prospective grade
five, six, and seven students from their schools to audition.
History: The
choir program was inaugurated in SJASD in 1982 as a choral
enrichment experience for talented grade 5 students. Over the years the program has grown to
include a Children’s Choir for grade 5 students, a Junior Concert Choir for
grade 6-8 students and a Senior Concert Choir for students in grade 9-12.
The SJASD Junior Concert Choir
provides approximately 65 students in grades 6, 7, and 8 the opportunity to
develop excellent choral skills while getting to know other musical students
from across the school division.
Fundraising on a regular basis goes towards yearly tours, with the more
extensive tour occurring on a 2 year rotation. Weekly rehearsals will be held
at Bannatyne School, under the direction of Gabriela Gallo, on Wednesdays from
4:30 until 6:00 p.m. beginning in September 2016. A three-day choir camp is also being planned
for September 25 – 28, 2016 at Arnes. This camp experience allows the choristers to
learn much of the repertoire for the year and gives them a chance to get to
know one another and bond as a choir.
The choir season runs from September 2016 to May 2017. We
perform at a number of divisional events and music festivals. Commitment from all choristers is required in
order to maintain choral excellence. It is expected that the weekly 1 ½ hour
rehearsals are fully attended and that each chorister participate in a variety
of performances throughout the season.
In addition, students must be attending a school in the St.
James-Assiniboia School Division to be a part of this group. Choristers must
also be members of their home school choirs, sharing their exemplary choral
skills and providing leadership in their school choral programs.
Divisional Junior Concert Choir Auditions will take place
on May 25-31 at Westwood Collegiate, 360 Rouge Rd. in the choral room. The purpose of the audition is to ensure the potential
chorister has a healthy voice, can sing on pitch and has the ability to sing in
parts. Students are asked to come prepared to sing She’s Like the Swallow or O
Canada or a song of their choice, unaccompanied, for the first part of the audition.
They will be marked on tuning, voice quality, and expression. No preparation is necessary for the second
part of the audition which involves sight-reading and assesses pitch sense,
rhythm and level of independent singing.
The auditions are held individually at the piano with each child.
Parents may remain in the room if the child wishes.
Audition results will be sent to
students’ home addresses in June. Each
school will receive a complete list of choir members at the beginning of the
2016-2017 school year.
Your support of
this program is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Alice Russell
Director,
SJASD Junior Concert Choir
cc. Jackie Gagné, Arts Coordinator
