Post on 24-Sep-2020
PROSPECTIVEMEMBERSHIPBROCHURE2016-2017! MessagefromtheArtisticDirector! AuditioningfortheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus! ProspectiveMemberOverview! ApplicationforSingingMembership
2
Areyouthenextnewmember?
AMessagefromtheArtisticDirectorDearProspectiveMemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus,IamalwaysexcitedwhenIhearthatsomeonewantstobeamemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.Itsaysagreatdealabouttheworkwe’redoingandhowitisvaluedinthecommunity.Iamhopefulthatthroughacarefullyconsidered,embracingprocess,wewillsoonbeabletoconsideryouoneoftheproudmembersoftheAGMC.Inthispacket,youwillfindeverythingyouneedtobeginyouraudition/interviewprocess:
! AuditioningfortheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus! ProspectiveMemberOverview! ApplicationforSingingMembership
Awordabout“audition.”Ifthewordputsaknotinyourstomach,Iunderstand.IhavebeenauditioningsingersforchorusesandmusicaltheatreproductionsfordecadesandIknowfirst-handhowdifficulttheprocesscanbe.Unfortunately,auditionsrequireustodoourbestworkundertheworstcircumstances,andthepressurecancreatelotsofchallenges–especiallywhensinging.It’ssoverypersonalandwhenwe’rescared,itcanshow.Takeadeepbreath.Igetit.Andsodoesourleadershipteamthatrealizesyoumaynotbeaprofessionalsinger.Fewchorusesrequirethatyouare.Whenyouwalkthroughthedoor,wewantyoutobethebestyoucanbe,andwepromisetodoeverythingwecantomakeyoufeelcomfortable.Ourhopeisthattheprocessisnaturalanddoesn’tfeelrushedforyou,butschedulingisoftentightandweneedtomovequickly,whichmaymakeyourtwentyminutesfeelliketwentyseconds,butit’snot.We’llbelisteningandworkingwithyoutounderstandyourvoiceandgiveyoueveryopportunitytobecomeamemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.Sotakeabreath.We’rejustpeople–peoplewhowanttoseeyousucceed.Ilookforwardtomeetingyouattheauditionandtothepossibilityofcallingyouournextnewmember!Warmregards,
KevinRobisonArtisticDirector
3
AUDITIONINGFORTHEATLANTAGAYMEN’SCHORUSHowtoprepare:
! It’sessentialthatyouhearthechorusbeforeauditioning.Besuretolistentoallfourexamplesofliveperformancesfoundonthepagewhereyoudownloadedthisdocument.Thiswillgiveyouanideaofthevarietyofmusicweperformandthecaliberofthegroup.
! We’dpreferthatyouprepareasonginadvanceandbringsheetmusicwithyouforourpianistto
read.Thesongshouldbeappropriateforthetypeofmusicthechorusperforms(e.g.classical,multicultural,jazz,musicaltheater,pop).Ifyouneedtolookatthemusicwhileyousing,pleasebringtwocopies.Wepreferyounotuseelectronicaccompaniment.
! Ifyoudonotreadmusicordonothaveapreparedsong,youmaysing“HappyBirthday,”“America
theBeautiful,”“MyCountry‘TisofThee,”ahymn,orsomethingsimilar.Wehavehadmanymemberspasstheauditionwithmusicassimpleasthis.
! Auditiondatesandtimesareonthesamewebpage.Onceyou’velookedeverythingover,contact
MembershipPresidentWoodyEadieatwoody.eadie@voicesofnote.orgtoscheduleyourtime.Ifyouarenotavailabletoauditiononthedesignateddate,pleaseaskifthereisanalternatetimeyoumightschedule.Auditionsarebyappointmentonly.Youwillreceivedirectionstotheauditionlocationonceyouarrangeatime.Alsobesurethatyouaddhisemailaddresstoyourlistofcontacts,ortakeanynecessarystepstomakesureanyemailfromhimdoesn’tgotoyourspamfolder.
! Pleasemakearrangementswiththepresidenttocontacthimonthedayoftheauditionintheeventthatyouarerunninglateorhavetoreschedule.Shouldyouchangeyourmindaboutauditioning,pleaselethimknowthataswellsowemayuseourtimeefficiently.
Whattoexpectwhenyouarrive:
! YouwillbeaskedtoprovideacompletedApplicationforSingingMembership(thelastpageofthisdocument).Fillingthisoutinadvanceofyourarrivalwillbeveryhelpful.
! Whenyouentertheroom,youwillbegreetedbyArtisticDirectorKevinRobison(whowilltakeyour
application)andseveralmusicleadersfromthechorus.Theyarealltheretosupportyouinyourauditionandwantyoutosucceed.Afterintroductions,youmaybeaskedsomeadditionalquestionsbasedonyourcompletedform.
! Next,youwilldosomevocalizingtoestablishthesectionforwhichyourvoicewouldbemost
appropriate.Standcomfortablybythepianoforthisportionoftheaudition.Youmaybeaskedtosinginpartsofyourvoicethatyoudon’tuseoften,butthat’spartoftheprocess.It’simportanttoexploreallrangesofyourvoiceinordertodeterminewheretoplaceyou.
! Youwillalsobeaskedtodemonstratehoweasilyyoulearnapassageofmusic.Donotletthis
discourageyoufromauditioning.Manyofourmembersdonotreadmusicandlearnbetterthroughlistening.Youmayhavethisskillaswell,andthatiswhattheteamneedstodetermine.Ifyou’reagoodsight-reader,thenyoushouldhavenoproblematall.Butifsight-readingscaresyou,don’tsweatit.We’llworkwithyou.
! Theauditionmayalsoincludeacheckofyourtonalmemory.Ashortmelodicphrasewillbeplayedonthepianoandyouwillbeaskedtosingitback.
4
Whattoexpectimmediatelyafteryouraudition:
! Youmaybeaskedtostepoutoftheroomwhiletheteamdiscussesyouraudition.Uponyourreturn,youwillbeofferedoneofthefollowing:
" ProspectiveMembership:Everyonewhopassestheinitialauditionwillbewelcomedas
aprospectivemember.Wemayhavesomesuggestionsforwhatwe’dliketohearfromyouvocallyduringtheprospectiveperiodofthreeweeks.Thisperiodalsogivesyoutimetoauditionus,whichisveryimportant.Duringthefirstthreerehearsals,youwillparticipateinourorientationprocess,whichprovidesmoredetailedinformationaboutthechorusandgivesyouandotherstheopportunitytoaskquestions.Afterthethirdweek,youwillbenotifiedofyourstatusgoingforward.Ifwearenotabletoofferyouasingingmembershipatthattime,youwillbeofferedtheopportunitytobecomepartofournon-singingteamofvolunteers.
" Non-singingMembership:Non-singingmembers,collectivelyknownasthe5thSection,
arewelcomeatallrehearsalsandmayassistwithsetup,monitoringthedoortotherehearsalspace,orputtingoutsnacksforthebreak.Membersofthe5thSectionarealsopresentatperformances(atnocost)toassistwithfront-of-houseorbackstagemanagement.Whilethetimecommitmentislessfornon-singingmembers,theyareconsideredtobeofequalimportanceinthechorusfamily.
! Itisnoteasyforustoturnpeopleaway.Wewanttocelebratewithasmanyofourbrothersaswe
can.Ifwecannotofferyouasingingposition,wewillbegentle,treatyouwiththerespect,andapplaudyourcourageandinterestintheAGMC.Ourhopeisthatwemightbeabletofindotherwaysforyoutocontributetothechorusandwemaysuggestthatyouconsideranon-singingmembershipwhichinvolvesvolunteeringinrehearsalandatperformances.
Thenextsteps:
! IfyouareofferedsingingmembershipwiththeAGMC,wewilldoeverythinginourpowertoensurethatyouaregiventhebestorientationpossible.PleasereadtheAGMCProspectiveMemberOverview(nextinthisdocument)beforecomingtoyourfirstrehearsal.Thiswillanswersomebasicquestionsandprepareyouforthisexcitinganduniqueexperience.
! YouwillnotbeaskedtomakeafinancialcommitmenttotheAGMCuntiltheorientationprocessis
completeandhavedecidedtomoveforwardwithyourmembership.WeareexcitedbyyourinterestandarehopefulthatyoubecomeoneofmanystellarmembersoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.
5
PROSPECTIVEMEMBEROVERVIEWWhatnewandprospectivememberscanexpectatthefirstrehearsal:
! Avocalwarm-up! Staffintroductionsandwelcome! Introductiontothemusicforthecurrentconcertcycle! Newsandannouncements! Abreak–agreattimetomeetmembersofthechorusandgrabaquicksnackWhatisexpectedofyouwhenacceptedtosingingmembership:
! AbilitytoattendThursdaynightrehearsalsfrom7:30–10:00PMinMidtown(rehearsalschangetoTuesdaynightforThanksgivingandMaundyThursday)
! Abilitytoparticipateinadditionalrehearsals,particularlyduringconcertweeks! Abilitytomeettheattendancerequirementsforaparticularcycle(theperiodoftimebeginningwith
thefirstrehearsalandendingwiththeexecutionofonesetofthreeperformances)! Periodicsectionalrehearsalstofocusonmechanicsofthemusic! Two-hundredtwenty-fivedollars($225)inannualmembershipdues,payableinthreeinstallmentsof
$75atthebeginningofeachofthethreerehearsalcycles(September,January,April)! Tuxedoforperformances(assistanceisofferedinlocatingperformanceattire)andotheraccessories,
combinationsasapplicabletotheprogramofcertainconcerts! Memorizingmusicforeachconcert! HardworkandacollaborativeapproachWhatAGMCprovideswithyourmembership:
! Asocialandsupportnetworkofmenwholovemusic,singingandperformingtogether! Soloandsmallgroupperformanceopportunities! Anextensiveorientationprocessthatintroducesyoutothepoliciesandpracticesoftheorganization! AMembershipCommitteethatwillprovideyouwithahandbookandalsobeavailabletohearyour
needsandanswerquestions! AChorusBuddytohelpyoulearnmoreinsandoutsoftheorganizationduringyourfirstcycle! ASectionManagertoregularlyguideyouthroughanychorusbusinessyoumayneedtoconduct! AMusicLeadertoanswerquestionsandprovideadditionalhelpwithmusicaldetailsofeachconcert! Accesstoaweeklye-newsletterandourmembers-onlywebsiteandFacebookpage! Participationintheannualwinterretreat(additionalindividualexpensesincurred)! Dinnersandsocialstoconnectwithothermembers,staffandboardmembers! Financialassistanceandscholarshipsformemberswithafinancialchallenges! Arosterofstaff,board,andmembershipchairs! Ahostofseasonsubscribersandtonsofadoringfans
6
Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus Application for Singing Membership
2016-2017 Season
Personal Information
Name
Email address Preferred phone
Other reliable ways to contact you
Current address
City State Zip
Employer (optional)
History Previous dates/times you sang with AGMC AGMC concerts you may have attended How did you hear about the chorus?
List choruses that you may have sung with in the past
Please describe your musical background, including vocal training and instruments you’ve studied
List any languages other than English that you speak or have studied
Availability
HOLIDAY CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: Thursday evenings September 8–November 17, 2016 and Tuesday November 22 (no Thanksgiving rehearsal) Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings November 30 and December 1, 2016 Performances: Friday, December 2 at 8 PM and Saturday, December 3 at 2 PM and 8 PM SPRING CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: To Be Announced, Thursday evenings January – March, 2017 Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings March 29 & 30, 2017 Performances: Friday, March 31 at 8 PM and Saturday, April 1 at 2 PM and 8 PM SUMMER CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: To be Announced, Thursday evenings April – June, 2017 Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings June 28 & 29, 2017 Performances: Friday, June 30 at 8 PM and Saturday, July 1 at 2 PM and 8 PM
Dates subject to change prior to the beginning of any concert cycle. Please list any known conflicts with the above rehearsal and performance schedule: AGMC prospers through volunteer assistance from its membership. In which of the following support areas might you have interest?
Production Marketing Fundraising Administrative Audience Development
List any additional ways you feel you might be able to contribute to the AGMC mission: