Auditions Revealed

Have you ever thought about having your child join the Indianapolis Children's Choir? Did you stop after that first thought, thinking it was too hard to get in? Were you worried about the audition process?

It is really much more simple than most people realize. Although the level of difficulty for the ICC auditions does increase depending on which level choir a singer is trying out for, the process for the beginning choirs (grades 4 through 7), is quite simple. The audition is an assessment of a child's readiness to sing in a choral environment. The ability to match pitch is what is most important. Preparation is never needed, and directors try to assess singers in small groups if possible.

"Are You Sleeping," that perennial favorite of music teachers everywhere, is one of the songs the ICC uses often during auditions. I observed one of ICC's Director of Education Ruth Dwyer's choirs demonstrate this song last week. Her Chamber choir, comprised mostly of 5th and 6th graders, sang it better than I had ever heard it. Singing this song in a round was the pinnacle of achievement in my 5th grade music class many years ago, and I'm sure we didn't sing it nearly as well as Chamber choir did!

If your children like to sing, give the ICC offices a call. Schedule an audition, and learn about the different choirs and programs offered. Whatever you do, tell your children to keep singing!