Open Rehearsals:
Prior to auditioning, candidates are invited to attend one or
two rehearsals, to experience the demands of FTLGMC in
advance. This is an actual rehearsal for current members as
the Chorus prepares for an upcoming concert. Open rehearsals
give everyone an idea of what to expect on a weekly basis if
you become a member. We strongly recommend that you come to
one or two rehearsals.
The
Audition:
The
audition process for the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus is
designed to be fairly informal, and is hopefully as
stress-free as possible.
What to expect at audition:
You’ll
first see a short presentation, given by our Vice President of
Membership, Bradley Bush. We will help you feel
comfortable, and at ease, for your audition. You will then meet our Director, Todd Wiley, who
will guide you through a series of vocal warm-ups and
exercises with the piano. It would be helpful to have a song
(or portion of) in mind to sing in order to have Todd hear
your voice and range. You may bring a piece of music to sing,
(there will be an accompanist), and there is no formal written
music test. You do not have to know how to read music, but at
a minimum, it helps to be able to follow your voice line.
Of course, any previous music experience is a plus. (No need
to bring a resume.) You’ll then meet the President Bill
Spinosa & Vice-President Tom Herfort
for a short, informal get-to-know session. Overall, the
whole process shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to a
half-hour. You will be notified of your audition outcome
within a few days by phone. At that time you will be
assigned a "Buddy," a chorus member in your section who can
meet you at your first rehearsal, show you the 'ropes,' and
introduce you to other members in the chorus.
Location:
Auditions
are held at the Sunshine Cathedral, 1480 SW 9th
Ave., Ft. Lauderdale. (I-95 to Davie Blvd. East, ½ mile then
South on SW 9th Ave). The music suite is located
on the 2nd floor of the building next to the Cathedral.
Look for the dark blue door. It is requested that everyone to be there at
the start time of the audition. We will provide an accompanist
or you can bring tracks. It can be as simple as happy birthday
or as complex as an aria but we need to hear you sing. Please
come prepared.
Time Commitment:
The Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus presents four major
concerts a year, usually October, December, February, and
June. In addition, FTLGMC will occasionally participate in
community performances outside of this cycle (Christmas on Las
Olas, Pride, etc.) at the Director’s discretion.
Attendance at rehearsals and performances is mandatory, unless
prior arrangements have been made through your section leader.
Regular Rehearsals:
Our regular
rehearsals are every Tuesday evening, 7:30-10:30 at the
Sunshine Cathedral’s Chapel. Our rehearsal time is valuable--
we learn a great deal of music for each concert. Members are
expected to arrive on time. Many members come to rehearsal
early in order to take care of business matters and to
socialize.
Special
Rehearsals:
There are also special rehearsals (sectionals, dress
rehearsals, etc) and the dates and times are announced as
these are scheduled. Two or three extra rehearsals are often
scheduled in the days before a main concert.
Absences:
Because we strive for the best artistic product possible,
FTLGMC has an attendance policy, which requires a minimum of
75 % of ALL rehearsal attendance during each concert period.
Personal Responsibility for Learning
Music: You will be expected
to review your music at home, so you will be fully prepared
for concerts. Often, but not always, we are able to provide
you with a rehearsal recording for each concert with which you
can practice. Music is memorized for our concerts. Members
who do not read music well will usually bring recorders to
rehearsal.
Retreat:
Sometime in
October we hold a weekend long retreat at a facility outside
of Broward County, usually requiring a Friday and Saturday
night hotel stay. The
retreat counts as one regular required rehearsal and one
make-up rehearsal and is also a great opportunity to get to
know each other.
Retreat and Other Incidentals:
Our annual
retreat in the fall (October 2007.) Costs vary per person, for
hotel room and meals, but there are ways to pare this cost
down (two or more in a room, etc.) Retreat will be held
at the
Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach
Resort and Marina.
Schedule:
You will
have access to the complete schedule of rehearsals,
performances, and other important dates soon after you join,
so you can mark your calendar accordingly.
Volunteer Teams:
To keep the
Chorus running smoothly, we often need to rely on members to
volunteer extra time. The majority of jobs require relatively
little time individually, but as a whole, they represent a
tremendous amount of effort, without which the Chorus would
not be able to function. The members are assigned to
volunteer teams, which are called upon from time to time to
help with logistics that would otherwise need to be hired out.
Season:
Our season
runs from August through June.
Financial Commitment —
Membership Dues:
The annual dues for FTLGMC membership is $25 per month, or
$275 per year. As a volunteer
membership organization, we raise all of our own funds from
membership dues, advertising, ticket sales, etc. Dues help to
pay for music, rehearsal rental space, some costumes,
performance space, lighting, sound, and all operational
expenses. Financial assistance (partial or full) is available
for those who need it. No
one is denied membership based on financial issues.
Dress:
Members are
responsible for purchasing their "formal" attire. Information
on attire will be provided to you upon acceptance into the chorus.
There are other incidental expenses for minor costume items.
FTLGMC Audition Contacts:
Audition
Coordinator: Bradley Bush
Email: Send e-mail to
auditions@ftlgmc.org
Phone: 954-832-0060
Upcoming Auditions ~ Saturday, August
23, 2008; Saturday, January 3, 2009
