It’s that time of year–audition time. And those of us beginning a new concert season or concert cycle look forward to it with both hope and with dread. Hope for new singers to add to our already wonderful ensemble and dread because some wonderful people won’t make it.

Anyone auditioning for the MMS should know I WANT you to make it. I would not take time to hear you if I didn’t. But certain factors come in to play beyond my control and yours.

One of those factors is your voice–I am looking for certain things you may not be able to control, vibrato not withstanding. Another is musicianship, and often it has nothing to do with your training or experience. And the last is attitude, and my instinct about how you would fit in to my group–Divas or Divos need not audition.

In short, the quality of your voice and your ability to control it may be beyond what is controllable. Musicianship CAN be a result of training but many singers have instincts through experience or talent and that is beyond control. But ATTITUDE is within your control.

A good attitude is simply the ability to get along with your fellow singers and the director, being on time for rehearsals and not trying to take over. Being prepared for rehearsals, making good and honest suggestions and wanting the best for the GROUP, not for yourself as a rule, all are part of a good attitude. And not trying to find fault with the director or other singers–LOUDLY–in the middle of rehearsals!

In a chamber choir, it is the attitude and not the musical ability I often am in a quandary over when it comes to making a decision about singers’ auditions. Many directors don’t care about dramas–I do, I want as drama-free a concert cycle as possible–but often it is hard to pick out a person with ‘drama’ as their middle name from an audition.

I began including an interview portion of my auditions after our first concert cycle. I never saw it coming–all of the above–but when I thought about it, a chamber choir magnifies any “diva tendencies” which wouldn’t be noticed in a larger group. And sometimes, those tendencies blot out the good.

I hope you audition and want to sing with us–good people, singing good music and being good to one another!

It happens once or twice a summer in the Midwest–this unbearably hot, stifling heat. It is humid as well, with skin turning damp as soon as you step out of doors. I would liken it to an oven and many do. It can also be compared to Blizzard Weather–we are stuck inside with only our AC to keep us cool; opposite weather, same result .

I enjoy gardening and lounging on the patio and taking power walks–better for my ‘former ballet dancer’ knees– and many things I am not able to do at other times of the year in our region. We enjoy summer here in Chicago and the Midwest simply because it’s beautiful and we can get outside and be active. I stroll by Lake Michigan when I can and eat al fresco anywhere I can–food tastes better outside–and revel in the sunshine. But I don’t revel in this because I am stuck in the house.

I have gotten things done for the MMS upcoming auditions and concert cycle. Finished putting together and preparing a snail mailing for auditions. Collated and numbered music–I still am waiting for a few more pieces–and listened to recordings. I’ve caught up on correspondence, written PR for our auditions and started writing program notes for a few other groups–‘way ahead of schedule. But I’m antsy because I want to be outside and it’s too hot!

I suppose being forced to do things I should be doing anyway has it’s advantages. I’d still like to be outside!

I have been distracted and busy and not reliable with my blog for the last month or so. If anyone of you out there is in Cyber-World have been following this blog–sorry!

There are several reasons for my busyness–our MMS Spring concert for one. Our June 5 concert was wonderful. Wonderful and different. I planned the concert with the thought of using some of our selections for other performances, and others to prepare us for other pieces later on.

The second half of the program was Swingle Singer settings of Bach and Mozart. It stretched us in ways we haven’t been stretched before and prepared us, I hope, for working on a Bach Motet this fall. The runs we had to sing in a more instrumental way will help us grasp the runs in the actual vocal music of Bach. Or, at least that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it for now.

The first half of the program was settings of Shakespeare. We sang them for another performance and for a fund raiser for our local professional symphony orchestra. That is the reason for my REAL busyness.

In my desire to please my spouse and that local symphony, I hosted a “Musical Feast”–the symphony’s series of occasional small fund raisers–the last Saturday in June. Last September, the date was decided, the music was decided, the menu was decided. All I had to do was put everything in motion. Whew, WHAT WAS I THINKING!

The “theme” was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”–the reason for that choice was the time of year and date. The first thing I did was to engage an OUTSTANDING musician–David Schrader–and my son, Ben, his harpsichord student, to play Mendelssohn’s incidental music from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” arranged by the composer for piano, four hands, knowing they would use my Steinway to great advantage. I chose a menu to reflect the play and the time of year. I borrowed a tent, chairs and had my kitchen re-painted. I had the patio sealed and cleaned my house within an inch of my life. I gardened so my Midwestern English Garden looked more English than Midwestern. I gave strict orders to my family–especially my husband who begged me to do this–to do what I said and no one would get hurt.

We decided to dress as Shakespeare characters–I was Titania–and my singers had a great time doing that! The MMS rehearsed after our concert cycle was over for this event. The ladies rehearsed the Finale of the Mendelssohn so we could surprise the audience by popping up–much like the Fairies we were portraying.

Everyone who attended, and even those participating, said it was a magical event. It was, and I think we even earned some money for the Symphony, the whole reason we were doing this. But I am beat!

Every part was planned out by me–much like a concert. And now that it is over, I have happy I did it. But in order for me to do something like this again, there will have to be jewelry involved!