After eight years of little to no singing, I finally joined a choir! Here's the story. For years now, my friend Lana Wilkinson has been telling me about the Salt LakeVocal Artists; she just knew I would love them and thought I should audition. Finally, I went to one of their concerts at the Park City Community Church this past summer. I knew they were for me. Only about forty singers altogether, SLVA has a tight, dramatic, excellent sound only to be found among the best university music programs or perhaps MOTAB. Oh, how I have missed this level of music! Here is the flyer for my first concert with them:
The parameters of the audition were more demanding than for any other choir or group for whom I've tried out. I learned two passages, one in Church Slavonic and one in Latin, I brushed up on my sight reading, prepared a solo and learned the alto part to an insane song, Jubilate Deo by Ko Matsushita. Little did I know that my first audition wouldn't even be with the director of the group I actually wanted to join...and the passages and song I had prepared were not even mentioned...Great, lots of work for nothing! It was all a bit confusing. I auditioned for Jane Fjelsted, the Associate Director of SLCA, who is now my American Idol and mentor. She was so warm and helpful; she made me feel completely at ease during my audition. (She sang with MOTAB for 10 years and has an impressive resume including directing a family choir for General Conference 2013.) Afterwards, she told me that she would "strongly recommend" me for SLVA to Dr. Allred, and that I would sing for him at some time in the near future. Wait, what? I would be auditioning AGAIN?! In the meantime, could I please stay tonight and sing with Concert Choir and then Chamber Choir right afterwards? Okay…so I did. Below is my rehearsal building. It used to be an LDS ward and before that, a preschool. Pretty neat historic building just a few streets away from the State Capitol building.
That first evening with Concert Choir nearly drove me to tears. THAT SOUND! That full, powerful, take you to heaven and back, beautiful sound. And that was only during the warm-ups! Then I found out that a good percentage of the choir had sung with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. What are the odds? Did I not post for all the world to see my life-long goal of being in MOTAB last YEAR?! I knew I was in the right place. My soul needed this. What had I been doing all these years not singing? This is so much a part of me. I suppose I've only been half myself for the past eight years. I've been mourning that loss.
Jane told me to expect to audition for SLVA after the group returned from tour, so I filed my nerves away, hoping not to have to retrieve them for at least a month. I was wrong. Jane messaged me a few days after I auditioned with her and told me, "There is a new song posted on the website. Learn it. Can you audition for Dr. Allred tomorrow morning?" WHAT!?!? So, basically I prepared for two weeks for an audition that never happened and had a few hours to prep for the big one that counts…Well, I dropped everything and learned the song, Ave Regina Coelorum, which was about a million times easier than the other I had prepared- thank goodness. Dr. Allred's car wouldn't start, so we had to audition at his home instead of the rehearsal building. There was one tenor, a soprano and another alto auditioning with me that morning, and I was scheduled to go last, so I got the benefit of hearing three auditions before mine. (We were all in one room! A little awkward...) I took some mental notes from the direction Dr. Allred and Jane were giving each auditionee so that when it was my turn, I would try to avoid making similar mistakes. I knew there were only a few spots for altos open, and dozens were scheduled to audition. Prior to my turn, the atmosphere had been quite stuffy, so I brought a sort of levity with my audition. Let me be clear, I was well prepared and professional, but there were a few more smiles and jokes with Dr. Allred (who is an AMAZING musical genius and thus intimidating, but also endearing) than had been. He also seemed more at ease with me (because I was last? because I'm friends with Ryan North? because he got good feedback about me from Jane? no idea.). I felt good about the audition. And then, over a week later at Concert Choir rehearsal, Jane tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "You're good to go." I exploded internally and did a little dance in the restroom later on. YES! I've been in heaven ever since (every Thursday evening.)
Salt Lake Choral Artists has a handful of choirs under the organization's umbrella: Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Men's Choir, Women's Choir, Youth Honor Choir and the Salt Lake Vocal Artists, the touring group of SLCA. I sang with Concert Choir and Chamber Choir until SLVA returned from their tour to Japan in October, then I left those two to sing exclusively with Vocal Artists. As much as I would love to sing all week long, I simply don't have the time. Such is the life of a mom!
Thanks to all those who came to my first concert: Mom, Dad, Sissy, Lucy, Bret and Jen, Papa John, Tracie, the Jacksons, Liuda, etc! Because of your support, I won the third most-tickets-sold prize! I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed singing…I know Wes did.
St. Ambrose Catholic Church was our first concert venue, and we'll return there before the season ends. I wish the concert had been in the afternoon instead of evening because the stained glass is really amazing with light coming through!
Our next concerts are this coming weekend. Please let me know if you would like to purchase tickets before this Thursday, December 12 so that you can get the discounted rate. We are singing with the Park City Singers for the 14th and 15th concerts. If you have to choose, go to the Dec. 21 concert!
Here are the details:
Regular $15, $10 in advance. Student $10, $5 in advance.
Saturday, December 14, 2013 - 7:30 PM
All Saints Episcopal Church, 1710 Foothill Drive, SLC
Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 7:30 PM
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 525 Park Avenue, Park City
Saturday, December 21, 2013 - 2:00pm matinee and 7:30pm
Regular $20, $15 in advance. Student $10.
For discounted tickets, enter the promotional code "harps" at this website:
Libby Gardner Concert Hall
1375 Presidents Circle
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
1 comment:
Rachael's first choir performance was a real treat! Will be going again in a few weeks! Congrats to you Rachael on being able to live your dreams!
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