Chorus classes outside music dept?

jessimo093 · 05-10-2011, 09:21 PM

I really want to take some kind of chorus class but I haven't been able to find anything outside the ensembles through the music department. I'm not looking to rehearse during my free time every day. I just wanted to make sure that they do have chorus classes, and where can I find course descriptions? Are there any that require an audition? Any information like that would be helpful so I can know it going into ctops.

Skie · 05-15-2011, 11:58 AM

Jessimo,

Two of the three Music Department choirs rehearse only twice a week, not every day. Auditions for all the groups are held the first few days of the new semester. You can get information about all of the ensembles by going to the Music Department webpage:
music.unc.edu
and clicking on Ensembles.

UNC also has a Gospel Choir and tons of a cappella groups which have auditions at different times throughout the year.

jessimo093 · 05-15-2011, 08:42 PM

Thanks, but are there any classes like through the music dept that are chorus classes? I'm not really interested in any of the ensembles right now, but I really would love to continue taking a chorus class.

Skie · 05-16-2011, 11:40 AM

I don't understand. Chorus class is an ensemble. The only classroom-type class about choral music that doesn't involve singing in a UNC choir is choral conducting. But most choral conducting students do sing in a choir.

Can you describe the kind of chorus class you've taken that's not an ensemble?

jessimo093 · 05-16-2011, 06:30 PM

Sorry, I think that I'm thinking about this wrong. Do the ensembles count as classes or are they extracurricular activities? I'm used to chorus as a class every day and the descriptions of the ensembles led me to believe that they were kind of like an extracurricular club type thing rather than a class. Also, my friends at App had a chorus class this semester that met one day a week for 3 hours and I guess I was wondering if there were any classes like that. I'm not looking for a huge time commitment for one specific activity my first semester, but if the ensemble is a class, that's different.

On that note, how difficult is it to get into the groups? I'm an alto and was in my school's chamber chorus. I can't say I'm an amazing sightreader but my director focuses much more on sightreading than most others, at least from what I saw from working at the NC chorus Festival earlier this year.

Skie · 05-16-2011, 08:54 PM

Ah - got it now!

The Music Department choral ensembles are classes. They meet between 3 and 4 hours a week, for which you get a grade and 1 credit. The descriptions of all the groups and their rehearsal schedules are on the Music Department website under Ensembles (even though they're classes!).

If you sang in your high school's chamber chorus and can sightread somewhat, you'll definitely get in to one of the groups.

jessimo093 · 05-16-2011, 09:28 PM

Thanks for all the info! A few friends from chamber and I all want to audition and hopefully sing together in college as well but I wasn't sure how it all worked. Also, can you decline placement, say in Women's Glee, if that's where you're placed? A friend of mine is in it and from what she's said about it, I'm not really interested in it.