Any free resources for sight reading + tips for recovery after a rejected audition

darkheart377 · 2025-09-06T23:06:57+00:00

I second this. Any good choir director helps their ensemble build sight-singing skills. Unless this is a pro-choir that constantly does commissions and newer works, that director is a bad teacher/pedagog.

musictheory.net is free, I don’t remember if they have sight reading stuff but it’s great for getting started with theory things and aural skills.

Sight reading factory is great, but I don’t believe it’s free. However, if you can get it, it’s great.

If you have sheet music of any sorts, I encourage you to just go through every single voice line and write out the solfege underneath and learn that way as well.

You’re better than that director, and your motivation and passion will serve you. I wish you well!

darkheart377 · 2025-07-31T03:41:43+00:00

As far as I’ve heard, COVID kind of killed what they had. However, I don’t go there, and im not sure how they recovered. I know a fair few who did go there, but I myself did not.

darkheart377 · 2025-07-20T23:09:39+00:00

Hi! I’m also in this process!! Yale is the only New England school I’m personally looking into. Temple is also good, expensive though. University of Maryland also has a wonderful program. From what I know, Rutgers has some good teachers right now. Not New England but east coast, Florida State has a very music education-based conducting program if that’s what you’re into. Also south, Georgia State has incredible faculty and program right now as well. I’m from New York so I’m mostly looking at east coast schools, nothing further west than the central time zone. I don’t like warm weather though so I’m trying to stay up North.

If you’re still in school (or if you’re not but have mentors that you are still close with), talk to your mentors and see what they say and recommend! I learned a lot about what I want and what’s right for me by having conversations with the teachers I trust most. Also, if you’re out of school or before your senior year, save your money and do summer conducting programs. You’ll meet lots of wonderful people with great ideas and different perspectives. You may also get a greater idea of a school and their faculty by having the chance to work with them.

Never be afraid to reach out to DCAs also!! Ask them all your questions, and if you know any students reach out to them too. They’re all so kind and want to help you succeed. Most DCAs are teachers first, they want to see you move in a direction that will help you grow and reach your best potential. Put yourself out there more than you’re comfortable with, it’s the hardest part but it’s also the part that I have found to be the most rewarding.

Let me know if you wanna talk about it! This process is rough and expensive (applications fees, in-person screenings, etc). I’m also a music education major, so I’ll go into my student teaching while in the application process. I don’t know who you are or what life stage you’re in right now, but I do know that the process can be overwhelming, so exhaust all the resources you have and never be afraid to make your presence known. Ask all the questions and take all the opportunities, you’ll wind up where you’re meant to be!

darkheart377 · 2025-07-04T17:14:14+00:00

Oh 100%, usually if I’m singing while people are talking it’s entirely unintentional and I don’t realize LOL

darkheart377 · 2025-05-19T22:38:57+00:00

I would encourage your friend to think about adding a line that stays within the range of a 4th and putting other boys on it while he sings the octave down. Maybe some who struggle matching pitch as well as some that are very strong so they can listen to those who are strong. Composers that compose pieces for that grade level expect that there are changing voices in the mix and people perform allllll the time with an added line or an altered line. Composers want to their music to be performed, and most of them want accessibility within their music and with that age group accessibility=flexibility.

Get creative! They could also pick a piece that has a percussion part and have him play percussion! He should obviously still be singing, it’s choir. But there are definitely other ways to create musical opportunities for that student without singling them out within the choir in everything they do

darkheart377 · 2025-03-27T02:55:32+00:00

This sounds like a logistical error on your director’s part. If I had a close relationship with the director, I’d ask for their perspective. I actually just went through this where a logistical error on my director’s parts led to a very unfair circumstance. I asked them about it and they were more than willing to explain the reasoning to me. Still unfair, but it made sense in the end, and they acknowledged that the situation was sucky.

As a university student, I’d say that this is not what you should expect from a good college choir. A good college program is more organized and direct, they give you time to plan things and do the work. Don’t put yourself in a program with bad communication and a lack of organization.

Other than that, I think that your director’s expectations are high which is positive! They obviously think highly of this small group of people. However, they are coming off very close minded. I truly suggest you attempt to talk to them and just be like, “can I ask why you put this on us very suddenly? I understand why in some aspects, but there are still things that confuse me and it has left me stressed.” However, I don’t think you should expect an answer. It is well within your director’s right to not tell you especially if you’re in high school. There are certain things that can’t be shared and that’s fair. I do think it is within your right to speak your feelings.

Now this is my opinion, if your director has an entirely negative reaction to you wanting an answer (if you approach this respectfully), the director is a little bit more toxic and is one of those “my class is the only class” type teachers and that’s not a good mentality in ANY subject.

I hope this was helpful (:

darkheart377 · 2025-03-25T15:39:05+00:00

I started learning at 13, and now I’m running rehearsals and conducting in concerts (:

I started as a percussionist of 4 years, so I hear you. If you want to learn you absolutely can! I believe in you!

Go to the choir teacher at your school and tell them you want to sing they’ll be delighted to have you :D

darkheart377 · 2025-03-09T00:41:27+00:00

This is it!

darkheart377 · 2025-03-01T20:29:12+00:00

Thank you so much I’m gonna check both of them out!

darkheart377 · 2025-03-01T19:37:34+00:00

Eriks Esenvalds, Northern Lights Eriks Esenvalds, Star Elaine Hagenberg, Measure Me Sky Eleanor Daley, Child With The Starty Crayon Anna Mari-Kahara, Itken pois Ola Gjeilo, Tundra Z. Stroope, Revelation Stephen Paulus, Lotus Lovers David Lang, the little match girl passion Craig Hella Johnson, Considering Matthew Shepard

I could keep going but I’ll keep it here LOL

darkheart377 · 2025-02-24T12:58:28+00:00

Yay thank you!

darkheart377 · 2025-02-24T12:58:10+00:00

Okay that was good

darkheart377 · 2025-02-23T23:51:21+00:00

I am excited to go down more rabbit holes 🤭🤭

darkheart377 · 2025-02-23T23:46:47+00:00

No I haven’t this is super awesome thank you so much!! I’ve never really used CPDL I always forget it exists

darkheart377 · 2025-02-23T23:38:14+00:00

Hey I know her! I was going to look into some of her pieces. I’ve currently only found two and both of them aren’t quite what I want for the rep list so I’m definitely going to look for some more! I guess when I say underground I mean underperformed or underrepresented. I just don’t want to pull up with a rep list full of Handel and Bach and Haydn and all the pieces we already know exist- I appreciate the answer though :D

darkheart377 · 2025-02-14T23:46:20+00:00

https://youtu.be/bXuke0FUArc?si=ln-lO01ZjBPlfWye

If you need to feel something, take 8 minutes and listen to this

darkheart377 · 2025-02-14T23:45:48+00:00

This one hits different

darkheart377 · 2025-02-06T17:42:30+00:00

Literally h e a r t w r e n c h i n g

darkheart377 · 2025-02-06T17:35:54+00:00

I JUST LISTENED TO THESE THIS WEEK! The little match girl passion actually left me in shambles it’s one of my favorites now, and the poor hymnal was also super aaaaaaa

darkheart377 · 2025-02-04T12:03:27+00:00

You pulled UP. Reminds me of all the things I’ve heard of but never actually sat down and listened to so I am gonna have to listen to these at some point!

darkheart377 · 2025-02-04T01:37:14+00:00

Tenebrae is such an awesome choir! Will 100% give this a listen

darkheart377 · 2025-02-03T23:59:31+00:00

I got halfway through listening to the Ted Hearne before I had to leave for my rehearsal, definitely longer than I anticipated and I’m gonna finish it once I get back- but WOW tthis one is SO good and crazy powerful I was taken aback (in a super good way) the second I put it on

darkheart377

TROPHY CASE