PROSPECTIVEMEMBERSHIPBROCHURE2016-2017! MessagefromtheArtisticDirector! AuditioningfortheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus! ProspectiveMemberOverview! ApplicationforSingingMembership

2

Areyouthenextnewmember?

AMessagefromtheArtisticDirectorDearProspectiveMemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus,IamalwaysexcitedwhenIhearthatsomeonewantstobeamemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.Itsaysagreatdealabouttheworkwe’redoingandhowitisvaluedinthecommunity.Iamhopefulthatthroughacarefullyconsidered,embracingprocess,wewillsoonbeabletoconsideryouoneoftheproudmembersoftheAGMC.Inthispacket,youwillfindeverythingyouneedtobeginyouraudition/interviewprocess:

! AuditioningfortheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus! ProspectiveMemberOverview! ApplicationforSingingMembership

Awordabout“audition.”Ifthewordputsaknotinyourstomach,Iunderstand.IhavebeenauditioningsingersforchorusesandmusicaltheatreproductionsfordecadesandIknowfirst-handhowdifficulttheprocesscanbe.Unfortunately,auditionsrequireustodoourbestworkundertheworstcircumstances,andthepressurecancreatelotsofchallenges–especiallywhensinging.It’ssoverypersonalandwhenwe’rescared,itcanshow.Takeadeepbreath.Igetit.Andsodoesourleadershipteamthatrealizesyoumaynotbeaprofessionalsinger.Fewchorusesrequirethatyouare.Whenyouwalkthroughthedoor,wewantyoutobethebestyoucanbe,andwepromisetodoeverythingwecantomakeyoufeelcomfortable.Ourhopeisthattheprocessisnaturalanddoesn’tfeelrushedforyou,butschedulingisoftentightandweneedtomovequickly,whichmaymakeyourtwentyminutesfeelliketwentyseconds,butit’snot.We’llbelisteningandworkingwithyoutounderstandyourvoiceandgiveyoueveryopportunitytobecomeamemberoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.Sotakeabreath.We’rejustpeople–peoplewhowanttoseeyousucceed.Ilookforwardtomeetingyouattheauditionandtothepossibilityofcallingyouournextnewmember!Warmregards,

KevinRobisonArtisticDirector

3

AUDITIONINGFORTHEATLANTAGAYMEN’SCHORUSHowtoprepare:

! It’sessentialthatyouhearthechorusbeforeauditioning.Besuretolistentoallfourexamplesofliveperformancesfoundonthepagewhereyoudownloadedthisdocument.Thiswillgiveyouanideaofthevarietyofmusicweperformandthecaliberofthegroup.

! We’dpreferthatyouprepareasonginadvanceandbringsheetmusicwithyouforourpianistto

read.Thesongshouldbeappropriateforthetypeofmusicthechorusperforms(e.g.classical,multicultural,jazz,musicaltheater,pop).Ifyouneedtolookatthemusicwhileyousing,pleasebringtwocopies.Wepreferyounotuseelectronicaccompaniment.

! Ifyoudonotreadmusicordonothaveapreparedsong,youmaysing“HappyBirthday,”“America

theBeautiful,”“MyCountry‘TisofThee,”ahymn,orsomethingsimilar.Wehavehadmanymemberspasstheauditionwithmusicassimpleasthis.

! Auditiondatesandtimesareonthesamewebpage.Onceyou’velookedeverythingover,contact

MembershipPresidentWoodyEadieatwoody.eadie@voicesofnote.orgtoscheduleyourtime.Ifyouarenotavailabletoauditiononthedesignateddate,pleaseaskifthereisanalternatetimeyoumightschedule.Auditionsarebyappointmentonly.Youwillreceivedirectionstotheauditionlocationonceyouarrangeatime.Alsobesurethatyouaddhisemailaddresstoyourlistofcontacts,ortakeanynecessarystepstomakesureanyemailfromhimdoesn’tgotoyourspamfolder.

! Pleasemakearrangementswiththepresidenttocontacthimonthedayoftheauditionintheeventthatyouarerunninglateorhavetoreschedule.Shouldyouchangeyourmindaboutauditioning,pleaselethimknowthataswellsowemayuseourtimeefficiently.

Whattoexpectwhenyouarrive:

! YouwillbeaskedtoprovideacompletedApplicationforSingingMembership(thelastpageofthisdocument).Fillingthisoutinadvanceofyourarrivalwillbeveryhelpful.

! Whenyouentertheroom,youwillbegreetedbyArtisticDirectorKevinRobison(whowilltakeyour

application)andseveralmusicleadersfromthechorus.Theyarealltheretosupportyouinyourauditionandwantyoutosucceed.Afterintroductions,youmaybeaskedsomeadditionalquestionsbasedonyourcompletedform.

! Next,youwilldosomevocalizingtoestablishthesectionforwhichyourvoicewouldbemost

appropriate.Standcomfortablybythepianoforthisportionoftheaudition.Youmaybeaskedtosinginpartsofyourvoicethatyoudon’tuseoften,butthat’spartoftheprocess.It’simportanttoexploreallrangesofyourvoiceinordertodeterminewheretoplaceyou.

! Youwillalsobeaskedtodemonstratehoweasilyyoulearnapassageofmusic.Donotletthis

discourageyoufromauditioning.Manyofourmembersdonotreadmusicandlearnbetterthroughlistening.Youmayhavethisskillaswell,andthatiswhattheteamneedstodetermine.Ifyou’reagoodsight-reader,thenyoushouldhavenoproblematall.Butifsight-readingscaresyou,don’tsweatit.We’llworkwithyou.

! Theauditionmayalsoincludeacheckofyourtonalmemory.Ashortmelodicphrasewillbeplayedonthepianoandyouwillbeaskedtosingitback.

4

Whattoexpectimmediatelyafteryouraudition:

! Youmaybeaskedtostepoutoftheroomwhiletheteamdiscussesyouraudition.Uponyourreturn,youwillbeofferedoneofthefollowing:

" ProspectiveMembership:Everyonewhopassestheinitialauditionwillbewelcomedas

aprospectivemember.Wemayhavesomesuggestionsforwhatwe’dliketohearfromyouvocallyduringtheprospectiveperiodofthreeweeks.Thisperiodalsogivesyoutimetoauditionus,whichisveryimportant.Duringthefirstthreerehearsals,youwillparticipateinourorientationprocess,whichprovidesmoredetailedinformationaboutthechorusandgivesyouandotherstheopportunitytoaskquestions.Afterthethirdweek,youwillbenotifiedofyourstatusgoingforward.Ifwearenotabletoofferyouasingingmembershipatthattime,youwillbeofferedtheopportunitytobecomepartofournon-singingteamofvolunteers.

" Non-singingMembership:Non-singingmembers,collectivelyknownasthe5thSection,

arewelcomeatallrehearsalsandmayassistwithsetup,monitoringthedoortotherehearsalspace,orputtingoutsnacksforthebreak.Membersofthe5thSectionarealsopresentatperformances(atnocost)toassistwithfront-of-houseorbackstagemanagement.Whilethetimecommitmentislessfornon-singingmembers,theyareconsideredtobeofequalimportanceinthechorusfamily.

! Itisnoteasyforustoturnpeopleaway.Wewanttocelebratewithasmanyofourbrothersaswe

can.Ifwecannotofferyouasingingposition,wewillbegentle,treatyouwiththerespect,andapplaudyourcourageandinterestintheAGMC.Ourhopeisthatwemightbeabletofindotherwaysforyoutocontributetothechorusandwemaysuggestthatyouconsideranon-singingmembershipwhichinvolvesvolunteeringinrehearsalandatperformances.

Thenextsteps:

! IfyouareofferedsingingmembershipwiththeAGMC,wewilldoeverythinginourpowertoensurethatyouaregiventhebestorientationpossible.PleasereadtheAGMCProspectiveMemberOverview(nextinthisdocument)beforecomingtoyourfirstrehearsal.Thiswillanswersomebasicquestionsandprepareyouforthisexcitinganduniqueexperience.

! YouwillnotbeaskedtomakeafinancialcommitmenttotheAGMCuntiltheorientationprocessis

completeandhavedecidedtomoveforwardwithyourmembership.WeareexcitedbyyourinterestandarehopefulthatyoubecomeoneofmanystellarmembersoftheAtlantaGayMen’sChorus.

5

PROSPECTIVEMEMBEROVERVIEWWhatnewandprospectivememberscanexpectatthefirstrehearsal:

! Avocalwarm-up! Staffintroductionsandwelcome! Introductiontothemusicforthecurrentconcertcycle! Newsandannouncements! Abreak–agreattimetomeetmembersofthechorusandgrabaquicksnackWhatisexpectedofyouwhenacceptedtosingingmembership:

! AbilitytoattendThursdaynightrehearsalsfrom7:30–10:00PMinMidtown(rehearsalschangetoTuesdaynightforThanksgivingandMaundyThursday)

! Abilitytoparticipateinadditionalrehearsals,particularlyduringconcertweeks! Abilitytomeettheattendancerequirementsforaparticularcycle(theperiodoftimebeginningwith

thefirstrehearsalandendingwiththeexecutionofonesetofthreeperformances)! Periodicsectionalrehearsalstofocusonmechanicsofthemusic! Two-hundredtwenty-fivedollars($225)inannualmembershipdues,payableinthreeinstallmentsof

$75atthebeginningofeachofthethreerehearsalcycles(September,January,April)! Tuxedoforperformances(assistanceisofferedinlocatingperformanceattire)andotheraccessories,

combinationsasapplicabletotheprogramofcertainconcerts! Memorizingmusicforeachconcert! HardworkandacollaborativeapproachWhatAGMCprovideswithyourmembership:

! Asocialandsupportnetworkofmenwholovemusic,singingandperformingtogether! Soloandsmallgroupperformanceopportunities! Anextensiveorientationprocessthatintroducesyoutothepoliciesandpracticesoftheorganization! AMembershipCommitteethatwillprovideyouwithahandbookandalsobeavailabletohearyour

needsandanswerquestions! AChorusBuddytohelpyoulearnmoreinsandoutsoftheorganizationduringyourfirstcycle! ASectionManagertoregularlyguideyouthroughanychorusbusinessyoumayneedtoconduct! AMusicLeadertoanswerquestionsandprovideadditionalhelpwithmusicaldetailsofeachconcert! Accesstoaweeklye-newsletterandourmembers-onlywebsiteandFacebookpage! Participationintheannualwinterretreat(additionalindividualexpensesincurred)! Dinnersandsocialstoconnectwithothermembers,staffandboardmembers! Financialassistanceandscholarshipsformemberswithafinancialchallenges! Arosterofstaff,board,andmembershipchairs! Ahostofseasonsubscribersandtonsofadoringfans

6

Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus Application for Singing Membership

2016-2017 Season

Personal Information

Name

Email address Preferred phone

Other reliable ways to contact you

Current address

City State Zip

Employer (optional)

History Previous dates/times you sang with AGMC AGMC concerts you may have attended How did you hear about the chorus?

List choruses that you may have sung with in the past

Please describe your musical background, including vocal training and instruments you’ve studied

List any languages other than English that you speak or have studied

Availability

HOLIDAY CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: Thursday evenings September 8–November 17, 2016 and Tuesday November 22 (no Thanksgiving rehearsal) Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings November 30 and December 1, 2016 Performances: Friday, December 2 at 8 PM and Saturday, December 3 at 2 PM and 8 PM SPRING CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: To Be Announced, Thursday evenings January – March, 2017 Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings March 29 & 30, 2017 Performances: Friday, March 31 at 8 PM and Saturday, April 1 at 2 PM and 8 PM SUMMER CYCLE Regular Rehearsals: To be Announced, Thursday evenings April – June, 2017 Tech Rehearsals: Wednesday and Thursday evenings June 28 & 29, 2017 Performances: Friday, June 30 at 8 PM and Saturday, July 1 at 2 PM and 8 PM

Dates subject to change prior to the beginning of any concert cycle. Please list any known conflicts with the above rehearsal and performance schedule: AGMC prospers through volunteer assistance from its membership. In which of the following support areas might you have interest?

Production Marketing Fundraising Administrative Audience Development

List any additional ways you feel you might be able to contribute to the AGMC mission: