Tomorrow I'm going to visit the conductor of a local choir, to audition for him as a possible soloist. They usually hire professional singers, but I thought it was worth asking if they'd consider using me to give me the chance of some concert experience.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Cheers

Katyjay

Best of luck, katyjay. Fingers duly crossed.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

Good luck, Katyjay See you on Saturday!

Oooh how exciting, all the best Katyjay. Will you know on the day whether you have got it?

Good luck Katyjay.

Good luck, Katyjay!

Hope all goes well... we'll expect a full report later. How exciting!

Hope it's not too late to say good luck, hope you do well .

Thanks everyone. You can uncross your fingers now.

It has to be the shortest audition on record:

Conductor: "Have you warmed up?"
Me: "Yes thankyou"
He: "What will you sing?"
Me: "Iphis's aria from Jephtha"

*He plays the intro, I sing two bars, he stops*

He (tone of surprise): "You sing very well"
Me: "Thankyou"
He: "I thought I know you. You deputised for me at Portsmouth last summer"
Me: "That's right."
He: "Right, well we're doing extracts from the Messiah at Christmas, so please learn the Soprano solos in that. And we're doing extracts the Mikado in the Summer, so you'd better make a start on Yum-yum."
Me "Yes, thanks, that's great".

At which point he said "I don't think we need to stay any longer. See you at rehearsal"

And then he showed me out.

Duration of the meeting: Four minutes!

Cheers

Katyjay

CONGRATULATIONS!



Amber
x

Fantastic, katyjay.

Look forward to congratulating you in person on Saturday.

Well done

Congratulations!

Congratulations.
Really looking forward to meeting you on Saturday

Congratulations Katyjay. Thats great news!

Well done, you must have been really impressive Katyjay! One day I'll have to hear you sing

Well done Katyjay! Looking forward to meeting you on Saturday!

Car Expert

YAY!!!!!

Congrats...shall I bring the Bolly on Saturday???

Wonderful news Katyjay - they didn't need long to decide then !!

excellent news. well done!

Brilliant news! - Looking forward to singing with you on Saturday!

Well done . It's also great to see amateur musicians who are more than good enough and really enjoy the opportunity getting to do this; rather than the solo spots with the amateur choirs being handed over to the professionals, who no doubt don't appreciate the opportunity (although probably do appreciate the money) to do it nearly as much. I really don't like it when good amateur orchestras, choirs, or whatever, who could be giving an opportunity of a lifetime to an excellent amateur performer to do a solo with them simply buy in a professional and deny them the opportunity. I'm really pleased that they've let you do it . Many congratulations and I hope that you really enjoy the experience.

Thanks everyone.

AP I agree with you entirely, BUT the problem is that while it's nice for me to have the solos, and good experience, and reduces the cost of the concert for the choir and all that good stuff, the choir/orchestra has to market the concert and a professional's name on the poster is more likely to pull in an audience than my name is.

I'm reasonably confident I can get parents, in-laws, assorted aunties and friends to come and cheer me on, but that's not likely to be as many ticket sales as would be the case if people seeing the posters decide to come and hear someone they've heard of sing with a local choir. And it doesn't take that many ticket sales, unfortunately, to tip the balance.

Still, I'm going to enjoy this opportunity tremendously, and hope that it gives me a basis to apply to other choirs for solo work.

Cheers

Katyjay

Fancy changing your surname to Jenkins at all ?

Wrong initial! And she's a mezzo.

Cheers

Katyjay

True, but then again I'm sure that once the people that do come have heard you they will certainly want to come again next time they hear your name .

It's a shame that people want to go and see things more because of the name on the poster (I can't say I'm immune to it though if I hear someone I think is amazing coming to play I'll go and listen regardless of what they're playing, whereas someone I've not heard of I will go to see if I like the repertoire, or think I'll like the repertoire, they're playing). Still I'm sure that you'll have enough of an audience that want to come and see you (and the people in the choir will know people too) and they'll all spread the word about how good you were once you've done it, may be a useful stepping stone to getting your name known, if only locally . I wish you the best of luck, what an amazing , and well deserved, opportunity .