Audition for Charlotte’s acclaimed children’s choir this month — see where a love of music will take your child
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Auditions are open! The Choir School at St. Peter’s is looking for talented singers who want to join our robust community of young musicians. As a chorister in Charlotte, North Carolina’s premier music education program, choristers get to study, rehearse and perform with expert, experienced musicians in Charlotte and around the country. That’s right, there’s a world-class children’s choir near you!
If you know a child that loves to sing, you simply have to discover Charlotte’s best children’s choir, The Choir School at St. Peter’s. Our acclaimed music education program is hosting an information session with open auditions on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 6 p.m. in Uptown Charlotte.
Our singers learn sight reading, vocal and language skills, music theory, and performance technique. Through our challenging program, our singers learn to be confident, independent, organized, diligent, kind, ready to be a team player and be ready to lead — these are the crucial skills that will help them succeed in school, with friends, and in life!
With accessibility as a foundational pillar of The Choir School, we recruit talented students from all over the Charlotte region, reflecting the socioeconomic, geographic, and religious diversity of our area. And because our program is tuition-free, choristers who audition successfully are admitted regardless of their ability to contribute financially.
Our program also offers unique performance opportunities in our community and around the East coast. Recent tours have taken our choirs to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Buffalo, Washington, D.C., and up and down the Eastern seaboard. Every four years, our teenage choir, The MasterSingers, serves in residence at an English cathedral, most recently in 2019 at Durham Cathedral.
The audition process
Auditions are an important part of The Choir School experience. We maintain our excellent standards by seeking students with the aptitude to become great singers and great leaders. Ideally, your child will have already had some singing or musical experience, such as participating in a church or school choir or music class. But, we welcome every motivated child to audition. Younger students, and those who are newer to singing or have never sang before will begin in the Town Choirs, our early childhood music education program. Our staff will help place your child appropriately for their success.
We offer auditions for the 2021-2022 season on a rolling basis throughout the spring and early summer, and we’re hosting open auditions on May 25, 2021 at 6 p.m. Auditions last roughly 15 minutes, and include basic music exercises — you’ll be asked to sing a song, though you don’t need to prepare anything; Happy Birthday is a common one. They also include an interview so our artistic staff can get to know you and your child.
Registration for our information session and open auditions is required, so be sure to register today.
Hear Charlotte’s best children’s choir sing
If you’ve never heard The Choir School perform, you really must hear the Choirs to understand our program. For our most recent season, we’ve produced a series of virtual choir projects for our YouTube channel. In-person concerts return in June 2021, and will be in person throughout our next season. Here’s one of The Choir School’s traditional favorite pieces:
How do I sign up?
It all starts with an audition and our information session on May 25, 2021 at 6 p.m. in Uptown Charlotte. Pre-registration is required, but anyone can attend. If you can’t make that session, contact us for more details.
Is this acclaimed children’s choir really tuition free?
Yes! We’re accessible to all. It’s a critical pillar to our program and a core value. Families are asked to make a financial contribution as they are able, but it is not a requirement for participation. Our program is largely funded by individual contributors in the community and corporate and institutional support.
Attending a Concert
Whether you’ve been attending Charlotte Choir School concerts for years, or this will be your first time, we want you to enjoy yourself and support our singers as a comfortable member of our audience. Here are some frequently asked questions about the concert-going experience that may help.
When do I applaud?
Our choirs love an enthusiastic and appreciative audience, so we encourage your applause. Please hold any applause during short pauses between movements or sections of longer pieces. Once a complete piece has ended, your applause is greatly appreciative. A standing ovation for our final curtain call is always appreciated, too!
May I bring food and beverages?
Food or beverage is not permitted in our main stage venue, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Please respect the sanctity of our founding partner’s worship space.
What if I arrive late?
Concerts begin promptly at the announced starting time. Latecomers and those who leave the venue before or during a work will be seated at the first appropriate break in the program.
When should I arrive?
Please consider how long it will take you to park, walk to our venue, check in, and have a moment before the show to familiarize yourself with the program and relax. We suggest you arrive at the venue at least 20 minutes before showtime.
Can I bring my cell phone or camera?
Yes, cell phones and cameras are allowed. However, we require that you turn off all cell phones, cameras, pagers, beeping watches, and other electronic devices before the performance begins — and that you check to see that they are again turned off after any intermission.Audience members may take photographs before and after the concert. Please note, however, that no photography or recording of any kind is permitted during the performance. Anyone seen using a camera, smart phone, or other device for these activities will be asked to leave.
How long are your concerts?
Our main stage concerts are about 90 minutes and are generally presented without an intermission.
Where do I get my tickets?
Tickets are sold on our website and all tickets are delivered by email to the purchaser. We do not have a will call, and your ticket (printed or on device) must be presented for proof at the venue.
Where do I park?
For main stage concerts at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church or First United Methodist Church, free parking is provided in the TransAmerica Square parking garage on Seventh Street. Enter on Seventh just west of Tryon and bring your ticket with you to the show for validation.
What should I wear?
You’re Uptown for a concert in Charlotte — have fun! But there’s no need to stress. Business or business casual works for all main stage concerts. Most importantly, we want you to be comfortable.
What if I know nothing about choral music and your repertoire?
That’s okay! We perform sacred and secular choral music with a repertoire that features a mix of accessible, familiar choral works, and some pieces you may not expect. You don’t need to know anything about our repertoire to enjoy our concerts. We will publish the concert program in advance, with information about the composers featured and pieces to be performed. We’ll also include links to Spotify and Apple Music where you can hear some pieces in commercial recordings. Elizabeth Lenti, our Artistic Director, also offers program notes from the stage with information on what to listen for in a piece.
