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https://www.chorusamerica.org/singers/how-important-sight-singing
Its a question many singers ask themselves, especially right before their chorus audition.
What are conductors really looking for? Is it perfection?
Singers everywhere know the feeling. Youre next up to audition for your chorus and suddenly it feels like
the breath has been sucked right out of your body. And then it gets worse. Youre handed a line of notes
and asked to sing itright there, on the spot.
My brain just flatlines, one singer says of the experience. Its like everything I thought I knew about
reading music goes out the window. And I always feel this is going to be the deal breaker, as far as whether
I get in or not.
But is it a deal breaker during the audition process? We asked a number of choral conductors and singers
to weigh in. Their responses ranged from It is very, very important to Its a nice perk, but not necessary
for the job. Some conductors feel that sight-reading is most important as an indicator of a singers
overall level of musicianshipand some singers say that, because of that fact, having a good ear has
helped them work around their so-so sight-singing. Here are the results of our informal survey.
7/25/2015 11:50
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https://www.chorusamerica.org/singers/how-important-sight-singing
Having seen what is coming in the score, she says, the singers are then better able to bring as much of
what is implied in the score in terms of meaning, sensitivity, and phrasing along for the read as possible.
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https://www.chorusamerica.org/singers/how-important-sight-singing
One semi-professional singer confessed that she had never been a great sight-reader. And this is after
two music degrees, both with sight-singing requirements, she says, so I tend to think that sight-reading
is something that people easily gravitate to or dont.
Shes been able to compensate by learning a lot of music by ear, even on the fly. If I can hear the key and
some accompaniment, whether its the piano or the rest of the choir, I can read a piece pretty easily, she
says. And after hearing it correctly once, then Im good to go. So Ill arrive at rehearsal early to glance
through the music and plunk stuff out on the piano that looks funky. You also just learn the musicality of
certain pieces and rely on that a bit.
Another singer says he also relies heavily on his ear and has not found that to be a hindranceeven
during auditions. I think I'm more than decent at contextual sight-readingthat is, singing my part when
other parts are being played or when singing with accompaniment, he says. I don't think it's hindered
me at all because I think most conductors take a holistic view of an audition: sight-reading is only one
part of the process.
He also noted that that there are an abundance of resources these days to help mediocre sight readers.
Recordings and scores are readily available and quite portable, he says. If you or your music director
know you're going to be doing something that might be above your ability to sight-read during rehearsal,
then you can and should study up before rehearsal so you're able to be on the same level as others in the
room.
Another singer who reads music very little asks her church choirs pianist to play her part so she can
record it on her iPhone. Also YouTube can be very helpful, she says. I have a good ear, so I rely on that.
Looking to Improve?
You can learn to be a better sight-singer. Check out "Improve Your Sight-singing Before Your Next
Audition"
or low-cost resources.
Resources
Books
Eyes and Ears: An Anthology of Melodies for Sight-Singing: A book of melodies to use to practice
sightsinging. Available for download
free.
On the Web
Musictheory.net
identifying key signatures and intervals. Mobile access to the lessons is available for a fee.
Lots of tools here, including lines
Learn to Sight-Sing
of music that you can sight read, and then listen to to see how you did.
Online Ear Trainer 2.0
Designed by a trumpet
player, this resource is geared more toward instrumentalists. But it does allow you to hear melodies,
intervals, and chords and test your ability to sing them back. Play by Ear app also available free for iPhone
and $1.99 for Android devices.
Teoria Music Theory
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