Women's Ensemble, Bella Voce audition
Director Doreen McCarty directs the Winter Concert music with her first period Women’s Ensemble. Twelve students were selected to be part of the Regional Honor Choir, performing tonight in Riverside.
A select group of choir members will travel to Riverside today to participate in the annual Southern California Vocal Associations Regional Honor Choir. The choir brings together the most talented singers in southern California.
Twelve members from Bella Voce and Women’s Ensemble who auditioned were asked to perform in the program.
Choral Director Doreen McCarty said that she is very pleased with the turnout of the auditions. Last year, five students participated in honor choir.
“This is the most students [to] participate in the region’s honor choir,” McCarty said. “This is a new record for Westview.”
The audition process included learning a foreign language piece, reciting scales, and singing one sample song out of the many songs provided minutes beforehand.
Heather Wilcox (12) qualified for the choir her junior year as well as this year and she said the publicity for the program has grown within the choral department.
The tryouts in the San Diego area took place Oct. 4 in Poway. From there, the chosen students were given sheets of music to practice. The choir only rehearses together twice before the final concert in Riverside.
Wilcox said that the process is very different from when she and her fellow choral members rehearse at school.
“At honor choir, people audition to be within the program, so everyone is more at the same level,” Wilcox said. “It is really cool to have the opportunity to work right away with people who are amazing singers. We can go straight to working on the musicality of the song, instead of working on synchronizing the notes.”
McCarty said that the process is both demanding and rewarding at the same time. Students will rehearse today in Riverside from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with just two one-hour breaks for lunch and dinner.
“The students will have the opportunity to work with some amazing college conductors and sing with other extremely talented high school students,” McCarty said. “They will be exposed to new choral literature and participate in very meticulous and intense rehearsals.”
Wilcox said she learned a lot last year in the honor choir. For that reason, she said with so many Westview students involved this year, they can bring back some of that learning to their own choir program.
“The environment is really enriching,” Wilcox said. “You make friends everywhere, you use your voice in different ways, and the directors teach you a lot about style. I realized that it’s cool to share these new techniques with my choir and work with the things we are struggling in.”
Depending on how students performed at the honor choir auditions and the performance itself, some may qualify for the All-State Honor Choir.
The Choral department has been busy with performances these past two months. Bella Voce traveled to Palm Desert to participate in a festival on Oct. 30 and Women’s Ensemble hosted the first annual San Diego Women’s Festival Nov. 13.
Now, choir is working towards the annual winter choir performance held in Westview’s theater.
“This year’s performance will not be drastically different,” McCarty said. “However, we are including a finale and maybe some solos.”