Allegheny Choirs Audition Information
Women’s Ensemble
Director: Dr. James Niblock (jniblock@allegheny.edu)
Meeting Times: Mon, Wed: 12:30-1:20pm, Arnold Hall M205
Course Number: MUSIC 116 (1 credit hour)
Women’s Ensemble is a stand-alone singing group for Allegheny students – there are no co-requisites. The group typically welcomes 25-30 sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, and altos each semester. Mid-day rehearsals and flexible voice-part boundaries make this a strong fit for most first-year students, varsity athletes, and many others. Participants typically have prior singing experience and at least beginning skills in reading / following a single voice part in the printed musical score.
Recorded Fall 2020 – Miss Jane Austen: A Virtual Performance by the Allegheny College Women’s Ensemble
Men’s Ensemble
Director: Dr. James Niblock (jniblock@allegheny.edu)
Meeting Times: Tues, Thurs: 12:30-1:20pm, Arnold Hall M205
Course Number: MUSIC 119 (1 credit hour)
Men’s Ensemble is a smaller group of tenor and bass voices – usually 12-18 singers. Members must also participate concurrently in either College & Community Chorus OR College Choir. Stretching bass, baritone, and tenor voices beyond the perceived boundaries of assigned voice parts or vocal “cracks” is a primary focus. Participants typically have prior singing experience and at least beginning skills in reading / following a single voice part in the printed musical score.
Recorded Fall 2020 – Brothers, Sing On: A Virtual Performance by the Allegheny College Men’s Ensemble
College Choir
Director: Dr. James Niblock (jniblock@allegheny.edu)
Meeting Times: Tues, Wed, Thurs: 6:00-6:50pm, Arnold Hall M205
Course Number: MUSIC 115 (1 credit hour)
The College Choir is the oldest of Allegheny’s choral ensembles and the root of our modern choral and vocal program. This group of 35-45 singers tackles challenging choral music that includes recent compositions and historic works spanning five centuries. Comfort with part independence is important in expanded musical textures of 8 or more parts. Moderate to advanced skill in reading printed music is helpful.
Recorded Fall 2020 – Full Fathom Five: A Virtual Performance by the Allegheny College Choir
Chamber Choir
Director: Dr. James Niblock (jniblock@allegheny.edu)
Meeting Times: TBA, Arnold Hall M205
Course Number: MUSIC 117 (1 credit hour)
The most select of the College’s choral ensembles, Chamber Choir welcomes serious singers who possess agile voices and moderate to advanced music-reading skill. Concurrent membership in College Choir is required. Chamber Choir is intensely focused on flexible, nuanced performances, and on personal accountability and improvement among its singers. Most members are enrolled in voice lessons, for which some scholarship assistance is available. Continuing members of Chamber Choir are also eligible to participate in vocal chamber music (Chamber Singers / Opera Scenes) offerings.
College & Community Chorus
Director: Dr. James Niblock (jniblock@allegheny.edu)
Meeting Times: TBA, Arnold Hall M205
Course Number: MUSIC 118 (1 credit hour)
Allegheny’s College & Community Chorus serves the broadest range of singing skill levels; first-time choristers join singers with significant experience in an ensemble that welcomes 50-60 faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and current students. Experience reading music is appreciated, but not required. The ability to learn from the printed score is not initially assumed, but is a goal for all participants. Pitch accuracy is the basic threshold for joining this ensemble.
Past Concert Programs
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