Click here to find the Music Interest Form
Click below to find information regarding:
Vocal Placement Info
Choir Audition Info
Band Audition Info
Orchestra Audition Info
Jazz Audition Info
__________________________________
Vocal Ensemble Placement
All incoming first-year singers are welcome to sing in Manitou Singers and Viking Chorus. Your vocal ensemble placement appointment is our way to determine which vocal range and section is best suited for your choral ensemble participation. Please be prepared to sing an unaccompanied simple song or hymn. Your solo need not be memorized and hymnals will be available at the audition. You may also be asked to sing various exercises to test your vocal range. We are open to exploring fluid enrollment in Manitou and Viking as needed when vocal range may change through the term.
Please Note:
- If your meeting time conflicts directly with an NSO placement exam, a required orientation session, or an appointment with your faculty adviser, please reschedule for an alternate NSO meeting time with the conductor at the Choral Audition Table outside Christiansen Hall of Music (CHM) 204. Current and former chorus members will be staffing the table and can answer any questions you may have. If you have a conflict with move in times, housing has been flexible with their times if you need to check in a bit early or late. Your parents can start moving you in while you run over for the quick 10 minute meeting.
- The Manitou Singers (first year Soprano/Alto choir) and the Viking Chorus (first-year Tenor/Bass choir) participate in St. Olaf’s annual Christmas Festival. Mandatory final rehearsals begin on Saturday evening of Thanksgiving weekend. If you are planning your travel dates early, please plan to be back on campus by this date, or delay your travel planning until after audition results are finalized.
If you have any questions regarding the St. Olaf Music Organizations, please visit www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/ensembles. If you have questions about your meeting with the conductor, please email Therees Hibbard regarding the Manitou Singers meeting, or the Music Department office regarding the Viking Chorus meeting.
Your conductors are looking forward to meeting you! We hope that your time at St. Olaf will be both enjoyable and rewarding.
___________________________________________________________
Choir Audition Information for Transfer Students (eligible for upperclass choirs)
Thank you for returning your Music Interest and Information Questionnaire, where you indicate your interest in choral singing at St. Olaf. Auditions are held during the first days of NSO.
Transfer students are invited to audition for St. Olaf Choir, Chapel Choir, or St. Olaf Cantorei. When you arrive on campus, you may sign up for an audition time in Christiansen Hall of Music (CHM) as follows:
St. Olaf Choir CHM 205 (Armstrong)
Chapel Choir CHM 204 (Reinwald)
St. Olaf Cantorei CHM 212 (Bobb)
For your audition, please be prepared to sing an unaccompanied solo (a simple song or hymn). Your solo need not be memorized and hymnals will be available at the audition. You will also be asked to sing various passages to demonstrate your vocal range, and to test your ear, sight-singing, and tonal memory skills.
Please Note: St. Olaf Choir, Chapel Choir, and St. Olaf Cantorei all participate in St. Olaf’s annual Christmas Festival. Mandatory final rehearsals begin on Saturday evening of Thanksgiving weekend. If you are planning your travel dates early, please plan to be back on campus by this date, or delay your travel planning until after audition results are finalized.
If you have any questions regarding the St. Olaf Music Organizations, please visit www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/ensembles. If you have questions about your audition, please email Barb Barth.
Anton Armstrong, St. Olaf Choir conductor, the Chapel Choir conductor, and James Bobb, St. Olaf Cantorei conductor, look forward to meeting you! We hope that your time at St. Olaf will be both enjoyable and rewarding.
__________________________________
Band Audition Information
Thank you for returning your Music Interest and Information Questionnaire, where you indicated your interest in playing in one of the St. Olaf bands. Auditions are held during the first days of NSO. Even if you are uncertain about participating during this school year, we encourage you to follow through with an audition. This gives our conductors a chance to learn about your abilities and consider you for a future spot in one of the bands.
For your audition, please prepare a solo selection of your choice (3-5 minutes) that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression. You may also be asked to play major scales and to sight read. Percussionists are required to have three solos for snare drum, mallets (either 2 or 4) and timpani, and all sticks and mallets must be provided by the student.
If it is impossible for you to play your own instrument (or the instrument you regularly play) at your audition, please contact the music department office or our Instrumental Music Coordinator, Faith Kimbrell (507-786-3119). In many cases, we can provide you with a college instrument for the audition if we know of your need well in advance. Please let Faith know if you would also need a longer-term instrument loan in order to accept a position in a band.
Please Note: If your audition time conflicts directly with a NSO placement exam, a required orientation session, or an appointment with your faculty adviser, please reschedule for an alternate NSO audition time at the Instrumental Audition Table outside the Band rehearsal room—Christiansen Hall of Music (CHM) 138. Current band members will be staffing the table and can answer any questions you may have. If the audition conflict is a move-in time, please have your family continue the move in process while you run over to audition with the string group on Saturday morning. Check in times for the dorms are flexible in this situation.
If you have any questions regarding the St. Olaf Music Organizations, please visit www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/ensembles. If you have questions about your audition, please email Barb Barth.
Henry Dorn looks forward to meeting you! We hope that your time at St. Olaf will be both enjoyable and rewarding.
Orchestra Audition Information
Thank you for returning your Music Interest and Information Questionnaire, where you indicated your interest in playing in one of the orchestras at St. Olaf. Auditions are held during the first days of NSO. Even if you are uncertain about participating during this school year, we encourage you to follow through with an audition. This gives our conductors a chance to learn about your abilities and consider you for a future spot in one of the orchestras.
For your audition, please prepare a short solo selection of your choice (3-5 minutes) that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression. You will also be asked to sight read, and to play the orchestral excerpts provided to you by early August or late July. You may also be asked to play major scales as part of your audition.
If it is impossible for you to play your own instrument (or the instrument you regularly play) at your audition, please contact the music department office or our Instrumental Music Coordinator, Faith Kimbrell (507-786-3119). In many cases, we can provide you with a college instrument for the audition if we know of your need well in advance. Please let Faith know if you would also need a longer-term instrument loan in order to accept a position in an ensemble.
Please Note:
If your audition time conflicts directly with a NSO placement exam, a required orientation session, or an appointment with your faculty adviser, please reschedule an alternate NSO audition time at the Instrumental Audition Table outside the Orchestra rehearsal room—Christiansen Hall of Music 140. Current orchestra members will be staffing the table and can answer any questions you may have. If the audition conflict is a move-in time, please have your family continue the move in process while you run over to audition with the string group on Saturday morning. Check in times for the dorms are flexible in this situation.
The St. Olaf Orchestra participates in St. Olaf’s annual Christmas Festival. Mandatory final rehearsals begin on Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend at 6:30 p.m. If planning your travel dates early, please plan to be back on campus by this date, or delay travel planning until after audition results are finalized.
To learn more about St. Olaf Music Organizations, please visit www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/ensembles. If you have questions, please email me at barth@stolaf.edu.
Dr. Chung Park looks forward to meeting you! We hope that your time at St. Olaf will be both enjoyable and rewarding.
___________________________________________________
Jazz Audition Information
Thanks for filling out the Music Interest and Information Questionnaire and showing interest in joining one of the Jazz Ensembles at St. Olaf! Auditions are happening during the first days of orientation week. Even if you’re not sure about participating this school year, we still encourage you to audition. This helps our Director get to know your skills and keep you in mind for future spots in our jazz ensembles or combos.
If you can’t use your own instrument for the audition, please reach out to Faith Kimbrell, Instrument Coordinator, at kimbre2@stolaf.edu. We can often provide a college instrument if you let us know in advance. Also, let us know if you’ll need a longer-term instrument loan to join the jazz ensembles.
Your Jazz Audition time and date will be sent to you by Barb Barth. Please report to HOM 145 a few minutes early to check in and allow time to warm up.
Please Note: If your audition time conflicts directly with a NSO placement exam, a required orientation session, or an appointment with your faculty adviser, please reschedule for an alternate NSO audition time at the Jazz Audition Table outside of HOM 145 rehearsal room—Hall of Music. Our Jazz Manager will be staffing the table and can answer any questions you may have. If the audition conflict is a move-in time, please have your family continue the move-in process while you run over to find another time. Check-in times for the dorms are flexible in this situation.
Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson, Director of Jazz Ensembles, is excited to meet you! We hope you have a fantastic and fulfilling experience at St. Olaf.