Singers interested in auditioning for the West Valley College Chamber Singers or West Valley Masterworks Chorale should contact Lou De La Rosa, Director of Choral Activities at 408.741.4663 or email at lou_delarosa@westvalley.edu.
Auditions are held by appointment in the Choral Activities Office, MU 11 within the Fine Arts Building on the campus of West Valley College. See the West Valley Campus Map for directions.
Auditions include vocalises to check for range, tonal memory exercises, and simple sight reading. Placement within the choral program is based upon the ability to accurately sing the tonal memory and sight reading exercises. It is not necessary to prepare a solo for this audition.
This is an intermediate to advanced level choir in which each singer will learn and perform challenging choral literature. The class may consist of a combination of the following activities: full group rehearsals, sectionals, lectures, demonstrations, writing, working with guest clinicians, small group singing tests, written assignments, and public performances. Singers will have the opportunity to sing using correct vocal habits; read, write, interpret, and execute basic musical notation; perform choral literature within the classical and world music idioms; and perform independently within a large choral ensemble.
This is an intensive, advanced level choir in which each singer will learn and perform chamber choir literature ranging from the Middle Ages to the present, with an emphasis on music of the 20th and 21st Centuries. The singer will have the opportunity to sing using correct vocal habits; read, interpret, and execute basic musical notation; perform choral literature within the classical and world music idioms; perform independently within a small ensemble. This ensemble performs frequently in the community.
Whether you are accepted into the ensembles or not, all singers are encouraged to enroll in a Beginning or Intermediate Voice class offered here at West Valley College. These classes reinforce the vocal production techniques taught in the choirs, but provide the opportunity for one-on-one instruction at various times throughout the semester. In addition, Voice class repertoire focuses on solo literature with opportunities to sing in small ensembles. This is an excellent preparation for the choirs and a superb refresher course for the long-time choral singer.