Incoming students should enroll in Concert Choir, MUP 443 (graduate students, choose MUP 543). After entrance hearings at the beginning of the semester, you may have to adjust this registration (see below).
How do I choose an ensemble?
If you have a voice-choral scholarship, the choral faculty consults with you and uses a hearing to determine your ensemble placement. We base placement on your current level of vocal development, musicianship, and educational needs. We also consider the needs of the program as a whole. Please register for MUP 443 and adjust it later if necessary.
What if only one choir fits my schedule?
Placement in choir for voice-choral scholarship holders and music majors is primarily based on skill level and your ability to contribute to the group, not on availability. Please hold Monday and Wednesday 4:30 - 5:45 p.m., Monday from 7:30 - 9:15 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday 1 - 2:45 p.m. open until after entrance hearings are complete. (These take place on the first two days of classes in the fall; we usually send out results on Saturday of the first week.) Consider registering for alternative courses that you will drop if they conflict with your eventual choir placement.
Should I enroll for 1 or 2 credits?
As a general rule, sign up for 2 credits if you have room for them in your schedule. This more accurately reflects the time spent in ensemble. If signing up for 2 credits creates an overload or additional expense, you may enroll for 1 credit.
The registration system will not let me enroll in choir. What should I do?
If you are unable to register, email David Schildkret, director of choral activities with your name and 10-digit ASU ID number. We will make a notation on your record that will allow you to add choir to your schedule. We will let you know when the record change is complete; you can then register for the class (we can’t do it for you).
How do I set my lesson and work schedule?
Please wait to establish a final lesson and work schedule until all ensemble placements are complete. (Remember also to take into consideration the schedule of concerts and any extra scheduled rehearsals). We make every effort to complete the placement process quickly, knowing that many other areas of your schedule are affected. We typically announce the results the day following the last hearings.
I’m a voice-choral scholarship student. What if I have a class that conflicts with the ensemble in which I’ve been placed?
Please do not make any plans that interfere with the rehearsals of any of the groups until you know where you have been placed. You may need to adjust your class or work schedule accordingly. Music classes rarely conflict with choir; courses in other departments usually have alternatives that will make your schedule work. Consult with an advisor to arrange your schedule to include your ensemble placement. We accommodate student teachers by placing them in the Choral Union for the semester during which they are student teaching.
What happens if I’m not accepted to my first-choice group?
Every student has the right to be heard for the ensemble of their choice. The faculty will recommend the best placement for you. If we recommend something other than your first-choice choir, you will need to adjust your schedule. You have until the 21st day of classes to do this. While sometimes other classes conflict with choir rehearsal times, there are often alternatives, so speak to an advisor before you decide that you can’t accept placement in the choir(s) we recommend for you.
May I sing in more than one choir?
Yes! You are welcome to sing in as many groups as fits your schedule! You would be expected to attend all rehearsals and performances of any group you are signed up for. We do our best to avoid scheduling conflicts between choirs, so this is not usually an issue.
I’m a musical theatre or opera major. What happens when I’m in shows?
We work very closely with the Music Theatre and Opera Program (MTO) to avoid schedule conflicts with on-campus shows. We usually work these out in advance and let you know where you’re expected to be. When conflicts arise, we prioritize performances, then dress rehearsals, then regular rehearsals. (So, for example, if you have an MTO performance that conflicts with a choir dress rehearsal, you’d go to the performance. If you had a dress rehearsal for MTO and a regular rehearsal for choir, you’d go to the dress rehearsal, and so on.)
Note: Off-campus performances require permission and accommodations in advance. See the MTO program for more information. We do not automatically excuse you from a required ensemble rehearsal or performance because of a conflict with an off-campus show. Discuss this with the ensemble director before you accept a role in an off-campus production.
When do entrance hearings take place?
The choral faculty hears all voice-choral scholarship students and music majors the first two days of the fall semester. We send information about what to prepare and how to schedule a hearing sometime around August 1. Be sure you are enrolled in a choir to receive this information.
What should I prepare for the hearing?
Plan to sing a 2-minute selection of your choice. Choose something that you love to sing (any style) and that shows your voice to best advantage. This can be with piano (we provide a pianist; please bring an extra copy of the music), with some other kind of accompaniment that you provide, or without accompaniment--as you choose. We’d like to hear expression and commitment in your singing and also an ability to adapt your voice to sound good singing with others.
We may ask you to sight-sing or vocalize.
Do you have a question that is not answered here?
Email one of the following: