Audition Process

To become a member of No Borders Show Chorus The audition process contains the following steps:

1.    When a new person registers for NBSC, they need to submit a MP3 recording of themselves. The song can be of their choice, not necessarily barbershop, and should demonstrate their ability to sing in tune, their chosen vocal range and their vocal timbres, colours and expression. The recording will be reviewed by the NBSC Music Team to make sure the registrant is of a sufficient vocal ability level to reach the audition stage. The MP3 must be submitted with the registration.

2.     At the first rehearsal, the Section Leader or Musical Director (or appropriate delegate) will listen to the new registrant and assess her voice with a small voice test. This will confirm the thoughts over the MP3 recording, part choice and also give essential feedback to the registrant as to what they need to work on in terms of technique in order to help with the quartet audition. It will also be agreed at the first rehearsal which song will be the audition song (currently ‘So in Love’). The registrant will be introduced to a member of the Presentation Team as their visual performance will also be assessed as part of the audition.

3.     At the first rehearsal the registrant will get the opportunity to sing the audition song with the audition quartet.

4.    At the second rehearsal the registrant will audition. The audition song will be sung a few times with the Audition Quartet, with a member of the Presentation Team in attendance, to practice before calling the MD (or appropriate delegate) to listen. The registrant has one attempt to perform the song to the best of their ability. After the performance, the Audition Quartet and Presentation Team Member will agree with the MD if the audition was successful or not.

5.     If someone is unsuccessful in becoming a member, they can re-register to audition no sooner than 12 months later.

6.   Outside of the vocal audition process and applicable once the registrant is a member, the Presentation Team have the right to run their own auditions for members wishing to become members of the front row. This audition process will be run on an ‘ad hoc’ basis and the format of it will be decided upon by the Presentation Team in conjunction with the MD depending upon the requirements at the time.

Audition Quartet

It is important that the audition quartet is a good quality quartet that sings well and can support a potentially inexperienced registrant. The audition quartet should have practiced the songs and be able to give a good performance. The nominated audition quartet currently consists of the section leaders.

Additional Reviews

It needs to be mentioned that at random intervals, members may be asked to provide a recording of them singing a specific song, such as in preparation for competition or show. Individual members will not be singled out and this will be a chorus-wide initiative should it happen. However, the section leader has the right to ask members of their section to do this at any time.

Further to this, if there is some doubt about a member’s ability to continue at the level required for NBSC, the matter should be raised with the Music Team as a whole so that appropriate help can be given to the individual to either bring them back up to the expected level or to manage them until a decision about their continued membership can be agreed between the Music Team, the Management Team and the individual concerned.

Membership of NBSC is NOT a ‘once passed, always in’ position, but may be challenged if reasons, whether musical or administrative, are deemed legitimate.

Convention Chorus

After we established a new song (usually after 3 rehearsals) or at a time chosen by the Music Team (usually 4-6 months before the convention), the songs will be testet as a part of a large octed at rehearsels. MP3 recordings will be requested from each member of NBSC to confirm they are prepared on the convention songs and passing these (reviewed by the Section Leader and the MD if necessary) confirms a place on the risers in the competition chorus.