Honor choir auditions open August 27, 2025 and close September 24, 2025 (6:00 pm Central). Accepted singers will be notified on October 29, 2025.
The 2026 Midwestern ACDA Conference gathers four honor choirs for students from grades 6 to 12. This opportunity brings students together with passionate and talented peers from across the Midwestern region in a supportive choral community. Singers will be transformed through an experience with diverse and inspiring conductors from across the United States. This year, MWACDA is in Wisconsin. Students will travel and stay over night for this conference! The audition fee is the students responsibility, while travel, hotel, and some meals will be covered by the district. Thank you.
AUDITION ELEMENTS SOPRANO/ALTO
Scoring Criteria:
In all parts of the audition process, Screeners will listen for and evaluate:
- Accuracy – Rhythm and Pitch
- Healthy Tone Production and Timbre
- Consistent Intonation – Maintaining Tuning and Tonal Center
- Overall Musicianship – Phrasing, Vowel Choices, Dynamic Interpretation
Please refer to the section below for information about requirements for each individual audition component. The descriptions will not be in the online portal.
1. Vocalise – Sing the following exercises for your voice type UNACCOMPANIED. You may use numbers, solfège, or a neutral syllable. Humming is not permitted. Your teacher may ONLY provide the starting pitch for each exercise. Please submit one recording for both exercises – ascending then descending.
- Soprano 1
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on A4 (second space Treble clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on C#5 (third space Treble clef)
- Soprano 2
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on F4 (first space Treble clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on Bb4 (third line Treble clef)
- Alto
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on D4 (D above middle C)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on G4 (second line Treble clef)
2. Repertoire Excerpt – Evocation (Mon-Nee-Joh) (Hye-Young Cho)
Sing your voice part UNACCOMPANIED.
Tempo at quarter note = c. 72
S1 – pickup mm. 33-45
S2 – mm. 33-45
A – mm. 33-45
Score Excerpt and Practice Tracks: https://tinyurl.com/684x9h5r
3. Prepared Solo – Sing 30 seconds of a range-appropriate folk song, or a song taught in voice lessons, class or in chorus, accompanied or unaccompanied. It is important that the piece chosen best demonstrates the tone quality and musicality required of a choral singer. If accompaniment is used, please limit the introduction to 5 seconds at the most. Clearly state the title of the prepared solo and the name of the composer/arranger at the beginning of this part of the recording.
AUDITION ELEMENTS TENOR/BASS:
Scoring Criteria:
In all parts of the audition process, Screeners will listen for and evaluate:
- Accuracy – Rhythm and Pitch
- Healthy Tone Production and Timbre
- Consistent Intonation – Maintaining Tuning and Tonal Center
- Overall Musicianship – Phrasing, Vowel Choices, Dynamic Interpretation
Please refer to the section below for information about requirements for each individual audition component. The descriptions will not be in the online portal.
1. Vocalise – Sing the following exercises for your voice type UNACCOMPANIED. You may use numbers, solfège, or a neutral syllable. Humming is not permitted. Your teacher may ONLY provide the starting pitch for each exercise. Please submit one recording for both exercises – ascending then descending.
- Tenor 1
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on A3 (fifth line Bass clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on E4 (first line Treble clef)
- Tenor 2
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on F#3 (fourth line Bass clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on C4 (middle C)
- Baritone
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on D3 (second line Bass clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on Bb3 (Bb below middle C)
- Bass
- Ascending one-octave major scale beginning on C#3 (second space Bass clef)
- Descending one-octave major scale beginning on Gb3 (fourth space Bass clef)
2. Repertoire Excerpt – Modimo (arr. Michael Barrett)
Sing your voice part UNACCOMPANIED.
Tempo at quarter note = c. 124
All voice parts mm. 17-32
Score Excerpt and Practice Tracks: https://tinyurl.com/mubefrtv
3. Prepared Solo – Sing 30 seconds of a range-appropriate folk song, or a song taught in voice lessons, class or in chorus, accompanied or unaccompanied. It is important that the piece chosen best demonstrates the tone quality and musicality required of a choral singer. If accompaniment is used, please limit the introduction to 5 seconds at the most. Clearly state the title of the prepared solo and the name of the composer/arranger at the beginning of this part of the recording.