Joining Oasis

 

Our members sometimes go on hiatus for a season or two because of work or family changes. If you're interested in auditioning, please contact us. You may be just the right person we're looking for!

 

How to prepare for an audition

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Please prepare TWO (2) solo pieces that will show off your vocal range. We'd like at least one of the pieces to be sung to live accompaniment - you can bring your own accompanist or bring piano sheet music so that our pianist can accompany you. The second piece can be sung to piano accompaniment, or a cappella, or to a backing track (please bring your own media player).

 

We learn a lot of new music every season. To keep up, you need to be able to either read music well or pick up cues quickly. As part of your audition you'll sing through a simple jazz score with us, then after a couple of run-throughs you'll be asked to carry your own part. As long as you can either sight-read proficiently or pick up quickly, you'll do fine.

 

The audition process is pretty casual. We want to make it easy for you to shine. What we generally look for are blend, pitch accuracy, musicality and some indication that you'll be able to keep up. If your voice isn't a good fit for us, please don't take it to heart - we've regretfully had to turn down some terrific singers simply because their voices, while superb, didn't fit with our overall sound. However we do want to make you comfortable so you can really show your stuff.

 

Expectations upon joining Oasis

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Oasis rehearses one night a week (currently Wednesdays) from September to June, from 7:30-9:30. While we can make allowances on an occasional basis, we expect a commitment to attend at least 3/4 of our rehearsals. The blend of all voices is our strength!

 

Our repertoire is predominantly secular, but occasionally we do sing at religious events, mostly memorial or ceremonial. The members of Oasis cover most of the major religions and some of us are non-religious. If you are uncomfortable singing music with religious references that may be at odds with your personal views, please do not audition. Similarly, please be aware that Oasis had its genesis in the lesbian and gay community, and often seeks to perform in that environment. While many of the members of Oasis are not gay or lesbian, Oasis is a full member of the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses).

 

While there are often solo and small group numbers in our concerts, Oasis is mainly about and for ALL of its members. If you're a soloist looking for a back-up group, you're better off looking elsewhere.

 

Getting the best sound possible is important to us. We pay our Musical Director an annual fee, and the members of Oasis contribute equally to cover the cost. From time to time, Oasis brings in artistic coaches to help with visual presentation. The members of Oasis share the cost of these services as well.

 

If your audition is successful and you agree to sing with Oasis based on these expectations, we'll make sure you get sheet music as quickly as possible, since you'll probably want time to rehearse the current repertoire on your own.

 

Scheduling an audition

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Please complete the audition form on the connect with us page.