FINANCIAL DISTRICT — Trinity Church is slated to hold four days of auditions for its non-denominational youth chorus beginning Sept. 2.
The chorus performs in the historic church, which sits at Broadway and Wall Street, and at special events throughout the city, as well as making TV and film appearances. It's looking for singers between the ages of 10 and 18, but previous training isn’t necessary, said Anne Damassa, the chorus’ assistant director.
“You don’t need to have any experience, you just need to be enthusiastic,” Damassa said. “You also need to be prepared to make a commitment.”
Each audition will last about 10 minutes, and kids won't need to prepare a song in advance, Damassa said. During the tryouts, kids will be asked to match pitches that the chorus director plays on the piano, sing some scales and, if they can, sight-read some music.
“This is really an educational chorus; it’s practice for kids that love to sing,” Damassa said. “It’s also a lot of fun.”
The chorus includes children aged 5 to 18 but doesn’t audition the younger children, who perform less frequently. Right now the chorus has about 35 kids, but could take about another 15 members through the audition process, Damassa said.
Kids aged 5 to 10 can simply sign up for the chorus. Though they already have 40 children in the younger program, Damassa said it might take on a few more members.
The older singers need to commit to a weekly practice and service performance at the church, as well as five concerts throughout the year. The chorus also occasionally performs at special events throughout the fall to spring season, which kids can join based on their schedules.
In previous years, the chorus has performed on the CBS "Early Show" and had a stint in the movie "Doubt" starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
To sign up for the audition, call the church at 212-602-0798 or email Melissa Attebury at mattebury@trinitywallstreet.org. Parents can also inquire about space for the younger children. For more information about the chorus, check out their website.
