WomenSong Is Looking for a Few Good Singers!
Who We Are
WomenSong was founded in 2008 to offer women on the North Shore of Massachusetts the opportunity to join together to rehearse and perform music composed for all-women ensembles.
The group sings under the direction of nationally known pianist, organist and conductor Frances Burmeister. Its members come from across the North Shore, including Newburyport, Haverhill, Beverly, Ipswich, Newbury, Wenham, Amesbury, Georgetown, Andover, North Andover and West Newbury. We encourage those from Southern New Hampshire to apply for membership as well.
Consider Membership in WomenSong If...
- You have the ability to sing on pitch and in tempo in a choral setting. Sight-reading is not necessary, but does help faster music learning.
- You want to be challenged musically and mentally.
- You learn your music quickly so that you can do your part to produce a beautiful choral blend; you will need to learn approximately 12-15 selections; other resources for practice are made available to you.
- When not familiar with language, or a novice at sight-singing, if you are willing to do the work outside of rehearsal to allow you to stay up with those who are.
Information for Prospective Members
Please read the following information about the chorus. We hope it will help you decide about joining us.
Auditions
All potential singers must audition before and be accepted by the Music Director, who will assign the voice part. Singers who have taken several seasons off may be asked to audition again for the group to determine the best placement. New members are accepted by audition at the beginning of each concert season (September, January). Please contact the Music Director to schedule a specific audition time.
Auditions take about ten minutes, are very "user-friendly," and consist of:
- Vocalizing (singing scale passages, or similar) with piano support to determine range.
- Simple sight singing
- 30 seconds to 2 minutes of a prepared song. This can be anything that you enjoy singing: art song, aria, musical theatre number, jazz tune, hymn tune, children's song, or the ever popular choices of: first verse of My country 'tis of thee, Amazing Grace, Edelweiss, etc.
The Music
Our repertoire includes both sacred and secular music, spans many centuries and represents many styles. We work hard and we also have a lot of fun. We sing in several languages and take pride in producing a very high quality musical result. We expect members to learn notes at home so that rehearsal time can be spent on interpretation and ensemble.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals are held every Wednesday evening from 7:15 to 9 PM during concert season. Rehearsals are held at a member's house in Georgetown. It is important to arrive on time, so that you can take part in the warm-up, for your own as well as the group's benefit. Besides our Wednesday rehearsals, we may schedule an additional evening rehearsal per concert, usually on Mondays. We have one longer dress rehearsal per concert.
Concerts
Typically we perform once in November (prior to Thanksgiving), and again in April (just prior to or after Easter). Performances usually take place Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
The Work
WomenSong depends on its members to help with the running of the organization, and every member is expected to help support the group by volunteering time, talents (musical and non-musical), and ideas. Music Director Frances Burmeister volunteers her time and focuses her talents on the program and musicality of the group. The rest is up to us!
And Most Important—You!
If you accept a place in WomenSong, we ask that you:
- attend all scheduled rehearsals, arriving punctually
- work on your music at home
- consult with designated members for musical assistance and questions
- participate in as many extra practices/performances as you can
- assume responsibility to support the group, through tasks and talents
- pay dues ($50-$75 per concert season)
- sell concert tickets to your friends and participate in fundraising events
- HAVE FUN!