How do girls become part of Sisters’ Voices?
Girls register to sing here.
When are rehearsals held?
This year, during Covid Times, our schedule is different from the past. Here’s the plan for 2020-2021.
MONDAY ENSEMBLES
SV-One (2nd and 3rd graders) and SV-Two (4th and 5th graders) rehearse Mondays from 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm.
SV- Three (6th, 7th, and 8th graders) rehearses Mondays from 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm.
SMALL GROUPS
Small Groups rehearse other days of the week, and any singer who is enrolled in a Monday Ensemble may enroll in a Small Group. Singers are placed in a Small Group based on experience and skill level.
Where are rehearsals held?
We have rehearsed at Church of Reconciliation (110 N. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill) for the past several years. This year we will meet over Zoom until it is safe to return to in-person rehearsals. Please note that although we do often rehearse and perform in church buildings, we are a secular organization and do not sing religious music except in unusual circumstances.
How often does Sisters’ Voices perform?
We usually prepare two main concerts each year: one in the winter and one in the spring. We also do a fundraising gala in the fall and shorter, often less formal performances throughout the year for festivals, parties, and other events. SV-Three has prepared and performed an opera each spring since their beginning in 2017.
How much does it cost?
This information can be found here. Please note that there is tuition assistance available; please proceed through the registration process to apply for a scholarship.
What will I need to do for my audition? How hard is the audition?
No audition necessary! For this coming year (2020-2021), if you have not sung in SV before and would like to audition for placement into a small group, please contact Leandra. This audition is a placement audition only, and Leandra would love a chance to meet you before putting you into a group. You might also have some questions you’d like to ask. Still, it’s completely optional.
What if I can’t match pitch? Can I learn?
Singing is learned. Just like talking — we’re not born doing it, and if we don’t sing when we’re very young, we’ll have to work harder to learn it later, a little like learning a foreign language. And then it takes experimenting, figuring it out, getting some feedback, practicing, practicing some more, doing it with other people, and the more you do it the easier it will be come, the more consistent it will become, and the more fun you’ll have with it.
Most people who can hear (all that I’ve ever met) can also learn to match pitch. Please don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t carry a tune in a bucket and so shouldn’t be singing in an ensemble! (Parents please don’t label your children non-singers! — they can learn!) If you want to sing, you can learn how to do it, and it is a wonderful way to express yourself and to be in community with other people!
What kind of music do Sisters’ Voices ensembles sing?
We sing music in the Western Classical tradition, and in many folk traditions from around the world. We frequently sing in languages other than English. We learn lots of games and dances that are tied to vocal music. We do not sing music in many popular traditions such as pop music, Disney, Broadway, etc, though it’s awesome that you know some of this music!
I want to sing “Let It Go”. Why doesn’t Sisters’ Voices sing popular music?
Girls often ask to have the group sing a piece that’s popular. Popular music usually gets old at some point; people get sick of it. If we pick up a piece because it’s popular, we will have trouble maintaining focus on it when people are tired of it. But that’s not even the main reason!
We have a limited amount of time together to learn music and to perform, and there is so much amazing music to encounter! So I choose not to study music the girls already know, or something they could learn easily from another source. Singing music that is not already part of our repertoire expands our understanding of the ways people think and of the ways people experience beauty. It gives us new musical vocabulary and skills. It opens our minds and our hearts. And it bonds us together as a group.
In my experience, the music that we do sing provides a level of depth and interest that allows us to practice the music for a long time and that makes the girls want to hold it in their hearts for years after. You won’t love everything we sing, but hopefully you’ll be open to it, and hopefully something among it will excite and inspire you.
More questions? Email them to Leandra, and she’ll get back to you!
