New Members
It's easy to audition to become a member of HYOC. Just follow these steps:
1. Choose an audition date, time and location.
Main Campus Auditions
- Location: UH Music Department
- Dates: Saturday, August 18th and 25th, 2012
- Grades K through 12
- Time: 8 AM to 12 Noon
2. Complete the Online Audition Application Form.
All applicants must complete the Audition Application Form before the audition. The data you input is encrypted for security.
Click below to access the form:
3. Pay the Audition Deposit Fee Online.
Complete the application process by submitting the Application Fee payment of $25 through our online processor, AuctionPay. Click the link below to make your payment now:
4. Come to the audition.
Please bring $25 (cash or check) as an Application Fee. The fee is non-refundable but can be applied to tuition.
More details about HYOC auditions:
General Information Auditioned Ensembles Audition Process Forms (Download):
Payment Policies Scholarship Request **Please note new ensemble activity fees.**
Gioventu-$70.00
Cantilena-$40.00
Coro & Angeli- $35.00
Bambini & Stelline- $15.00
General Information
Auditions and enrollment are held several Saturday mornings in the first month of each new semester. The Hawai'i Youth Opera Chorus has two semesters. The fall semester runs from August through December. The spring semester runs from January through late May or early June. Auditions are held by age and grade group. Every new prospective member is asked to sit through a complete rehearsal which is 2.5 hours in length (except for the Bambini ensemble, our 5 - 7 year age group). For the 5 - 7 aged child there is no audition, but simply an enrollment period. Bambini and Stelline rehearsals last 1.25 hours. The children share music with a member already enrolled in the organization.
During the rehearsal or directly after the rehearsal, the Ensemble Director takes the children out for a brief, very informal, one-on-one audition. We primarily check for vocal range, pitch matching ability and tone. This helps us to place the child within the ensemble best suited for his or her age group. As a general rule, most children are accepted into the organization unless there is a severe problem.
HYOC believes that everyone can learn to sing. As a music education organization we will teach your child how to sing, the principles of music theory, and proper singing practices through the environment of choral music. HYOC looks for a child that wants to sing and be a part of a choral organization. We will do the rest. Once a child is accepted into the organization the child does not need to re-audition except if they want to be considered for our select children's ensemble, Scelto. Children in the Coro & Cantilena ensembles become eligible to audition for this ensemble after spending at least one year in the Coro or Cantilena ensemble. Children will continue to be members of the organization for as long as they choose to return and participate moving through the organization until they graduate from High School. A child's advancement in the organization is based solely on the discretion of the Music Directors.
A $25.00 registration fee is required with each application. Once the applicant is accepted, the deposit is non-refundable and is applied to the membership dues.
New members and their parent or guardians will be required to sign a "Membership Agreement Form" which outlines the responsibilities of the member and the member's parent or guardian. The form will be counter-signed and kept on file by the General Manager.
Membership dues cover: newsletters, bulletins and professional music education through weekly choral rehearsals, music theory, and development of vocal technique. Musical training will also include workshops and choral performances. Music and music folders are provided.
- Bambini & Stelline: $365.00 annual / $182.50 per semester
- Angeli through Gioventu: $705.00 annual / $352.50 per semester
- Scelto & Na Leo: $835.00 annual / $417.50 per semester
- Piano: $265.00 annual / $132.00 per semester
- Class Voice: $265.00 annual / $132.00 per semester
We expect each singer who has made a commitment to sing for the entire season to live up to that commitment. If, however, an extremely unusual circumstance occurs which would prohibit a singer from honoring that commitment, a personal conference between the Director and the parents will be required before submitting a letter of resignation. If a student resigns, the parent is still responsible for the entire tuition fees and other costs incurred by the student's participation with the organization.
Auditioned Ensembles
The ensembles that allow for audition and enrollment are the Bambini, Stelline, Angeli, Coro, Cantilena & Gioventu ensembles. The Na Leo Kuho'okahi ensemble (the select touring ensemble) is a "by invitation only" ensemble. The Scelto ensemble (the select children's ensemble) holds audition the first week of June each year.
Audition Process
Please arrive at the rehearsal location on the posted "audition/enrollment" dates a half hour prior to the start of the ensemble which is age appropriate for your child. If you have any questions as to which ensemble they might be considered for please call our office. There are enrollment forms and nametags to be filled out prior to your child's participation in the days enrollment process.
Each of these "audition" ensembles (Bambini, Stelline, Angeli, Coro, Cantilena & Gioventu) are considered "entry level ensembles" which means that they are designed to include participants with no previous musical or singing experience as beginners to the choral experience. These ensembles are designed for students moving through the organization who have previous experience and those of the similar age groups who have no previous experience or are new to the organization.
As a general policy rehearsals are open to observation, which means that we encourage parents and anyone interested to come and observe the rehearsal process. We ask that if you choose to observe the rehearsal that you do so by first acknowledging yourself to the general manager expressing your interest to observe the rehearsal. Please choose an unobtrusive place to be quietly seated. We ask that you respect the rehearsal process and refrain from talking and anything else which might be deemed distracting to the rehearsal process (cell phone and pagers must be silenced). Young children are asked to remain outside of the rehearsal room as they have difficulty maintaining a quiet and respectful attitude which may cause a distraction to the rehearsal. The only exception to this policy is for the Bambini & Stelline Ensembles. Observation is allowed for the first month of the new semester after which point the rehearsals are closed. We have found that for the K - 2 age group parents and observers other than their directors are too much of a distraction to the children and adversely affect the rehearsal process. We ask that you respect our concern for a healthy rehearsal environment for our members but being considerate observers.
Bambini:
- Age: Kindergarten - 1st Grade
- Rehearsals: Saturdays, 9:00 - 10:00 AM.
- Hula with Stelline 10:00-10:15 AM
- Class size: 20 - 25
For this age group (K - 1) there is no audition but simply an enrollment period. This ensemble is enrollment driven. Depending on the numbers of children enrolling in this ensemble will determine how many sections of this ensemble will be offered each semester and will have a variety of rehearsal times which will occur for one hour between 9:00-10:00AM. If we find that we need to open multiple sections we will (dependent on facilities and staff scheduling) ask the parents which time frame best suits their personal schedules.
The class is a "non performing general music" ensemble, which means that with the exception of four (4) organization-wide concerts (Christmas Concert, Spring Fundraiser, Spring Concert & Spring Parent "Ohana Day"), the members of this ensemble do not do any other performing. The aforementioned concerts are concerts that all members of the organization grades K - 12 participate. For this age group we do not have them start singing at shopping centers or retirement homes or other private type performances until the child is in at least the 2nd grade or higher. These children simply arrive on the enrollment dates and are integrated directly into the rehearsal process.
Stelline:
- Age: 2nd Grade
- Hula with Bambini 10:00-10:15AM
- Rehearsals: Saturdays, 10:15-11:15 AM.
This is the 2nd grade equivalent of the Bambini Ensemble.
Angeli, Coro, Cantilena & Gioventu - General Audition Process:
Auditioners are asked to sit through a full 2.5 hour rehearsal. They will share music with a returning student. At some point during the rehearsal (typically during the break or immediately following the rehearsal) their musical director will audition the new students in a low key one on one audition. This audition is a vocal familiarization process and not a weeding out one. The purpose of the audition is to understand the voice entering the ensemble and the organization. We will check their vocal range, pitch matching and rhythm ability and voice / tone quality. Once the child goes through the audition process (unless there is a major physical problem which would preclude their ability to participate in the organization) the next decision is the child's as to whether they wish to continue with the organization.
Membership requires that all members Angeli through Gioventu ensembles (grades 2 – 12) must participate in an annual mandatory fall music camp, which typically occurs the last weekend of September or the first weekend of October in the fall semester. The cost for the music camp is in addition to their semester tuition fees. The camp is held over a weekend and will not conflict with school schedules. The camp is critical for musical foundation and socialization processes and is the equivalent of 2 - 4 (dependent on the ensemble) months of rehearsal time packed into a few short days. Those students who are not able to commit to the music camp will not be able to enroll into membership.
Angeli:
- Age: 3rd - 4th Grade
- Rehearsals: Saturdays, 8:15 - 10:45 AM.
For the Angeli ensemble the music camp is a 1.5 day "day camp". This ensemble is the first "performing" ensemble. However, we purposefully limit the number of performances that this ensemble participates in each year to allow for a greater concentration on learning musical concepts and performance rehearsal without the additional pressure of numerous performance expectations.
Coro:
- Age: 5th - 6th Grade
- Rehearsals: Saturdays, 9:00 AM - 11:15 PM.
For the Coro ensemble the music camp is a 2.5 day "day and overnight camp".
Cantilena:
- Age: Middle School/Jr. High School
- Rehearsals: Saturdays, 8:15 - 10:45 AM.
For the Cantilena ensemble the music camp is a 2.5-day “day and overnight camp”. Jr. High boys whose voices are starting to change will be placed in the Gioventu ensemble. This placement is determined after the audition with the director’s audition as part of the enrollment process.
Gioventu Musicale:
- Age: High School
- Rehearsals:
- Male voice - Saturdays, 8:45-9:15 AM(in Ragazzi)
- Combined Hula 9:15-9:30
- Female voice - Saturdays, 8:45-9:15 AM
- Tutti rehearsal 9:45-11:15 AM
Gioventu includes boy's after their voice change. For the Gioventu ensemble the music camp is a 2.5 day "day and overnight camp".
Ragazzi:
- Age: Boys from 3rd - 12th grades
- Rehearsals:
- Cantilen & Gioventu 8:45-9:15 AM
- Ragazzi Tutti 9:00-9:15 AM
- Angeli & Coro 9:15-9:30 AM
This block of time each Saturday is dedicated to the needs of our “boys”. This rehearsal focuses on the unique needs of the boy and changing boy’s voice. To be a participant in this rehearsal boys must participate in a mixed gender ensemble, which is grade appropriate.
Scelto: Select children's ensemble grades 6 - 9 (for treble voices).
Auditions are held the first weekend of June for enrollment in the following season. Participants both new and returning must audition each year to be considered for participation. The audition takes a full hour and includes a solo singing audition. It also includes a timed music theory test, a sight singing exam and an oral explanation as to why the child wants to be considered for participation in the select ensemble. Students who are eligible to audition are those who have spent at least one full year in the Coro or Cantilena ensembles.
Those who are selected for either the Scelto or Na Leo Kuho'okahi ensembles must make the commitment for the next full season. The decisions are made in the spring for the following fall participation. The Scelto and Na Leo Kuho'okahi ensembles require participation in the Saturday rehearsals which are age appropriate and then a 2nd additional "select ensemble" rehearsal which is held Thursday afternoons. Furthermore they have an additional weekly hula rehearsal and piano keyboard and theory lesson held on Saturdays.