The ‘sounds of music’ returning to St Catharines university
Published July 14, 2021 at 5:16 pm
Auditioning for a choir usually conjures up an image straight out of the TV show, “Glee.” A lone singer standing on a stage under a spotlight, nervously singing his or her heart out.
However, modern problems, such as COVID-19, require modern solutions. This year when singers audition for the two Brock University choirs, they’ll be auditioning online via Zoom.
The St Catherines university’s Associate Professor Rachel Rensink-Hoff, who’s in charge of Artistic Director of Brock University Choral Activities, told the campus newspaper, The Brock News, that online auditions made the most sense.
“It has been a really tough year and as singers, we are all feeling rusty,” she told the paper, alluding to the fact there were no public choirs in the 2020-21 school year and that any connection they had were online.
“Building our vocal technique will certainly be the top priority when we convene in the fall to rebuild our singing community.”
The university has two choirs for which students and area residents can audition: University Choir and Sora Singers.
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University Choir, a mixed voice ensemble for soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices, is only open to Brock students, staff or faculty.
Sora Singers, formerly the Brock Women’s Choir, is for singers with a soprano or alto voice and is open to not only the Brock community but also residents in the Niagara Region.
And when it comes to the 2021-22 school year, Rensink-Hoff is keeping her eyes open as far as diversity and inclusion with the two choirs
She told the paper, “I am committed to diversifying our performance repertoire and spending more intentional time together exploring the voices of under-represented composers and communities.”
More information can be found at the Sing At Brock! Website.
(Photo of Associate Professor Rachel Rensink-Hoff courtesy of Brock University)
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