NYCHORAL AUDITIONS
Sing With Us
NYCHORAL members come from a wide variety of backgrounds and musical experiences. If you would like to be considered for an audition slot, please read the FAQs below and fill in our Audition Form. Further questions? Reach out to us via auditions@nychoral.org.
2026/2027 Season Audition Dates:
Thursday, August 27 | Brooklyn
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Location: Brooklyn Youth Chorus
179 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Monday, August 31 - Thursday, September 3 | Manhattan
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Location: PianoPiano Rehearsal Studios
37 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
Choral Music is For Everyone
At the heart of our mission is the belief that diversity, equity, and inclusion drive meaningful change. Our commitment to equality and justice extends beyond the stage, from our leadership and volunteers to our programs and auditions. Our work invites people who never imagined themselves in a concert hall to feel seen, heard, and inspired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Artistic Expectations & Rehearsals
Membership in the New York Choral Society (NYCHORAL) is a skilled volunteer commitment. While our singers volunteer their time, the artistic standards of the ensemble are professional.
NYCHORAL performs in some of New York City’s premier concert venues, including Lincoln Center, alongside professional orchestras, internationally acclaimed conductors, and distinguished guest artists. Every singer plays an essential role in achieving the artistic excellence our audiences expect.
This level of performance cannot be achieved by simply attending weekly rehearsals. Every member is expected to invest time outside of rehearsal learning the music, reviewing recordings, studying the score, and arriving prepared to contribute from the moment rehearsal begins.
Rehearsals are not designed to teach individual notes and rhythms. They are where we develop ensemble sound, musical interpretation, precision, balance, diction, and artistic expression together. The more prepared each singer is individually, the more successful we become as an ensemble.
Membership in NYCHORAL is both a privilege and a commitment. Every singer is expected to contribute fully to the artistic success of the chorus through preparation, attendance, professionalism, and respect for fellow musicians.
What are NYCHORAL’s audition requirements?
For your audition with Music Director David Hayes: Please bring one song of your choosing, not to exceed three minutes in length. This can include; an art song, aria, musical theater piece, or popular song. Please plan to bring a copy of your music for our pianist.
David Hayes will then lead you through some vocal exercises to assess your range (i.e. where your voice ‘lives’) and your general vocal qualities. You’ll also be asked to sing a short sight-reading selection and a rhythm-reading exercise.
The audition itself is brief – you will be scheduled for a fifteen minute time slot, but your audition will be between five and ten minutes. There is no application fee.
Do you hold virtual auditions?
At this time, we are not holding virtual auditions in lieu of live auditions.
What do we look for in singers?
We look for passionate, diligent, and excited musicians with experience singing within a choral ensemble. Our chorus works quickly, and some of our projects are on a shorter rehearsal schedule; therefore, while formal training is not necessary, some level of musical skill is highly desirable.
When and where are rehearsals?
The majority of rehearsals are on Tuesday nights from 7:00-9:30 pm between September and May, and are held on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Depending on the program, occasional extra rehearsals may be added as necessary. Performance weeks do have more intense production schedules, with some additional nightly rehearsals.
Do members have a ticket obligation?
No – however, we would be grateful if each NYCHORAL member would consider purchasing or selling at least five tickets for the October 2026 concert and the April 2027 concerts.
Tickets bought or sold by our members come with a discount off of regular box office prices. Your support with our ticket sales allows us to provide free or low-cost concert tickets to our Community Engagement partner schools and organizations. Even if you aren’t singing in a concert, your continued support in purchasing or selling tickets would be greatly appreciated so we can continue providing opportunities to share our performances with the community.
What does a typical season schedule look like?
As reference, here is our 2025-2026 Schedule for this upcoming season. Our seasons are a mix of NYCHORAL-produced concerts and guest appearances. Not all singers perform on every program. We occasionally rotate singers from program to program across the year, balancing singer capacity with artistic needs.
Do I have to sing every concert?
Singers are expected to participate in all NYCHORAL-produced performances (typically 2-3 per season.) Guest appearances occasionally have smaller rosters, and these performance opportunities for singers are determined on a per-program basis. In these instances, individual singer assignments are weighed against artistic needs and singer availability.
What is your absence policy?
We take rehearsal attendance very seriously. Consistent attendance and participation by all members is crucial, as our work together is not just about learning notes, but about crafting our sound and artistic interpretation as an ensemble.
Attendance is taken at all rehearsals. Members are expected to attend rehearsals in their entirety, including warm-up, and should arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of rehearsal.
Members are expected to attend at least 80% of the designated rehearsals for any given concert. Any member who attends fewer than 80% of rehearsals will be required to participate in a Music Review to determine if they will be allowed to participate in the performance. Some performances have an extremely abbreviated rehearsal schedule; in these instances, singers may be required to attend all rehearsals in order to sing the performance. Eligibility of any member to sing in a concert is at the discretion of the Music Director.
Do members pay dues?
All members are asked to pay Member Dues to NYCHORAL in the amount of $250. Your payment is due via our online payment system before September 15, 2026. Dues help pay for venues, instrumentalists, soloists and all the other costs of our season. If you would like to request a reduction in dues, please email Membership Chair Kaila Barker, at kbarker@nychoral.org, by September 10, 2025. Requesting a reduction in dues does not affect consideration for membership in our ensemble. If an agreement is made for a reduced dues amount, we would be grateful for your volunteer assistance for projects throughout the year.