auditioning at AmCath

Okay, so I'm in Lyon right now, having a blast. I don't want to write about the séjour until I've done everything and can figure out how to put up photos, though, so expect a massive post Wednesday night or Thursday morning. The day we left Paris - last Thursday - was eventful, so read on anyway.

I had pretty much assumed - Ned, the choirmaster at AmCath, had pretty much made it appear - that my singing in the choir was pretty much a done deal, and that when I came early to rehearsal it would be to talk and mess around vocally a little bit. Boy, was I wrong. I had to see him before I left since I tutor right before rehearsals on Thursday nights, and I was totally unprepared to audition. I had warmed up some in the shower and hummed a bit on the street (you know how I do), but was totally scratchy because our apartment is unbelievably dry. I get there, and Ned immediately sits down at the piano and checks out my range. I was fine, which is proof that Jesus loves me, but those were some of the scariest scales I've ever sung. Then he pulls out Anthems for Choirs 1 and plonks down a Goss piece and tells me to come in at the soprano line. Luckily, it was pretty predictable; as I hadn't sightread in months, had he given me something more challenging I would have had to get creative. Anyway, I'm in, which is a relief, but I've defintely learned my lesson about being over-confident!

Apparently, they have not one but TWO countertenors - yay - and a full complement of about 20, including a bunch of former Oxbridge choral/organ scholars. We're doing a Sowerby anthem and some Philips two-choir thing for my first Sunday, and besides all the Easter services in the spring we'll also have two concerts in March. Huzzah!