"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"" - Aristotle
2025 NVHS 3rd Quarter Voice Hearings
-and-
2025-2026 NVHS Curricular Choir Placements
OVERVIEW:
All curricular NVHS choir students will perform a five-part individual, graded 3rd Quarter Voice Hearing. Three of the components will be performed live during choir or option period starting the week of January 27 and the remaining two components will be recorded and submitted electronically to Google Classroom by 9pm on Sunday, February 9. For current students grades 9, 10, and 11, these voice hearings will also serve as the means of placement for the 2025-2026 curricular choirs. The 3rd Quarter voice hearing will consist of the following five components:
​
THE 5 COMPONENTS:
​
Set 1 of 2
PERFORMED IN CLASS/OPTION AS ASSIGNED STARTING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 27
​
-
Be prepared to perform all four types of triads
-
Be prepared to perform the major scale and three forms of the minor scales
-
Be prepared to perform a sight-singing melody
​
Set 2 of 2
VIDEO RECORDINGS DUE IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM BY FEBRUARY 9, 9PM
​
4. Video record an excerpt of the National Anthem
5. Video record an excerpt from In Virtute Tua
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD, PRINT, AND PREPARE THE 3RD QUARTER VOICE HEARING PACKET
STUDENTS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW THE SPECIFIC DETAILS, HELP MP3 FILES, AND RUBRICS FOR EACH OF THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW:
​
________________________________________________________
1. Be prepared to perform all four types of triads (performed starting the week of January 27)
Each student should be prepared to perform all four (4) root position triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented). The teacher will randomly select and provide pitches D, E or F as the root tones. Different root pitches may be provided for the various triads. The triads must be performed on solfege. A study guide for the triads using all three possible root pitches is found in the 3rd Quarter Voice Hearing information packet here. Practice MP3 recordings for the triads are found below:
​
________________________________________________________
​
2. Be prepared to perform the major scale and three forms of the minor scales (performed starting the week of January 27)
​
Each student should be prepared to sing the major scale and the three minor scales. Sopranos/Tenors will sing F Major and D minor. Altos/Basses will sing Db Major and Bb minor. The three minor scales are natural, harmonic or melodic. The scales must be performed on solfege. The scales will be sung one octave up and down with the top note sung only once. Please choose to perform in the voice part that you currently sing in choir. A study guide for the major and three types of minor scales is found in the 3rd Quarter Voice Hearing information packet here. Practice MP3 recordings of the scales are found below:
​
D NATURAL MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
D HARMONIC MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
D MELODIC MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
​
D-FLAT MAJOR SCALE (ALTO/BASS)
B-FLAT NATURAL MINOR SCALE (ALTO/BASS)
B-FLAT HARMONIC MINOR SCALE (ALTO/BASS)
B-FLAT MELODIC MINOR SCALE (ALTO/BASS)
​
________________________________________________________
​
3. Be prepared to perform a sight-singing melody (performed starting the week of January 27)
​
Each student will study, rehearse, and perform a 4-measure sight-singing melody. The student will be provided the key center and first pitch, and 40 seconds to practice to excerpt out loud before performing. The student will be given the key center and first pitch again after the 40 second practice period and before performing. Students will be awarded 1 point for accurate pitches, and 1 point for accurate rhythms in each half-measure, for a total of 16 possible points.
The sight-singing excerpt will be provided in both treble and bass clef. Students are expected to evaluate the score, determine "do" on their own, and demonstrate a strategy of practicing the excerpt. Students are encouraged to use solfege syllables and handsigns. Accidentals (sharps and flats) are eligible to be used in the sight-singing excerpt. While time in classes will be spent on triad, scale, and sight-singing preparation starting the week of January 6, students are highly encouraged to practice and prepare on their own.
​
________________________________________________________
​
4. Video record an excerpt of the National Anthem (Due to Google Classroom February 9, 9pm)
​
Students should rehearsal and prepare the following excerpt (lyrics below) of the National Anthem in one of the following three keys (student may choose their key):
​
High - Key of C (Starting Pitch: G) – CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO PROMPT
Medium - Key of B-Flat (Starting Pitch: F) – CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO PROMPT
Low - Key of A-Flat (Starting Pitch: E-Flat) – CLICK HERE FOR THE AUDIO PROMPT
"Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd,
Were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night
That our flag was still there."
​
Students will submit a video recording of their performance in Google Classroom. Student performance will be assessed using the National Anthem performance rubric which can be found by clicking here.
​
Please note: Performance should be performed acapella (unaccompanied), and students cannot be listening to any audio track while performing the excerpt.
Students should submit their video recording in Google Classroom by 9pm on Sunday, February 9
​
________________________________________________________
​
5. Video record an excerpt from In Virtute Tua (Due to Google Classroom February 9, 9pm)
Each student will prepare and submit a video recording of the following excerpt from In Virtute Tua by Grezegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (click here for the packet which contains the printed music).
Students should perform the voice part that they currently sing in choir (or the part that showcases their voice the best). Please note, with regard to 2025-2026 choir placement, students will not necessarily be “locked in” to the voice part in which they perform in this recording when starting their assigned curricular ensemble next fall. For example, it is possible that a student who submits a recording this 3rd Quarter as an alto may actually sing soprano the next fall in their assigned ensemble because it is deemed to be vocally appropriate.
​
In the video recording, students should sing with their corresponding “Parts without…” MP3. This recording contains the accompaniment and the other three parts performing along which students then perform their part. This recording must be audible in the video recording. In other words, students must use a separate playback device for the recording and use a second device for the video recording. Students should not be wearing any headphones or earbuds while performing. For example, a student submitting a recording as an alto, would sing along with the recording entitled “In Virtute Tua - Parts without Alto”.
Up to 60 minutes of collective class time will be devoted to introducing this excerpt, starting the week of January 6. A majority of preparation needed for students to perform well will be through independent practice. Students are highly encouraged to practice and prepare on their own using the MP3 practice tracks available below
In Virtute Tua - Parts without Soprano (this is the performance recording used by sopranos)
In Virtute Tua - Parts without Alto (this is the performance recording used by altos)
In Virtute Tua - Parts without Tenor (this is the performance recording used by tenors)
In Virtute Tua - Parts without Bass (this is the performance recording used by basses)
Students should submit their video recording in Google Classroom by 9pm on Sunday, February 9
________________________________________________________
​
ONCE AGAIN, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD, PRINT, AND PREPARE
THE 3RD QUARTER VOICE HEARING PACKET
​​