"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"" - Aristotle
2024 NVHS 3rd Quarter Voice Hearings
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2024-2025 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 29 and the remaining two components will be recorded and submitted electronically to Google Classroom by 9pm on Sunday, February 11. For current students grades 9, 10, and 11, these voice hearings will also serve as the means of placement for the 2024-2025 curricular choirs. The 3rd Quarter voice hearing will consist of the following five components:
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THE 5 COMPONENTS:
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Set 1 of 2
PERFORMED IN CLASS/OPTION AS ASSIGNED STARTING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 29
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Be prepared to perform all four types of triads
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Be prepared to perform the major scale and three forms of the minor scales
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Be prepared to perform a sight-singing melody
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Set 2 of 2
VIDEO RECORDINGS DUE IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM BY FEBRUARY 11, 9PM
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4. Video record an excerpt of the National Anthem
5. Video record an excerpt from Whether Men Do Laugh or Weep
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:
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1. Be prepared to perform all four types of triads (performed starting the week of January 29)
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:
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2. Be prepared to perform the major scale and three forms of the minor scales (performed starting the week of January 29)
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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:
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D NATURAL MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
D HARMONIC MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
D MELODIC MINOR SCALE (SOPRANO/TENOR)
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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)
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3. Be prepared to perform a sight-singing melody (performed starting the week of January 29)
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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 8, students are highly encouraged to practice and prepare on their own.
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4. Video record an excerpt of the National Anthem (Due to Google Classroom February 11, 9pm)
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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):
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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."
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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.
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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 11
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5. Video record an excerpt from Whether Men Do Laugh or Weep (Due to Google Classroom February 11, 9pm)
Each student will prepare and submit a video recording of an excerpt from "Whether Men Do Laugh or Weep" by Ralph Vaughan Williams (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 2024-2025 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.
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Even though this excerpt is sung without accompaniment (acapella), the audio prompt corresponding to their voice part must be audible in the video recording. The audio prompt begins by confirming the voice part, establishing the key, providing the first pitch, as well as a guiding tempo. In other words, students must use a separate playback device for the recording which plays the prompt outloud and use a second device for the video recording. Students should not be wearing any headphones or earbuds while performing.
Shown below are the links to the audio prompt recordings that must be used in the performance videos:
Soprano Prompt (to be used in video)
Alto Prompt (to be used in video)
Tenor Prompt (to be used in video)
Bass Prompt (to be used in video)
Shown below are practice tracks for rehearsal:
Example SATB Performance of Excerpt
Students should submit their video recording in Google Classroom by 9pm on Sunday, February 11
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ONCE AGAIN, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD, PRINT, AND PREPARE
THE 3RD QUARTER VOICE HEARING PACKET
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