Posted: February 2007
When are auditions for next year?
We start auditioning after spring break. For groups that have a limit on size such as Fermata the Blue, auditions must be completed in two weeks unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Otherwise, I can audition students as late as August.
What will be on the audition?
The audition format is very similar to an All-State choir audition. Why? Because it helps you prepare for an All-State audition and it is a thorough assessment on your singing ability and musicianship.
You need to prepare a solo and sing it a cappella, sight-reading, rhythms, major and minor scales, triads, and aural recall.
What choirs do you offer?
Concert Choir: grades 9-12, mixed, non-auditioned. This class does mostly Classical and traditional choral music, but they will occasionally do some pop, gospel, R&B, and rock as well.
Women’s Show Choir: grades 9-12, auditioned. This group performs mostly contemporary a cappella, pop, and jazz charts. Some charts have been specifically arranged for the group, and some are standard literature. Almost all of it is performed on individual microphones. Other topics covered include beatboxing, microphone technique, and improvisation.
Fermata the Blue: grades 10-12, auditioned. This group is a Classical ensemble in the fall and a Jazz choir in the spring. In between, they host the Madrigal Dinner every January. Due to the high profile of this ensemble, the expectations and demands are extremely high. The payoff, however, is well worth it. Fermata the Blue has toured all over Colorado and has taken two trips to Orlando, Florida since 2003. They have won numerous awards, been featured on the radio, and are in high demand to perform at various events.
Can I still be involved with the madrigal dinner even though I am not in Fermata the Blue?
Yes! In fact, we need others to be a part of the cast. Each year, we need beggars, jesters, instrumentalists, trumpeters, wenches, and knaves. We would really like to have a wizard one of these years. However, these characters require certain skills. Beggars need to be able to play the part without being too intrusive. Jesters need to have a routine and the ability to juggle, instrumentalists need to be proficient on their instrument, and the wizard needs magic tricks.
What changes are in store for 2007-2008?
I would like to start a Festival Choir. It would be 9-12, mixed, and auditioned. I am not sure if it will be a Classical group or a contemporary a cappella group, but we will have to ask for some student input first.
I am also offering an intermediate guitar class as well as a beginning guitar class. This will help previous beginning guitar students go on to the next step.
How can I reach you if I have other questions?
Email me at Scott.Wickham@bvsd.org. I will help you with whatever you need.
Our Madrigal Dinner was held in January, and was, as always, a spirited occasion. The CHS choir program is the only high school in the area and one of about six in the state that hosts a Madrigal Dinner. Follow this link to learn more!
CHS Choir Statistics
- During the 2005-2006 school year, the CHS choirs gave 42 performances. That is an average of one performance every 4-5 days between September and June.
- The top choir, “Fermata the Blue,” has consistently received the highest ranking at each festival and competition for the past four years.
- Fermata the Blue was awarded the “Outstanding Jazz Choir” award at the Western Colorado Music Festival in 2005.
- 50-60% of all CHS juniors and seniors who audition for All-State Choir are accepted. The average is 20-25%. Some schools have no students make it into All-State.
- 85% of all graduating CHS choir students continue with music or the performing arts after high school.
- Three of Mr. Wickham’s former students are currently professional musicians. Several are teachers.
New Class - Spring 2007
Intermediate Guitar class is now available at Centaurus. Taught by Mr. Wickham, it is an excellent opportunity for students to expand upon the knowledge gained in Beginning Guitar.
New Class - Beginning Fall 2007
Music Theory 1 is a course that presents students with an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the fundamental elements of music. Included in the study are rhythm, melodic line, harmonic structure, ear-training and sight-singing.
2006-2007 Shows!
SPRING 2007:
Urinetown is an earnest tale of love, greed, and revolution. The show is set in a town plagued by a 20-year drought, where water has become so scarce that private toilets have become unthinkable. At the mercy of a single dominating corporation who maintains a monopoly on the town’s public amenities, the destitute citizens must pay towering taxes and fines to carry out their most private and basic of needs. Out of the mass of the pitiable, a hero rises to lead his fellow citizens against the tyrannical regime. Drawing from West Side Story, Chicago, and Les Misérables among others, the show irreverently pays witty homage to the great American musical theatre tradition. Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective of one of America’s greatest art forms.
Performance Schedule for
Urinetown, The Musical:
March 2, 3, 9, and 10 at 7:30 p.m.
March 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8.00 for adults; $6.00 for students and senior citizens
Tickets may be reserved or purchased ahead of time from the Treasurer, Rae Strauss, or at the door the nights of the performance.
FALL 2006:
This night in September of 1934 is the biggest in the history of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company—world-famous tenor Tito "Il Stupendo" Morelli is to perform Otello, his greatest role at the gala season-opener. Saunders, the General Manager, hopes this will put Cleveland on the operatic map. Morelli is late; when he finally sweeps in it is too late to rehearse with the company. Through a hilarious series of mishaps, Il Stupendo is given a double dose of tranquilizers which mix with the booze he has consumed and he passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he is dead. What to do? Max is an aspiring singer and Saunders persuades him to get into Morelli’s Otello costume and try to fool the audience into thinking he’s Il Stupendo. Max succeeds admirably, but Morelli comes to and gets into his other costume. Now two Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Il Stupendo!