Joining the Apollo
We are eager to have you join the Apollo Male Chorus!
Since the Fall of 1999 we've welcomed over 30 new members! We'd love to have you join us.
The next auditions for our chorus will be held on August 27th, September 4th and September 10th (all at 6:30pm). Auditions (and rehearsals) are held in the Hopkins North Junior High, Room 319 in Hopkins, Minnesota.
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In the meantime, should you have any questions about becoming a member of the AMC, please call Membership Committee Chair, Ken Southern at 651.454.1855. He can explain what the ten-minute auditions involve.
As a prospective or new member, you probably have questions about the Chorus. This page will try to answer some of the most basic of those questions.
Rehearsals are on Monday nights at North Junior High in Hopkins from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. There is a short refreshment break halfway through. The last month prior to a major concert, a Tuesday rehearsal is added from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
Just before the major Christmas and Spring Concerts which we produce ourselves, we usually sing two or three private concerts, often during a church service or at a senior residence. Participation in these pre-concert performances is required, and members find them exceptionally helpful.
It is vital to the success of the chorus that all members be faithful in attendance at rehearsals. We suggest that no member miss more than 3 times in any concert season. The two concert seasons run from September to early December, and from January to early May. We usually do not rehearse or perform the last three weeks of December. Summer rehearsals, if held, are informal and voluntary unless we are preparing for some special event or overseas competition.
Our director, Roger Hoel, will speak about performance standards as rehearsals progress, and new members will have an orientation session during the first 2 or 3 weeks of the season. Each member also receives a copy of Roger's guide to singing, "Hoel Notes." Also integral to the quality and spirit of the AMC is our Assistant Conductor and accompanist, Nadia Johnson. The new member quickly learns why these two gifted professionals are much loved and respected by our membership.
It takes awhile to new members to "learn the ropes," but here's a quick description of how we operate, musically.
The Apollo Male Chorus is a TTBB (1st Tenor, 2nd Tenor, Baritone, Bass) chorus. Each section is further divided as required by the music into "A" and "B" sub-parts, representing the higher and lower notes of the part. For example, If a chorus of 56 singers were evenly distributed among the parts, this would mean 7 singers for each sub-part.
The Apollo Male Chorus memorizes its music. This allows for much closer attention to the director and results in a more polished performance. To help with the memorization we use several tools. We make a cd and tape of the concert music after the first month of rehearsals, which is then available at a nominal cost. We also receive word sheets for the music. Most members find it helpful to sing along with the rehearsal tape at home, first with the music, then with the word sheets, and finally from memory. It really works quite well.
After a few weeks of singing in sections, we move to quartets, carefully arranged by the musical staff. This helps create the distinctive Apollo sound, which we like to imagine is heard as a blended whole, without individual voices being recognizable. It is noteworthy too that one must know his music well because several singers may stand between you and another singing your identical part!
Although we work hard, we also take time for fun. Several social events seem to take place each year, including the Annual "Stag" Dinner and the Annual Golf Outing. The bonds that are formed among Apollo members are nearly always mentioned as the most wonderful part of the Apollo experience. As one member said recently, "I just can't imagine not singing in the Apollo. It's a part of my life I couldn't live without."