Observing the Company

If you come to visit an HCMC rehearsal, be prepared for the ride of your life.

Please plan to arrive between 7:00 and 7:15 pm so our membership team will have time to greet you before we get busy with rehearsal. If you want to just watch the rehearsal, you are welcome to sit and observe. But if you know you are interested in auditioning, our director or assistant director will take you aside to “voice place” you. Rather than the more familiar voice parts of soprano and alto, women’s barbershop music follows the men’s four voice parts:

• Tenor is the highest voice, and sings a light harmony. No shrill sopranos here.
• Lead is sung by the middle voice, and typically carries the melody in the strongest part of the vocal range.
• Baritone is a harmony part for the middle voice.
• Bass is the lowest voice, providing the rich sound for which barbershop is known.

At 7:25, just before rehearsal starts, we usually do some physical warm-ups led by our choreo team, then our director, assistant director or section leaders lead the vocal warm-ups. You are welcome to join us for these exercises to get a feel of what it’s like up on the risers.

After the warm-ups, on your first visit we suggest you “sit out” and watch the chorus rehearse. Especially if we are close to a performance or competition, rehearsal can be fast and furious. If you choose, you can borrow a music book and stay on the risers (unless we are rehearsing choreography and need to have everybody in their assigned places).

After rehearsal, if you decide you’d like to audition, you’ll be given a song to learn (sheet music and a CD recording of your part) and more information about the audition process.

Many visitors have been so impressed by our performance at rehearsal that they say  “I could never do that.”  Please remember that we are all regular people like you. Most of us don’t read music or have any formal musical training. Our director is a voice teacher, and every rehearsal is like a voice lesson. You’ll learn quickly and before you know it you’ll be singing and moving on the risers like a pro. Give yourself the chance and you’ll never regret it.