Houston Symphony Chorus Audition Information

Houston Symphony Chorus
Charles S. Hausmann, Director

Auditions: Susan Scarrow, Chorus Manager, 713-444-9221.
Or email Susan at chorus@sbcglobal.net.

Or mail: Houston Symphony Chorus
615 Louisiana Street
Houston, TX 77002-2798


The Houston Symphony Chorus is the official choral unit of the Houston Symphony. Each season the volunteer chorus prepares and presents great choral-orchestral masterworks under the baton of guest conductors of international acclaim. Past seasons have included performances with guest conductors Robert Shaw, Roger Wagner, Christopher Seaman, Robert Page, Peter Schreier, Edo De Waart, Mitch Miller, and Nicholas McGegan. In addition, the chorus has made several European concert tours performing with orchestras in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and England.

Dates and Openings

Auditions for the Houston Symphony Chorus are held each year in January, May and August. The chorus is comprised of 160 singers from the greater Houston area. Members re-audition annually to maintain membership. There are 40-50 singers in each section - soprano, alto, tenor, bass - and usually 10 openings per section. We invite and encourage you to arrange an audition.

How to Schedule an Audition

To schedule an audition appointment, call Susan Scarrow, Chorus Manager, at 713-444-9221 or email Susan at chorus@sbcglobal.net.

Audition Location

Auditions are held at the University of Houston, Moores School of Music - Entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard. Take I-45 to the Cullen exit. Entrance 16 is the first campus entrance on the left. You may park in the large lot on your left directly across from the Moores School of Music which is on your right. Auditions take place in room 154.

Audition Procedure

  1. You will be lead through vocal exercises to hear your range and quality. We will listen to your low, middle and high range.
  2. You will be lead through tonal memory exercises to check your ability to hear and reproduce short melodic fragments.
  3. You will be asked to sight read a choral excerpt with piano accompaniment. The excerpt will be available for you to review fifteen minutes ahead of your audition time.
  4. You will be asked to perform a prepared solo (preferably an art song, sacred song, oratorio or opera aria) in English or a foreign language. [An accompanist will be provided (please, no taped accompaniment).]
If you would like to hear what a chorus member thinks of auditioning, and his audition experience in detail, check out Roger Cutler's Audition Essay.

Main Page
WebSite built
& maintained by