Polyhymnia Auditions
Polyhymnia, an a cappella chamber chorus that has charmed Washington area audiences for more than 30 years, will audition all voice parts for our Spring 2026 semester on February 10 & 17, 2026.
Singers must be technically proficient.
Dues are $110 per semester, which may be waived or reduced upon request for those unable to pay.
Regular weekly rehearsals are Tuesdays 7:30 PM to 9:45 PM. There also are two or three extra Thursday rehearsals in the weeks preceding the first concert weekend and an extra Tuesday rehearsal after the first concert weekend.
Singers must commit to missing no more than three rehearsals and none of the performances. There are no obligations to sell tickets or do fundraising.
Spring 2026 Rehearsal and Performance Calendar
AUDITIONS:
February 10 & 17, 2026
REHEARSALS:
Tuesdays: 2/10/26 – 6/2/26
Thursdays: 5/14/26, 5/21/26, 5/28/26
PERFORMANCES:
May 30, 2026, 8 pm
June 6, 2026, 8 pm
June 7, 2026, 3 pm
Auditions are held in the choir room, and rehearsals are held in the Fellowship Hall, of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, 7611 Clarendon Road, Bethesda, MD.
There is street parking nearby (please do not use the church’s parking lot). Enter the Church through the side (Wilson Lane) doors. The choir room is on the second floor.
To schedule an audition, please contact:
Steven Beck, Music Director
polyhymniasings@gmail.com
Our Audition Process:
Auditioners should arrive at 7:15 PM. You need not prepare a song, as all audition music will be provided. First, you will have a brief (10-15 minute) individual audition with the music director, Steve Beck, who will have you do some simple scales or other exercises to learn about your range and voice quality, and then listen to you read a brief section of choral music. You will get at least two tries at the reading – the interest is not necessarily how well you sight-read the first time, but in how well you learn the music.
After the individual auditions, all auditioners join with Polyhymnia veterans in their rehearsal. After rehearsing together, we will break the group into quartets to sing the piece we’ve just rehearsed. Auditioners get multiple quartet trials with differing veteran singers on the other parts. Every effort is made to help all auditioners put their best foot forward.
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