Course number: MUSC 1659-4659
Credit: 1 credit, full-year course [Fall & Winter]
Rehearsal time: Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Additional sectional rehearsals added as needed
Location: MYB Conservatory Room 204 (Choral Room)
Director: Dr. Kiera Galway
The Elliott Chorale is named to honour professor emeritus Carleton Elliott (1928-2003), who taught at ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ 1951-1993 and founded and led the original Conservatory Chorale for several decades.
The Elliott Chorale is an auditioned treble-voice chamber choir. Members have an avid interest in and enthusiasm for choral singing and are expected to actively grow their skills through sight-reading and individual practice. The ensemble's repertoire is challenging and diverse, with a focus on new and Canadian music.
In addition to performing concerts each term on campus, the Chorale sings at university and community events and at concert venues around the Maritimes. Special events like retreats, choir dinners, and other social activities enhance our ability to work together, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
Performances
2025/2026
TUESDAY, OCT 28, 2025 - ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ Choral Ensembles: Brunton, 8:00pm.
FRIDAY, DEC 5, 2025 – ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ Choral Ensembles. Brunton, 7:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, FEB 10, 2026 – ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ Choral Ensembles. Brunton, 8:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAR 31, 2026 – ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ Choral Ensembles. Brunton, 8:00 p.m.
Elliott Chorale Auditions
Auditions will last about 5-7 minutes. Think of them as an opportunity for Dr. Galway to get to know your voice - they are not meant to be intimidating. If you think you might be interested in singing with Elliott, please !
Audition instructions:
1. Please fill out the and indicate your preferred audition slot.
2. Prepare for the audition using the instructions below.
3. Arrive at Dr. Galway s office (upstairs in the MYB Conservatory, room 226)5-10 minutes before your scheduled audition time (to review your sight-singing excerpt).
During your audition you will be asked to sing:
a) A range test: A major scale (sung a cappella, at a comfortable volume) on an open vowel (suggested: ah ). The singer will start from the middle of their register, moving down to the lowest note they can comfortably sing. They will return to the middle of the register, continuing up to the highest note they can comfortably sing, returning down to the middle of the register.
b) Ear tests: You will be asked to perform selected exercises including:
- Clapbacks (Dr. G claps a rhythm, you clap it back)
- Singbacks (Dr. G sings or plays an interval, you sing it back)
- Identifying notes in a chord (Dr. G plays a broken or solid chord, you will be asked to sing back one of the chord tones).
- Vowel matching exercises (Dr. G sings a vowel, you match it)
c) Sight-reading: Sight-reading excerpts will be available outside Dr. Galway's office prior to the audition. You can take about 10 minutes to look at the passage before your audition. Please note that sight-reading is not the defining factor in the audition, so don't worry if this is still a developing skill for you!
d) Prepared choral score: Please prepare your usual voice part (Soprano 1, Soprano 2 or Alto) in "Gloria Kajoniensis" by Levente Gyöngyösi (from the beginning to Letter D). If you do not know what you typically sing, please choose one!
Please do your best to prepare your part with accurate pitches/tuning, appropriate dynamics, articulation and phrasing.
You will be asked to sing your part a cappella (with starting pitches)during the audition and you may be asked to sing in a small group during a blend rehearsal.
e) Short song of choice: Singers will prepare and sing a short selection from their vocal repertoire. This could be a folk song, aria (no recit), or lied.