Houston ISD Elementary Honor Choir to hold districtwide tryouts

Fourth- and fifth-graders from across the Houston Independent School District are invited to audition for the Houston ISD Elementary Honor Choir on Saturday, Sept. 15.

The honor choir was created in 2008 to provide an additional choral experience for musically talented fourth- and fifth-graders in the district. During the 2011-2012 academic year, 19 elementary schools were represented in the choir.

Rehearsals are after school twice a month from October through January, with music teachers responsible for teaching the music to students at their home schools, and parents transporting children to and from the rehearsals.

The HISD Elementary Honor Choir presents a spring concert every year. Last year, the choir was invited to perform at the 13th annual invitational school choral festival presented by the Houston Chamber Choir. The choir has also been invited to perform at the upcoming Texas Music Educators Association's annual convention in February.

Auditions to join this year's choir will be from 8:30 a.m.-noon Sept. 15 at Travis Elementary School, located at 3311 Beauchamp St. in Houston. The audition will consist of vocalizing to determine the singer's range and a short melody, "Jubilate Deo," to be sung alone and in canon with a judge.

To sign up to audition or for more information, email kmartin6@houstonisd.org or call 713-556-6823. For video examples of the audition process, visit houstonisd.org/Curriculum/HISD_Elementary_Honor_Choir_Auditions.pdf.