Spirito! Singers Announce Auditions for 2016-2017 Season

SPIRITO! SINGERS TO HOLD AUDITIONS FOR THEIR 2016-2017 SEASON
For Spirito! Singers, music is so much more than notes. It’s more than weekly rehearsals, more than listening to the other sections, more than concerts. For this west suburban choir’s members, music is a way to give back to their communities, to improve themselves and their surroundings by sharing their talents.

“Music increases our emotional bandwidth. That’s what makes it so transformative,” says Spirito! Artistic Director Molly Lindberg. “We want to empower our girls to make a difference in their communities. This is about instilling a lifelong love of not only music, but of service alongside that.” Each and every Spirito! chorister is considered an instrumental part in that mission, creating an environment of responsibility, respect, and where every individual is valued for who she is.

Spirito! Singers is pleased to announce open auditions for their 2016-2017 season. Spirito! is a not-for-profit (501c3) choral organization comprised of three distinct, auditioned ensembles:
Bravura Performance Ensemble - Touring & Recording choir for High School Young Women
Ragazze Ensemble - Training & Performance choir for 5th-8th Grade Girls
Men of Spirito! Ensemble - Performance choir for Men, 18 Years and Up

The Spirito! 2015-2016 rosters include singers from fifty-three schools crossing twenty-seven communities. Each ensemble rehearses once weekly at locations in Downers Grove, Elmhurst or LaGrange. All ensembles perform individually and jointly at two major, seasonal concerts in December and May.

As an integral part of our mission, each ensemble also performs at a number of churches and community events throughout the season. Raising their voices in song, our singers proclaim their love of music and their commitment to share their gifts with others.

Reviews from Bravura’s collaboration concerts with the William Ferris Chorale, March 12 & 13, 2016:

The (William Ferris) chorale has made supporting the coming generation of choral singers part of its mission, and in several brief American pieces it was gratifying to hear (Paul) French's group performing shoulder to shoulder with the young Spirito! Bravura chorus, which is made up of 76 female high school students under the direction of Molly Lindberg. Whether singing on their own or with the Ferris contingent, they made a splendid showing.

John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2016

The (William Ferris) Chorale was joined for some selections by the 76 girls of the Spirito! Bravura ensemble….

The consolatory harmonies (of Poulenc’s Litanies a la Vierge Noire) were given a soothing performance by the Chorale and the young women of the Spirito ensemble, (Paul) French drawing impressively refined and well-blended singing from the combined groups….

The teen singers showed impressive cohesion and polish under artistic director Molly Lindberg. The young chorus handled the soaring phrases of Pablo Casals’ Nigra Sum with confidence and brought agility and elan to the up-tempo gospel of Rollo Dilworth’s Make a Joyful Noise.

Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review, March 12, 2016

Auditions for the 2016-2017 season are being held on the following days at the Spirito! office, 900 Jorie Blvd., Suite102, Oak Brook:

Tuesday, June 7th from 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Saturday, June 18th from 9:00 am - Noon

Tuesday, June 28th from 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Wednesday, July 13th from 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Auditions are scheduled every 20 minutes.

Singers are encouraged to call immediately to arrange an audition time. Singers may audition at any of the above locations regardless of their ensemble of choice. There is no need to prepare a piece for the audition. Each audition is scheduled individually and is spent vocalizing as well as checking range and intonation. Bravura singers are assessed for music reading fluency. Ragazze singers are assessed to determine theory level placement. Auditions can be arranged via e-mail at spirito@spiritosingers.org or by calling (630) 581-5440. Please note that financial assistance is available based on economic need.

UPCOMING SPIRITO! EVENTS:
June 2nd - 5th: Bravura tour to Nashville, TN
September 10th: All Spirito! Ensembles to sing the National Anthem at the Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals game at U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago.

About Spirito!:

Founded in 2008 by Artistic Director Molly Lindberg, Spirito! is a choral organization comprising two distinct choirs open to young women throughout the western suburbs of Chicago. Based on a 5-level music theory program, the youth choral groups instill formal music training beginning in the Ragazze ensemble, which is available for 5th-8th grade girls, and continue with the Bravura group, comprised of 9th-12th grade young women. Additionally, Spirito! is proud to offer a third choir group – Men of Spirito! – an ensemble of men 18 years and older who perform standalone and with the Ragazze and Bravura groups in major concerts and service opportunities throughout the year. For Spirito!’s members, music is more than an artistic expression and these ensembles provide over two hundred youth and adult singers a way to give back to their communities while improving their talents and musicianship.

Molly Lindberg, Spirito!’s Artistic/Executive Director, is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor School of Music, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor Degree in Vocal Performance and K-12 certification. She sang professionally with the Grant Park Symphony Chorus under the direction of Thomas Peck; the William Ferris Chorale under the direction of William Ferris, and with the Grammy winning Chicago Symphony Chorus from 1990-2000, under the direction of Margaret Hillis and then Duain Wolfe. Molly served as Music Director at Mary Queen of Heaven Church in Elmhurst, Illinois from 2003-2008 and was a faculty member for the American Federation Pueri Cantores and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians’ Illinois Chapter. Molly is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and is a professional member of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).