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Audition Information

Welcome!

If you are an experienced singer, love the challenge of performing traditional and new works, and are interested in joining a world-class chorus, look no further!


Auditions for each upcoming season are held in the months of August and September.



Please fill out a form below and you will be contacted by us near the end of the season and throughout the summer to prepare you for the audition. 


Weekly rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings, 7:30p-10:00p, at Settlement Music School (416 Queen Street). Parking is available.


Please note that singers are required to pay a singer fee for the season. These fees help offset the cost of performance and rehearsal hall rentals. Monthly payment plans and scholarships are available as we do not want fees to be a barrier for participation. Singers are also responsible for payment of their music for each concert. Concert dress is all black. Additional information can be found below.


A group of women are singing together in a choir

  • The Audition

    Singers will be asked to prepare something short to sing for these hearings and auditions, which can be a simple song, an excerpt from a singer’s part from a previously sung piece of choral music, an art song/musical theatre piece/aria (if the singer is so inclined), or a singer may elect to vocalize with the Artistic Director’s guidance. 


    Singers will also be asked to sight-read a short excerpt and respond to some simple sing-back and ear exercises at the piano. The entire audition will take less than 10 minutes.

  • The Chorus

    The core of the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is made up of volunteer singers. While some have professional musical experience, many of the singers work in other fields like law, health care, education, and technology. You do not have to be a professional musician to become a member, though we are always looking for “choral lovers” with past singing experience and the ability to read music. The Mendelssohn Chorus has about 125 people on the active roster.

  • Section Leaders

    Email your CV to Associate Conductor and Director of Operations Heather Mitchell at heather@mcchorus.org for more information about open positions. 

Signing up for the Audition


Click the appropriate form button below to register for your audition. You will be contacted by Associate Conductor and Director of Operations Heather Mitchell who will send you more information about scheduling your audition.

MCP Alumni Association

A group of people are sitting in chairs in a large room.

MCP Alumni Committee had its first meeting in March 2018, and our first event was a supper for Alumni before the Brahms Sing-Along with Mendelssohn Chorus. We joined them to sing this beloved masterwork. We continued to have social and singing events throughout the few years before the pandemic cut these short. These have included at least two singing events with socializing hosted by MCP Alumni each year in various local meeting houses and churches.


Key to our successful singing events has been the wonderful leadership of Larry Hoenig, a current conductor and member of MCP family, and a marvelous accompanist and current singer in Mendelssohn Chorus, Teri Gemberling-Johnson. 

Our performances have included tributes in memory of long-standing members, Bruce Tharp in May 2019 and Phil Jones in September 2019. More recently, the MCP Alumni women sang at the wedding of Margaret Satell, also a former MCP member, and now a member of our Alumni Committee.

Membership in MCP Alumni Committee


We have a wonderful committee of former singers, and we WANT YOU to join us!

We have three or four committee meetings a year, and at least one social event, in addition to our singing events.


Please Contact us if you want to be a member:  Beckytest507@gmail.com.

MCP Alumni Committee

Ann Marie Dimino
Jean Dowdall
Teri Gemberling-Johnson
Larry Hoenig

Mark Pinzur
Margaret Satell


Joel Sheffield
Julia Stein

Becky Test
Meg Tharp
Sallie Van Merkensteijn


A large group of people are sitting in chairs in a room.

Stay in touch!

Sign up to join our alumni email list


Stay in touch!

Conducting Apprenticeship


We are now taking applications towards the John P. Leonard Conducting Apprenticeship Program.


Call for Conductors for the 

JOHN P. LEONARD CONDUCTING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM


The John P. Leonard Conducting Apprenticeship Program provides gifted young conductors with learning experiences that aim to complement the education obtained through traditional degree programs. In addition to conducting, this experience includes learning about:


  • Season repertoire planning;
  • Long range artistic and organizational planning;
  • An overview of fundraising; and
  • Other administrative necessities.


Artistic responsibilities

Be prepared to conduct occasional sectional rehearsals and warm-ups; assist with seating arrangements, and score markings; sing with the chorus when not otherwise assigned; observe auditions and reassessments; assist with concert production; other duties as assigned. A full season calendar will be provided. Conductor Apprentices will have the chance to conduct a work in concert at the discretion of the Artistic Director and lead other outreach efforts. 

Organizational responsibilities

Attend occasional Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia Chorus Management Council meetings and meet with the mentors and others in order to gain a broad familiarity with chorus leadership and management.

Executive Director Flo Gardner Board Chair Charlotte Sibley and Artsitic Director Dominick DiOrio

The Mentors

The Conductor Apprentices will be guided artistically by the Artistic Director and Associate Conductor and organizationally by the Executive Director. The mentors will help provide a coherent understanding of how the multiple areas of expertise expected of artistic leaders fit together and ensure that the program is meeting both the educational needs of the Apprentices and the artistic and organizational support needs of MCP. In addition to mentors, there are many individuals with special expertise who may be available for the Apprentices to learn more about a particular aspect of chorus management or administration. Within this structure, the Apprentices should take considerable initiative and integrate themselves into the artistic and operational aspects of the chorus.

Mendelssohn Chorus performs with Alysia Lee and Commonwealth Youthchoirs

Remuneration

The annual stipend for the Apprenticeship is $1,500 which will be paid in two installments in the Fall and Spring. The Apprentices should expect to spend an average of 4-6 hours per week assisting in their role as a conducting apprentice with MCP (including rehearsals and administrative participation).

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2024


INTERVIEW: By appointment / virtual video conference with the Artistic Director and Assistant Conductor


APPOINTMENT DATES: August 15, 2024 through June 30, 2025


TO APPLY: Send a cover letter and CV/resume by email to heather@mcchorus.org with subject line “Conductor Apprentice Application.” Additionally, please include links to approx. 2 video excerpts of your conducting in contrasting styles and ideally in both performance and rehearsal. (Approx. 10-15 total minutes of total video). 


Please note that multiple Conductor Apprentices may be hired from this job posting.


Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Employment & Internships

No placements available at this time.

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