Honor Choir & Vocal Solo Contest

All students must be nominated online by their choir director in order to participate. We ask that you nominate balanced quartets (SATB) if at all possible. Nominations can ONLY be made online and will be accepted from May 1 through September 4, 2019. 

After a review process, choir directors will receive an email by Sept. 6 with a Letter of Invitation for select students to participate. That email will include a detailed event schedule, instructions regarding registration and payment, and other pertinent information. Teachers must submit final registration confirmation no later than September 12. 

Click here for the nomination form.

High school seniors may schedule an audition with the School of Performing Arts for admission and scholarship consideration during the Virginia Tech Honor Choir weekend. To schedule an audition, students must email musicadmissions@vt.edu.

Choir conductors may nominate one of their most talented vocalists to participate in the Vocal Solo Contest. Select soloists will participate in a masterclass with Virginia Tech voice faculty, and up to three of those singers will be featured in the final concert in the Moss Arts Center. Students nominated for the solo contest must bring a prepared, memorized, art song or aria (in any language). A pianist will be provided.

Registration fees are $90 per student.  Payment instructions and deadlines will be included with your Letter of Invitation (along with a list of your students who have been selected to participate). The fee includes music, Honor Choir t-shirt, welcome packet, ticket to Kingdom Choir Concert, and costs of running the event. The fee does not include transportation, lodging, or meals.  Music will not be mailed to you – each singer will receive music when they arrive at the event. 

Choir directors or chaperones are responsible for arranging all transportation, lodging, and meals. Click here for a list of accommodations in the Blacksburg area.You may want to reserve a block of hotel rooms now in anticipation of the number of your students and adults who may attend. We ask that a choir director or designated parent accompany the students during the entire weekend. 

• May 1               Open online nominations by choir conductors
• Sept. 4             Close online nominations 
• Sept. 6             Letter of Invitation emailed to conductors for select students to participate
• Sept. 12           Choir conductors confirm participation of specific students; begin registration/payment 
   
• Friday, October 25
  • 11:30 a.m.     Registration opens: each student receives welcome packet—music, t-shirt, schedule, maps, and other information.
  • 12:00 p.m.     Welcome meeting for all participants
  • 1:00                 Campus Tours / Music Major Auditions
  • 2:00                 Rehearsal
  • 3:35                 Workshop with VT Chamber Singers
  • 5:15                 Dinner
  • 7:30                 Kingdom Choir Concert, Moss Arts Center
     
• ​Saturday, October 26
  • 9:30 a.m.        Rehearsal
  • ​​12:00 p.m.     Lunch
  • 1:00                 Rehearsal
  • 4:00                 Vocal Solo Contest masterclass
  • 5:30                 Dinner
  • ​6:30–9:00      Rehearsal / activities​ 
     
• ​Sunday, October 27
  • ​​9:15 a.m.      Rehearsal
  • ​11:45             Lunch / change into concert attire
  • ​2:00 p.m.     Final Concert at the Virginia Tech Moss Arts Center

The final concert begins at 2:00 p.m. and will be finished no later than 3:45 p.m. at the Moss Arts Center (click here for map and directions). The program will feature the VT Chamber Singers, Women's Chorus, Tech Men, the winner of the Vocal Solo Contest, and end with the highlight of the weekend — the VT Honor Choir! Tickets are $5.00 general admission and can be purchased at the Moss Arts Center Box Office. 

Please wear your school’s choir concert uniform for the final concert. If that is not possible, please wear solid black concert attire (black collared shirt, black dress pants/dress/skirt, and black dress shoes).

Concert photos and recordings (audio/visual) will be shared with the choir directors after the event, which can then be distributed to the students.

The North End Parking Garage [Map] on Turner Street is usually free during the weekends, except during Moss Arts Center events, in which case there is a $5/day parking fee. Street parking is also usually free (though limited) during the weekends.