Auditions
Tuesday, Sept. 4 and Wednesday, Sept. 5, 5-10pm
THH - look for signs!

 

Want to be a siren?

Since our founding in 1997, the Sirens have become the most nationally recognized collegiate a cappella group not only at USC, but on the entire west coast! Members who have travelled to Europe have also discovered fans in England, Italy, Spain, and Germany.

We currently hold the record for consecutive Best of College A Cappella wins (seven, cross your fingers for our eighth in 2007!), as well as the record for Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards given to any one all-female collegiate group. We have released five award-winning CDs with a sixth on the way. More than that, we are a dynamic group of women dedicated to exploring music that expresses our different emotions, conflicts, energies and personalities.

Do you love to sing as much as we do? You could be our newest baby Siren!

Audition Process:

When choosing an audition song, keep in mind that the Sirens sing music from many genres and many time periods, but mostly modern pop/rock. Visit our music page to get an idea of the styles we choose. We are looking for women with dynamic voices and performance quality. We are not opera singers, nor are we a traditional choir. Think of a group of Madonnas, Janet Jacksons, Nelly Furtados, Gwen Stefanis, Diana Rosses, Sarah McLachlans, Mandy Moores, Joni Mitchells, Aretha Franklins, and Fiona Apples. But don't come in and emulate your favorite artist... sing like YOU, we want YOUR style.

1. Auditions are held at the beginning of USC's fall semester each year. We MAY have auditions at the start or end of the spring semester in special circumstances. You will be notified about your audition following callbacks by phone or e-mail, whichever you indicate on the application you fill out on audition day.

2. Bring in a song to sing (a verse and a chorus only) that shows us who you are and what you can do. Play to your strengths, but it's important that your song be of the genres we cover - broadway musicals and jazz standards may be your favorites, but try to bring in something else prepared as well.

3. We will be giving you a brief aural skills test to find out your vocal range, etc. It's nothing scary, just seeing where you fit- soprano, alto, etc.

4. Be prepared for us to stop you. It doesn't mean anything about the quality of your audition, just that we are short of time or that we don't recognize the song that you chose (and we'll ask you to choose another). Remember, most auditions are won in the first five seconds!

5. Be prepared to be audiotaped or videotaped. We want to make our decision as fair as possible, and we don't want to judge by comparison. We want to remember you, and remember how you did as an individual, not how you did compared to the persons before and after you.

6. We are usually looking for 2-4 new "baby" Sirens. We ALWAYS have room for more basses, but we don't always have room for another mezzo or alto. That doesn't mean we won't in the future! If you're not called back or don't make the final cut, please come back and audition again! The group changes every semester and we always need something different from potential new members.

7. Relax!! We want to hear your best performance- so please don't be nervous. (Well, try your best to not be nervous, we know that we can't help it sometimes...) Have FUN! If you're auditioning, then you must love to sing, so show us how you love it- show us your personality, your stage presence, and your control of an audience.

8. It might help to visit our member's pages before you come in to audition. If you know a little bit about us beforehand it should help the nerves a little :)