Concert highlights this season with the BSO will include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mozart's Requiem, and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms paired with a new choral commission by Aleksandra Vrebalov.

What is the Tanglewood Festival Chorus?

The Tanglewood Festival Chorus (TFC) is the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s own mixed-voice adult choral ensemble. The chorus is made up of around 200 talented volunteer singers who share a love of choral singing and spend many hours together rehearsing and honing their vocal and choral skills in preparation for performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops.

The TFC performs a wide variety of choral/orchestral repertoire to the highest possible artistic standards. It gives concerts at Boston’s Symphony Hall and at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The chorus is conducted by BSO Choral Director James Burton, and performs with some of the world’s leading conductors and soloists. Members receive individual vocal coaching sessions. As well as having a rich musical life, the chorus is a lively community of singers, and holds frequent social events.

AUDITIONS

We hold auditions for all voice parts three to four times per season. If you cannot make the current round of auditions, please email tfc@bso.org to be notified of the next round. Please visit our website here for more information.

Audition timeline:

• Friday, January 10 at 11:59pm: Deadline to submit both the online application form and video recording (details below)
• Wednesday, January 15: Notification of invitation to in-person audition
• Wednesday, January 22: In-person audition at Symphony Hall

Video Recording details:

Please video record yourself singing a classical piece of your choosing which best shows off your vocal talents, your vocal range and your musicality. The piece should fit one of the following categories: art song, opera aria, solo aria from an oratorio or classical piece, or an extract from a choral work in which your voice part is prominent or frequently used. (Please note that songs from the American Songbook, folk songs, or Musical Theatre numbers are not permitted for this audition. If you are unsure about your choice, please email to ask for advice.)

The piece should be sung in any one of the following languages: English, French, German, Italian or Latin.

• The video recording should last around 3 minutes.
• It may be a cappella or accompanied.
• Please sing straight through the piece. No postproduction editing (including modifying the reverberation) should be used on the recording. A recording on a smart phone is acceptable.
• Please label your recording  “Last Name_First Name_January2025” and use the subject line “January 2025 TFC Audition” when submitting to tfc@bso.org.
• Please submit by no later than 11:59pm Friday, January 10, 2025 to tfc@bso.org.

Candidates selected for an in-person audition will be notified following submission to confirm an audition time at Symphony Hall. Please note that filling out this application form does not guarantee an in-person audition, as there is a limited number of audition slots.

In-Person Audition:

The in-person audition will last approximately 10 minutes and consist of:

• A prepared excerpt - Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen (b. 86-153) from Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, movement IV. The excerpt should be prepared to be sung in German. An audio pronunciation guide will provided, along with a PDF of the vocal score.
• Sight reading and aural tests.
• Vocal exercises.

Qualifications:

The chorus is made up of adult singers who share a passion for singing choral music at the highest possible artistic level. (Please note that singers must be at least 18 years old to join.)

All of our singers have had some choral experience in their musical backgrounds. Some of them have had extensive vocal and musical training. Prospective singers should have a good understanding of musical principles and experience in music making, reading music and performing. We are interested in potential, as well as trained voices and experienced choristers. As the TFC performs on professional stages, it is not a chorus for beginners.

Rehearsal Schedule:

The TFC is a project-based choir, and rehearsal schedules are based on the needs of the program being performed. You can find more information about our rehearsal and performance schedule and participation requirements in our FAQ section here: https://www.bso.org/tfc

How To Sign Up:

Please submit the online application form and your video recording by the deadline on Friday, January 10, 2025, at 11:59pm.

Please contact BSO Manager of Choral Activities, Jana Hieber, with any questions at jhieber@bso.org.