Frequently Asked Questions

Umbrian Serenades attracts a variety of participants who are all avid choral enthusiasts who strive for choral excellence, including experienced amateurs, as well as seasoned professional musicians, choral conductors, teachers, and church musicians. All bring their unique strengths, vocal colors, and positive and open attitudes, as well as the drive, the dedication, and an open heart to make music at the highest possible level. Participants are chosen by vocal category, unique vocal color, choral background, ability to blend within a small chamber ensemble, ability to hold pitch while singing a cappella, and an amiable personality. Our program can take up to 30 singers.

It is certainly desirable that each Umbrian Serenades participant has a full awareness of his/her present vocal abilities and is comfortable producing a healthy sound, appropriate for a small vocal chamber ensemble. Most participants have had extensive vocal training, are presently studying voice privately, and/or sing under a good choral director with a solid vocal background.

While we do not specifically ask for straight tone, we do not reject it as long as it is freely produced, is lofty, and non-pressed. We also look for voices that have a freely produced vibrato, spin, or ring, with no signs of a wobble or a slow vibrato rate. Ultimately we look for a “blendable” voice.

The ensemble performs sacred a cappella vocal works, spanning from Renaissance to Gospel, Spiritual and contemporary repertoire. Please visit our Repertoire page for a complete list of all performed repertoire to date. Since the repertoire is chosen with program participants in mind, the final repertoire list will be posted on our private Umbrian Serenades 2012 FaceBook group page sometime in March/April of 2012.

We provide complete music packets for all participants, which you will receive sometime in April of 2012.

There is obviously no sightreading requirement to apply for our program, nor during our ensemble rehearsals in Italy. Participants are required, however, to have thoroughly learned the entire summer repertoire prior to arrival on Italian soil, including note learning, interval drilling, and diction. Upon arrival in Italy, the directors will conduct a short private voice placement hearing on the first day of the program, where each participant will be asked to vocalize, as well as sing portions of any of the summer’s repertoire, without accompaniment.

The music does not need to be memorized, however, we do expect every singer to be out of the music and able to connect to the conductor at all times. Once again, upon arrival in Italy, the directors will conduct a short private voice placement hearing on the first day of the program, where each participant will be asked to vocalize, as well as sing portions of any of the summer’s repertoire, without accompaniment.

If you have serious physical limitations that preclude you from walking or going up and down stairs and hills, this might not be the best program for you, due to the steep terrain of the Umbrian region. We walk everywhere in our towns and there are oftentimes many sets of stairs. Transportation is limited, and taxis are extremely expensive.

Hotel dei Duchi: a first class, 4 star Hotel, located in the historic center of town, just around the corner from Piazza Libertà and the main Corso Mazzini. The hotel has spectacular views of beautiful rolling Umbrian hills and the nearby Roman Theatre. It was built in 1957, is air-conditioned, and possesses spacious rooms and hallways, unusual for Italian hotel standards. WiFi throughout the hotel is free. In addition, there is one computer station off of the main lobby that participants may use, with free Internet access. The hotel’s garden and the solarium areas are spacious, beautiful and peaceful. Most of all, the hotel service is outstanding.

“Non-singing travel companions” are not only welcome but also encouraged to join our program, be with us during all transfers, dinners, and other cultural events, as well as listen to any of our ensemble rehearsals. They have a full understanding that choral music is the center of our unique program, and participate as avid audience members during our performances, in full support of their “singing” companion and of our program. These “travel companions” slots, however, are limited, as we first need to fill our singing participant roster and keep the entire group less than 40 people. We can only make final decisions about people who cannot participate in the entire program, once the selected ensemble members and their fully participating travel companions have committed to the program. At that time, we will determine if there is room for “add on” travel companions. These visiting travel companions will be charged a different daily visitor’s fee and contract to sign than a full program participant.

Unfortunately, we do not accept multiple payments, and Wednesday, February 1st, 2012, is the latest we can accept payments from those who are accepted into the program.

We suggest you arrive the day before and stay either in Rome city or in one of the many hotels near the airport. If you arrive after 11 a.m., you will have detailed instructions on how to get yourself to Spoleto via train. This will be provided in the final program packet that all participants will receive in June of 2012.

Women:
Long, black skirt, palazzo pants, or “car wash” pants (ankle or floor length for skirts)
Black, 3/4 length sleeved top (no short sleeves) - simple and understated
Black, comfortable flats or dress sandals (remember, cobblestone steep hills!)
Simple, one-strand necklace and/or small earrings (no colorful or “shimmery” hair accessories, please.)

Men:
Black dress pants (no jeans)
Black belt
Black, long-sleeved cotton dress shirt (no tie) with collar
Black comfortable dress shoes and black socks

We have found in previous years that those who are either vegetarians or have an allergy to gluten have been able to eat beautifully in Umbria. Our chefs in the trattorias where we provide the meals are made aware of these dietary needs in advance and they provide special meals for these participants. There are also a variety of other restaurants in Spoleto that have a wide variety of vegetarian fare, especially during the summer months, when vegetables are fresh and abundant.

We have had several participants in past years who choose not to drink alcoholic beverages, for various reasons. Everyone knows his/her own level of comfort being around alcohol and we encourage each individual to discern what is best for him/her. There is abundant bottled water flowing at all meals. One can certainly opt out entirely from any cultural event such as Paulo’s wine and cheese tasting, should one choose to do so.

There are many past participants who would gladly share their unique choral and cultural experiences as an “Umbrian Serenader” with you, or answer any questions you may have. Please let us know and we will have someone contact you at your earliest convenience.