Join the Mendelssohn
The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh is the chorus of choice of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. As such, we hold ourselves to the highest musical standards. All members are expected to be able to read music and sing expressively, in tune, and with a tone quality appropriate to choral music. There are two categories of membership: Volunteer and Professional Core. Note: All singers and staff of the Mendelssohn Choir are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19: the completed first vaccination series, plus one booster.
We are pleased to announce that auditions for the 2025-2026 season are now open!
Audition dates and times are as follows. The May auditions are at Heinz Hall, the June auditions are at Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon.
Please fill out the audition form, and then contact Emily Leal-Santiesteban, Director of Choral Operations at estewart@themendelssohn.org to schedule your audition.
2025-2026
Audition Sessions
Auditions at Heinz Hall:
Saturday, May 3, 2025 – 11a-4pm
Sunday, May 4, 2025 – 11a-4pm
Auditions at Community
Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon:
Friday, June 13, 2025 – 4-8pm
Saturday, June 14, 2025 – 11a-4pm
Audition Requirements
Professional Core
MCP employs a small number of professional singers to serve as leaders within the ensemble. Members of the core are expected to have excellent vocal technique, strong music reading skills, and the diligence and preparation to be performance-ready at every rehearsal. Ideal candidates for the professional core will be comfortable in a wide range of vocal music historical periods and genres, able to sing with varying amounts of vibrato, and flexible in their approach to choral singing and musical interpretation. Members of the core may be called upon to perform as soloists or in small ensembles on our self-produced programs.
Professional Core Audition Requirements:
- 2 solos (at least one in a language other than English or Latin)
- 2 prepared excerpts from Berstein’s Chichester Psalms and Handel’s Messiah
Volunteer Choir
Most members of our chorus are dedicated volunteers who give their time and talent to make MCP an ensemble of and for the people of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Sight-reading skills are helpful but not required to sing as a volunteer, and we provide all singers with resources to prepare repertoire at home (including reference recordings, individual practice tracks, diction recordings, etc.). Volunteer singers are expected to arrive to every rehearsal as prepared as possible so the rehearsal can be spent shaping the sound and musicality of the ensemble. Ideal volunteers possess strong pitch-matching ability, flexibility/willingness to sing a variety of musical styles and approaches, and a passion for rehearsing and performing music at the highest professional level.
Volunteer Audition Requirements:
- 1 solo in any style and language
- 2 prepared excerpts from Berstein’s Chichester Psalms and Handel’s Messiah
Audition Information
Chichester Psalms
Handel's Messiah