Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are you a student community or a university choir?
No, we are not a university choir. We are a choir founded by METU graduates and students, working at METU facilities. More than half of our current staff consists of non-student members.
Is it necessary to be a METU student or a graduate to join the choir?
No. You can join us even if you are not a METU student, member or graduate.
Are you just singing jazz?
No. We attach importance to innovation and themes in our repertoire. We mainly perform contemporary works.
Is there an age limit for the choir?
Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to become our member.
What are the rehearsal days and hours? How many hours do you rehearse per week?
Normally, our rehearsals take place on Tuesday 19:15-22:00 and Saturday 14:00-18:00. When deemed necessary, extra rehearsals can be added on Wednesday 19:15-22:00.
Is there an obligation to attend the rehearsals?
We believe that choral music is a work of collaboration. Choristers are expected to attend all rehearsals, except for important or special situations such as health.
Apart from attending the rehearsals, what are the other responsibilities of the chorists?
Jazzberry Tunes chorists:
- Come to the rehearsals by learning the scores in advance and completing the voice recordings of their parts.
- Complete the music assignments given at certain times.
- It is expected to attend the singing lessons continuously and regularly.
- Take part in the administrative affairs of the choir and take part in a Coordination and Improvement Team within the organizational structure.
How does the selection process work?
Our auditions usually consist of 2 parts:
Part 1: We perform an audition to test your basic musical abilities and listen to 30 seconds of a song that you have chosen.
Part 2: If the previous part is successful, the scores of a choral piece are shared according to the voice group of the candidate and the candidate is asked to work on some or all of the piece. A face-to-face meeting is planned with the candidate through an appointment system. In this interview, the candidate is asked to sing the pieces sent. In addition, an interview is conducted with the candidate.
Do we need to be able to read notes to be a chorist?
No. There is no requirement to know notes and solfege in our auditions.
Do I need experience?
What matters is your performance in the auditions. Your choral or musical experience is not required as an application requirement.
Does a full time job prevent me from being a chorist?
Our rehearsal times are scheduled outside of working hours, so your job will not prevent you from joining our choir. However, we would like to remind you that, apart from the rehearsal times, you need to take time individually to prepare for the choral pieces.
Can I join Jazzberry Tunes besides being a choirist?
You can apply to our technical team to join our choir. The technical crew works on the subjects such as photography, video, sound, light, organizing events&concerts.
If I join the choir, can I improve myself in vocals?
Our choirists take vocal lessons from time to time and in addition, they have the opportunity to work with Turkey's most experienced vocal trainers. Apart from music, we also attach importance to the personal development of our members, in this context, we organize trainings and encourage them to carry out projects.
Would being a member of another choir prevent me from applying to you?
We expect our choirists to fulfill the requirements of our choir completely. Our chorists can take part in different choirs, provided that these requirements are not interrupted.