Professional Choir

Professional choir singers perform classical pieces.

Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images

The International Journal of Research in Choral Singing says more Americans engage in the public performance of choral singing than in any other art form. For some members, though, performing in a choir is more than a hobby. Professional choir singers rehearse for hours to master vocal techniques. Becoming a professional choir singer takes artistic expression, but also talent and hard work.

Singing Solo

To open additional avenues of employment, a solo singer might consider singing with a professional choir. This transition takes discipline. The singer needs to work with a professional choir conductor to learn how the choir functions as a unit. The conductor will instruct a choir singer how to pull back his individual pitch, tone and vibrato and how to harmonize with the choir. To transition successfully to a professional choir singer, a solo singer must be willing to embrace the choral experience, according to Margaret Olson, author of The Solo Singer in the Choral Setting.

Commitment

To get an idea of the commitment required to become a professional choir singer, consider the Canadian Chamber Choir. This professional choir for Canadian singers :organizes short projects in different locations around the country, " usually lasting between seven and 10 days, according to the Choir's website. The choir members spend three to four days in rehearsal, with singers expected to learn the music prior to their arrival. This level of commitment enables the choir to perform work by classical composers.

Related Reading: What Does It Take to Be a Woman Fireman?

Sight Reading

A professional choir singer must be able to "sight read" music. Professional choir singers develop sight-reading skills by writing the note names on the score and playing the notes on a piano. This helps them correlate sheet music to audible sounds without having rehearsed the piece.

Range

A professional choir singer needs to identify his or her vocal range, such as baritone or tenor. The technique used involves singing the lowest comfortable note on a piano, before moving up scale to the highest comfortable note. The distance between the two will identify a singer's vocal range and determines their vocal section in a professional choir.