The Frequently Asked Questions

Who are we?

We’re a different group every year. We don’t know the roster until we start rehearsals for the concert season, but we do know this:

• We are high school students drawn from Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts.
• There will be somewhere between 40 and 60 of us, chosen through audition.
• We really like to sing, and we’re pretty good at it. (Auditions are competitive, yes, but they’re not at all stressful. You’ll probably enjoy them whether you join the Junior Singers or not.)

What do we do?

We rehearse at the Carter Center Mondays from 6:30 to 9 p.m., preparing music that we perform in concert. We do high-quality choral music, from early Renaissance to stuff that’s not even written yet. This fall, we’ll start rehearsals on Monday, September 19. We’ll make a guest appearance with the Providence Singers on October 29 and 30, and present our own concert at Providence College on Sunday, November 27. In past seasons, we’ve performed with Sweet Honey in the Rock, the Providence Singers and the Rhode Island Philharmonic. And, um, yes it’s true: We have performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Who leads us?

T.J. Harper is our music director. He is currently director of choral activities at Providence College and has experience leading several college choruses and high school choirs. He conducted the Rhode Island Junior All-State Chorus in 2011 and will conduct the Rhode Island Senior All-State Chorus in 2012.

John Burns is our accompanist. He’s a really great pianist who also accompanies the Rhode Island Children’s Chorus.

The volunteer and professional staff of the Providence Singers keeps track of everything and makes sure it all runs smoothly.

Members of The Providence Singers often serve as mentors. Many of the Singers are music educators, choral leaders and musicians, and several of them actually lead high school choruses in the area. A few Singers work with our SATB sections as coaches and even perform with us sometimes.

What does it cost?

Tuition for the program is $250 for everything you’ll need, including music purchase or rental. Need-based scholarships are available for all qualified students with demonstrated financial hardship. You can contact the office for information about scholarships.

Do I need to be good at reading music?

The JPS is mostly interested in what your voice sounds like — how high, how low — and your musical aptitude, like whether you can match a pitch. The audition is about 10 minutes long and includes some basic sight-reading for placement purposes, but sight-reading ability will not be the deciding factor in your audition.

How do people sign up?

For information about the program — audition and rehearsal schedules, fees and scholarships — call the office at (401) 751-5700 or send some e-mail. Ask anyone who’s done it: You’ll learn a lot, meet some great kids, and you won’t soon forget the experience of performing in a major choral arts venue.

    The Junior Providence Singers
    667 Waterman Avenue
    East Providence  RI    02914

How is all this possible?

We have two great organizations behind us to provide artistic and organizational support: The Providence Singers and The Music School of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. It’s an amazing collaboration.