Auditioning

Writers: Paula, Emma
Date Posted: 19th November 2008

Characters: Thanja, Eilomar
Description: Thanja observes and sketches when Eilomar chooses singers for solos.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 13, day 4 of Turn 4

"Get off from here! GET OFF! Don't come back until you can remember the words! " Eilomar shouted and waived his hands dramatically. The unfortunate harper, junior journeyman, who had been target for his shout, hastily ran out from the room where the choir rehearsed. Eilomar was selecting singers for the solo parts today. Obviously, he hadn't passed the audition. Snickers could be heard from the choir.

Perhaps the journeyman was late, thought Thanja as she walked to the door of the rehearsal room. She'd seen them dash out and wondered why. "Master Eilomar," she called out as she reached the door. "Do you mind if I sit in and make a start on some sketches for the programme today?"

"Oh, Thanja, please come in. I'm auditioning for the solo parts. If I can find singer who has actually seen the bother of memorizing the lyrics," the fat master replied and glared the choir until the snickers died down.

"I'm sure that you just haven't heard them yet," assured Thanja as she found a seat and produced her sketch book.

"I do hope so," Eilomar said and turned back to the choir. He did his best to ignore her presence. "Tanavoir, you're next. I'm counting on you," he called. Eilomar had high hopes on him, he was one of his best tenors. A senior apprentice stepped forward, looking rather sheepis and red-eyed.

"Start from the second verse," Eilomar said, tapping his conductors wand for the tempo. Tanavoir started to sing but it was soon apparent that his voice wasn't well. It was hoarse and strained. "STOP, Stop! What's wrong with you're voice?" Alarmed Eilomar asked.

"I have a sore throat," Tanavoir replied and coughed.

"You're sick? And you come here to spread it? Get out! Go to the healers. I don't want to see you until you're well again." Last thing Eilomar needed was whole choir getting a cold and so close to the Turn's Over too.

It was very tempting so say something, thought Thanja. But the man had a reputation of being one of the best vocal coaches on Pern, so he probably did know what he was talking about. Trouble was, there were ways to express that. Still, this was Eilomar.

"Anybody else feeling sick? I rather see you take a day off than permanently damage your voice by singing when sick," Eilomar asked. Nobody admitted being sick. "Let's continued then, next!"

Thanja watched as a youngish looking journeyman came forward. He swallowed nervously, with a glance to Eilomar. "I'm ready when you want me to be Sir."

"The second verse, this is the tempo," Eilomar said, tapping the wand against the stand.

The printer could see the young man start to count, then sat back as his voice filled the rehearsal room. He sounded good, she thought as she sketched. Maybe this would be Eilomar's soloist.

"No too bad," Eilomar concluded when he finished. "There were some impurities and your voice tired towards the end. But those can be worked out with practice. You got the part, at least until Tanavoir recovers," he continued. "Then I'll put you two against each other, so keep practising."

"Well done," mouthed Thanja as she continued to sketch. The look on the journeyman's face was ideal for the programme.

"Next is the soprano part," Eilomar remarked.

"You are letting the females to audition for the par, aren't you? I mean, this is a love-story. If you cast a boy-soprano to the part, people might take it wrong. Of course, since we are at the Weyr, the dragonriders would not mind it," A clear, sweet, bit cheeky and obviously female voice asked.

Eilomar looked the talker. She was about sixteen, with copper red hair, pretty and Eilomar knew her. "Of course I let females to audition for the part," Eilomar said through clenched teeth. She was cheeky little brat, but unfortunately, she was master composer Endras' brat and he didn't want her to go crying to daddy. "Would you like to try, apprentice Enilda?" Eilomar asked.

"Naturally," she replied and walked forward confidently.

Thanja willed the girl on, although sometimes confidence was not always the answer.

Eilomar picked out the hardest part of the performance to sing. She just arched an eyebrow, lifted her chin and started singing. Her voice was simply beautiful, fully trained and she performed flawlessly. Even Eilomar couldn't find anything negative to say after she finished. It was just the kind of voice he wanted. He actually had a tear in his eye corner, which he tried to hide.

Now that was something that Thanja had noticed. And if that was on the programme, well perhaps even some of the posters it might bring more people in.

"Well, you got the part unless someone can surpass _that_," Eilomar said finally. "Anybody willing to try?" he asked. The few other females in the choir shook their heads. They knew they couldn't match that performance.

It looked like Eilomar had his singers all lined up thought Thanja as she completed her last sketch. This would truly be an evening to remember.

Last updated on the November 22nd 2008

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