About NACAPAThe North American Center for African Performing Arts (NACAPA) is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving, presenting, and advancing African performing arts and their diasporic traditions. NACAPA fulfills this mission through performance, cultural education, artist development, research, documentation, community engagement, and immersive programming. NACAPA brings together artists, scholars, cultural practitioners, students, institutions, and communities to engage African performing traditions with cultural specificity, artistic integrity, and contemporary relevance. Its African-centered Cultural Exchange programs also create opportunities for collaboration with practitioners from other traditions, including orchestral music, jazz, mariachi, theatre, dance, and related art forms. Guided by the motto "Preserve. Celebrate. Connect.", NACAPA works to strengthen connections among African artistic heritage, contemporary creative practice, and diverse North American audiences. About the NACAPA ChoirThe NACAPA Choir is a Los Angeles-based adult community ensemble rooted in African and African diasporic choral traditions and open to singers from all backgrounds. The choir will present music drawn from African regions, languages, communities, and diasporic traditions while also participating in NACAPA's Cultural Exchange work. This may include collaborations with orchestral musicians, jazz artists, mariachi ensembles, theatre and dance practitioners, composers, guest conductors, and other cultural traditions. NACAPA is currently recruiting singers for the choir's founding cohort. Selected members will help establish the ensemble's artistic identity, sound, working culture, traditions, and performance standards.
The Opportunity:
Founding choir members will participate in regular rehearsals, vocal development, sectional work, repertoire preparation, concerts, community performances, and selected NACAPA Cultural Exchange programs.
Members may also have opportunities to:
Work with guest artists, composers, arrangers, and cultural practitioners.
Participate in the development and presentation of new works.
Learn repertoire in African and diasporic languages.
Develop stylistic familiarity with a range of African-centered vocal and performance practices.
Contribute to the formation of a new Los Angeles performing ensemble.
Represent NACAPA at selected concerts, community events, educational programs, and institutional collaborations.
This is an unpaid volunteer ensemble-membership opportunity. It is not full-time, part-time, contract, or other employment with NACAPA.
Responsibilities:
Founding choir members will be expected to:
Attend scheduled rehearsals, sectionals, performances, and required artistic activities.
Arrive punctually and remain for the full scheduled rehearsal or performance period.
Participate in vocal warm-ups, musical preparation, sectional work, and ensemble development.
Practice assigned music between rehearsals.
Learn assigned notes, rhythms, texts, pronunciations, and performance directions.
Work constructively with the conductor, artistic leadership, section leaders, guest artists, and other choir members.
Receive musical correction and direction professionally.
Participate in movement or embodied performance when appropriate to the repertoire.
Communicate promptly when an unavoidable absence or scheduling conflict arises.
Follow NACAPA Choir attendance, conduct, safety, performance, and communications policies.
Treat the cultural traditions represented in the repertoire with respect, seriousness, and appropriate preparation.
Contribute to an ensemble environment based on artistic discipline, cooperation, inclusion, and mutual respect.
Qualifications: Applicants should possess:
- The ability to sing with reasonably reliable pitch, rhythm, and vocal control.
- The ability or developing ability to hold an assigned vocal part within a choral ensemble.
- Willingness to learn repertoire rooted in African and African diasporic musical traditions.
- Openness to unfamiliar languages, pronunciation systems, vocal styles, movement, and performance practices.
- Commitment to regular attendance, preparation, punctuality, and respectful ensemble participation.
- Willingness to receive musical direction and work collaboratively.
- Respect for African-centered artistic practice and openness to Cultural Exchange across musical and performance traditions.
- Availability to attend in-person rehearsals and performances in the greater Los Angeles area.
- Previous choir, ensemble, church, school, community, theatrical, or other vocal-performance experience is helpful but not required. Music-reading ability and formal vocal training are beneficial but not required.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- Who Should ApplyNACAPA welcomes applications from:
- Experienced choir singers seeking a new ensemble.
- Singers who previously participated in school, university, church, community, or professional ensembles.
- Adults returning to choral singing after time away.
- Musicians interested in African and African diasporic repertoire.
- Singers interested in cross-cultural artistic collaboration.
- Individuals who may not have formal musical training but demonstrate vocal ability, commitment, and willingness to learn.
- Soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and other voice types.
- Singers of all racial, cultural, national, and musical backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not need to be African or of African descent. Members must, however, be prepared to engage African-centered repertoire with cultural respect, intellectual curiosity, and artistic discipline.
- Time CommitmentThe choir is expected to rehearse approximately two Saturdays per month, with additional rehearsals or sectionals scheduled when necessary for major performances.
- Members should also expect:
- Individual preparation between rehearsals.
- Selected concerts and community performances.
- Occasional dress rehearsals or additional artistic calls.
- Advance scheduling information whenever reasonably possible.
- Rehearsals and performances will take place primarily in person at locations within the greater Los Angeles area. Because the choir serves singers across Los Angeles County, rehearsal venues may vary.
- Applicants should consider the recurring nature of the commitment before applying.
- What Members Will ReceiveFounding choir members will receive:
- Recognition as members of the NACAPA Choir founding cohort, subject to satisfactory participation.
- Regular ensemble rehearsal and vocal-development opportunities.
- Guided study of African and African diasporic choral repertoire.
- Coaching in musical style, text, language, pronunciation, rhythm, and performance practice.
- Opportunities to perform in NACAPA concerts, community programs, selected Cultural Exchange projects, and future touring activities as the ensemble develops.
- Opportunities to collaborate with singers, conductors, instrumentalists, composers, guest artists, and cultural practitioners.
- Opportunities to participate in recordings, special projects, festivals, residencies, and other artistic initiatives when available.
- Participation in the formation of a new African-centered performing institution in Los Angeles.
- Participation does not guarantee paid engagements, professional representation, solo assignments, recordings, touring, or placement in every performance or project.
- Singers of all racial, cultural, national, and musical backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not need to be African or of African descent. Members must, however, be prepared to engage African-centered repertoire with cultural respect, intellectual curiosity, and artistic discipline.
- Time CommitmentThe choir is expected to rehearse approximately two Saturdays per month, with additional rehearsals or sectionals scheduled when necessary for major performances.
- Members should also expect:
- Individual preparation between rehearsals.
- Selected concerts and community performances.
- Occasional dress rehearsals or additional artistic calls.
- Advance scheduling information whenever reasonably possible.
- Rehearsals and performances will take place primarily in person at locations within the greater Los Angeles area. Because the choir serves singers across Los Angeles County, rehearsal venues may vary.
- Applicants should consider the recurring nature of the commitment before applying.
- What Members Will ReceiveFounding choir members will receive:
- Recognition as members of the NACAPA Choir founding cohort, subject to satisfactory participation.
- Regular ensemble rehearsal and vocal-development opportunities.
- Guided study of African and African diasporic choral repertoire.
- Coaching in musical style, text, language, pronunciation, rhythm, and performance practice.
- Opportunities to perform in NACAPA concerts, community programs, and selected Cultural Exchange projects.
- Opportunities to collaborate with singers, conductors, instrumentalists, composers, guest artists, and cultural practitioners.
- Participation in the formation of a new African-centered performing institution in Los Angeles.
- Participation does not guarantee paid engagements, professional representation, solo assignments, recordings, or placement in every performance.
Application and Placement Process:
Applicants must complete the official NACAPA Choir application at:https://nacapa.org/choirThe application process generally includes:
Submission of the official choir application.
Review by NACAPA's artistic leadership.
A brief conversation and supportive vocal-placement session.
A placement decision.
Completion of onboarding requirements by selected singers.
The vocal-placement session is intended to help NACAPA understand the applicant's voice, range, musical background, and possible section placement. It is not intended to function as an intimidating conventional audition.
Submission of an application or participation in a placement session does not constitute an offer of choir membership. Applicants will receive confirmation if selected for the founding cohort.
Compensation and Employment StatusThis is an unpaid volunteer artistic-membership opportunity.
Choir members are not employees, independent contractors, or paid staff members of NACAPA by virtue of their participation in the ensemble. Participation does not create an entitlement to wages, benefits, reimbursement, future employment, or paid performance engagements.
Any future opportunity involving separate compensation would require its own written terms and would not be implied by membership in the choir.
Equal ParticipationNACAPA encourages applications from adults of all racial, ethnic, national, cultural, socioeconomic, and musical backgrounds.
Selection and vocal placement will be based on the needs of the ensemble, vocal capacity, musical readiness, availability, commitment, and ability to participate constructively in the choir's artistic work.
How to Apply:
Complete the official application at:https://nacapa.org/choirApplicants should not submit a résumé, professional headshot, cover letter, or performance reel unless specifically requested. The official NACAPA Choir application contains the information needed for the first stage of consideration. Questions may be directed to:choir@nacapa.org
