The American Military Spouses Choir, a musical group that in 2013 was a top contender on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” competition, is looking for more spouses to be a part of its Washington, D.C.-based ensemble.
Auditions, scheduled for April 29 and May 6, are open to male and female spouses of active-duty, National Guard, reserve and retired service members. The Center for American Military Music Opportunities, better known as CAMMO, created the choir in 2012 and manages it.
There’s one male spouse in the choir, and the managers do want to add more men as well as women, said Cathie Lechareas, co-founder and executive director of CAMMO.
CAMMO has other founded other groups, including CAMMO Kids, which features military children who perform.
Choir performances help to raise awareness and funds for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
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CAMMO, in partnership with the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore, will conduct the auditions at the USO Warrior and Family Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Audition times have yet to be determined, and CAMMO will send out music and materials in advance. To audition or to ask questions about the audition, contact amsc@cammomusic.org and include a photo.
Spouses, in varying numbers, perform at a range of events, and choir members are cast for performances based on the client’s needs or the needs of CAMMO. Choir performances are requested for many “high-profile” events and a high professional standard is required, according to CAMMO officials.
Being accepted into the choir means being on the list of choir members, but it doesn’t guarantee that the spouse will be cast for any specific event. Most performances that include new choir members will be in the Washington, D.C., area, but some travel may be required.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.