Time is running out to join Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 3

Singers and choral music lovers have less than two weeks left to become a voice in Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 3 – the composer’s most ambitious online collective singing project so far.
The 31 January deadline looms large for those wishing to submit their webcam sings of Whitacre’s 1995 a cappella composition, Water Night, available now at musicroom.com.
Following on from his previous two web based mega-choirs, Virtual Choir 3 promises to take the concept further than ever, pushing the envelope for online musical collaboration and the technology behind it.

From an initial 182 voices singing Lux Aurumque in Virtual Choir 1.0, to an incredible 2052 strong rendition of Sleep in its second iteration, Whitacre’s ever-expanding vision for the project, and the fantastic response from the singing public, has seen it grow and progress beyond expectation.

With Water Night, for the first time ever, the online choral phenomenon is expanding into the physical realm too. The finished performance video will be premiered both online and off using video sites and real world installations. In Eric’s own words:
“The final film will exist not only as a beautiful online video but also as a powerful audio-visual art exhibit, placed in cities around the world. Visitors to these installations will get the chance to literally walk through our Virtual Choir, a deeply immersive experience using surround sound and panoramic video, tailored for each venue.
Imagine someone standing in the middle of the Virtual Choir as we sing the line “if you open your eyes”!
The initial inspiration for the Virtual Choir came from one of Eric’s fans, Britlin Losee, who sent the composer a YouTube clip of her singing the soprano line to his choral work, Sleep. Touched by the video, Eric was moved to explore the possibilities of mass musical performance over the web, blazing a trail for online musical innovation and collaboration in choral music.
The Virtual Choir is a modern testament to the awesome power of music and people amplified through the internet; an empowered public coming together to create and share in a beautiful idea that brings people of all backgrounds together to stop, think and enjoy.
Have you taken part in any of Eric’s online Virtual Choirs? Will you be singing for the Virtual Choir 3? Have you ever taken part in your own or similar online musical collaborations? Leave your stories and experiences in the comments box below!
Discover Water Night, Lux Aurumque and Sleep, along with Eric’s other fantastic works at musicroom.com