College Audition Clinic

Everyone wants to get into the best college program possible in order to place
themselves along the path towards the careers they’ve always dreamed of
having. They have been studying for the SAT exams, they hold office positions in
their class, they have a diverse range of interests and activities that shows that
they are well-rounded students. The complication for those that are in the
performing arts is that they have additional requirements above and beyond
those things that seem to stress all students to the max. So while everyone else
takes a huge sigh of relief in November or January when their applications are
submitted, the hardest part is just starting for the performing arts student.

There are some that prepare at least a year in advance to take the SAT exam. It is
a smart move because it is what secures that they will be admitted into the
college, however, if not enough time is spent on the preparation for the college
audition, you could get into the college but not the program.

Just as artists take 1-2 years to build up their portfolio to present to their
prospective colleges, so, too, must the musical theater performer work on their
repertoire so that the student is prepared regardless of the requested
requirements for their audition.

So what to prepare?
1. The first thing is selecting songs that show variety in style and ability.
2. Choose songs that have a great “money” note AND a low note that can
show your full range. If one song doesn’t have both, make sure the other
submission has what’s missing.
3. You need an up-tempo and ballad from the classic music theater genre.
4. You also need an up-tempo and ballad from contemporary song.
5. You need to avoid anything currently on Broadway.
6. You must avoid anything that is overdone. The idea is to set you apart
from the rest.
7. Avoid doing a song that is sung by an iconic singer that causes the
judges/jury to hold that beloved rendition in their head regardless of
what you sing.

Now, how to prepare?

1. Song analysis is crucial in order to get at the emotional journey of the
character during the song. Judges don’t just want a great sounding song,
they want to see the story of the song come to life through the character’s
voice.
2. Choosing the perfect 16 bars from the song. Make sure the notes you want
to highlight are within your selection.
3. Never choose the easy 16 bar segment of a song that is known for the big
ending.
4. Don’t ever try a brand new song for your audition material. Auditions are
nerve-wracking experiences, so you want something that you are well-
versed in performing so that you don’t freeze up as a result of the nervous
energy.
 5.

COPY

Audition Clinic
What will you get?
1. One on one instruction for song selection and 16 bar