Audition Journal-Frost school of music at university of miami

<p>God works in mysterious ways. In my case, mysterious is quite the understatement! The school informed me they wanted all students to be there at 8:30 am (which for my semester off is like asking me to tweeze my leg hair off.)</p>

<p>The morning of, February 8th, I wake up earlier than the sunrise. And I immediately start prepping: I took a mucinex to make sure I wouldn't have any gunk (which thankfully at first I didn't,) used my new Neti Pot (which actually tends to work for the first three hours until congestion sets in once again,) inhaled steam from a pot, and used some nose spray to help get everything out. That must have been too much! I didn't realize it at the time, but through the ninety minutes it took us to drive down to Miami from maybe 40 miles north in Boca, I found my voice to be very gravelly and rough sounding, not normal. </p>

<p>Meanwhile, we're 20 miles away, and it's 8:40 am. I called the school and they told me "you should have been here at 8:30 and known the rush hour." I didn't know people go to miami from afar! Anyways, we get there...about 9:40 I am shaking of fear that maybe they won't let me audition! I got there too late to sign up for the dance portion of my musical theater audition (so I cancelled that and just stuck with my classical voice audition.)</p>

<p>After many a theory test, aural training, and slugging across the campus for this and that, I was able to warm up. That's when I realized things weren't headed towards cloud 9 :-. </p>

<p>I couldn't hit the high note, etc. etc., so I just tried to make it so that I could showcase my voice if possible, and get out and go to sleep. </p>

<p>Since I got there SOOO late, they gave me a 4:15 audition slot! So I had all the time in the world to just tan if I so chose to (which didn't happen because there was an alligator in the lake where I was going to just plotz.) </p>

<p>Finally, I go inside at 4:00 and take my temperature, not feeling so great. It's 102. Wondaful!! It always happens that things like this should come on an audition day; a day that decides your fate--will you get in? or will you not?</p>

<p>4:10, the very personable judges call me in. They really were all that I could've asked for! Really nice, asking lots of questions. Then they informed me I would be videotaped, which...further enhanced my adrenaline. I start my first song, my nerves and sickness kind of make things difficult, and I feel my face twitching! I don't know why I twitch every time I get nervous! </p>

<p>There was one part where I remember in the second song (nel cor piu non mi sento) when I was going to emote and sound mad, frustrated, I ended up cracking because of my rebellious voice. And, well, the emotions didn't come through well. </p>

<p>Meanwhile, the entire time I'm there I completely forgot I was being videotaped, and noticed the judges never looked up at me once. So I kind of laxed my performance...and wouldn't you know it the second I was done I realized I totally screwed up as the last judge turned off the camera. </p>

<p>Five minutes after I finished the audition I felt completely better, no fever...How does this happen?? But, I stood outside the door and listened to the last few auditioners--they were excellent: healthy, great tone, timbre, so I left feeling a little underconfident.</p>

<p>But you know what? If I don't get in, I got some experience in. I learned at least you can only do SO much and then it gets obsessive! And...peanut butter apparently is a HORRIBLE thing to have before an audition (tip #411)</p>

<p>Now all I have to do is wait till march...maybe the "mystery" will be cleared up! And...maybe I'll get in? Who knows. All I know is I am not even close to being done with auditions yet.</p>

<p>I debated on whether I wanted to post an answer to this, but decided that for the benefit of other auditions you may have approaching, as well as for others reading this, that I would like to. I don't want to sound harsh, but I do plan to take you to task on several points.

[quote]
Five minutes after I finished the audition I felt completely better, no fever...How does this happen??

[/quote]

First - this may not have been the cause in your case, but there are people who can develop a temperature due to sheer nervousness. Something about the adrenalin pumping would be my guess. If that is even a possibility for you, or because of the twitch you later mentioned, you may want to investigate stress-relieving techniques. </p>

<p>
[quote]
If I don't get in, I got some experience in. I learned at least you can only do SO much and then it gets obsessive!

[/quote]

I totally agree with the point that people can get obsessive - did I pick the perfect song, the perfect monologue, the perfect hairstyle, the perfect audition outfit, the perfect school list? However, there are certainly things that are in your control that you didn't control.

[quote]
The school informed me they wanted all students to be there at 8:30 am (which for my semester off is like asking me to tweeze my leg hair off.)

[/quote]

I'm guessing for many students going through the audition season, if tweezing off their leg hairs could improve their chances, then off it would come! Seriously, being on time is the bare minimum expected for auditions. I realize there can be extenuating circumstances, but not allowing for the city's rush hour doesn't qualify. Get to auditions early - WAY early. It will give you time to settle in, plan where you might have to go on campus, maybe take the opportunity to walk around a bit and get a feel for the place. At the very least, have time to calm yourself and focus.

[quote]
I completely forgot I was being videotaped, and noticed the judges never looked up at me once. So I kind of laxed my performance

[/quote]

It is impossible to judge what the auditors are noticing, or thinking, or feeling during your audition. You can't control their reactions, or lack thereof, all you can do is give the very best performance you can, every time, no matter what reaction you get.

[quote]
I start my first song, my nerves and sickness kind of make things difficult, ... I ended up cracking because of my rebellious voice.

[/quote]

That can happen. Choosing material which isn't at the extreme ends of your range can help mitigate that in some (although not all) circumstances.</p>

<p>If you are truly committed to trying to get into a school for musical theatre, and then make it in musical theatre as a profession, you have to figure out which aspects of the audition process you can control, and then do your utmost to do everything possible to control those aspects in a positive way.</p>

oh wow, did you get in???

@JessRoman -this is a really old thread and moderators do not like them being revived- just something to keep in mind when posting.