audition songs/ monologues

<p>i don't know, i've learned that they're all different, but that they're all fine as long as the pages don't glare in the light of the room-like...not the shiny stuff...and usually a binder is better, but taped is fine...this is all according to what I learned at el cmu, of course lol.</p>

<p>Speaking from experience, plastic pockets in a binder = bad :o (light reflects off them and makes them more difficult to read)
I find taped has been best personally.</p>

<p>Okay, this is the perfect way to organize your music, so read carefully. I have been thanked by accompanists for doing this.</p>

<p>CARDSTOCK. Go to Kinko's, find some ivory or off-white cardstock. They have it on display and you can just grab a pile and use it instead of regular printer paper for your copies. Copy your music DIRECTLY ONTO THE CARDSTOCK. Make sure it's not bright white, as that can be sort of glaring. Ivory or off-white is best. You can even be creative and get a pastel shade, but make sure it's not too dark or distracting.</p>

<p>Once your music is on the cardstock, accordion-tape it together, so that the first page is on the INSIDE when you fold it up. Mark the title of the song, the musical it's from, and the number of measures of your cut on the outside. Write your name there too.</p>

<p>Mark your music with a Sharpie marker. Make any written instructions BIG.</p>

<p>Buy a binder and some transparent plastic paper holders (they are like transparent pockets, with binder holes on the left side.) When you fold up your music, you can place each song into it's own individual paper holder. That way, you can keep everything organized in one place, and then just whip the music out of the plastic holder when you need it. It's fast and efficient. Also, the cardstock, being thicker and sturdier than regular paper, will stand on the piano SO reliably. It will never fold or fall onto the pianist's hands like paper sometimes does. Also, if your selection is long, say six or seven pages, the cardstock allows the whole thing to sit flat on the piano, whereas paper wouldn't be able to support the extra weight hanging off the sides.</p>

<p>Accompanists will LOVE you if you do this. Guarantee it.</p>

<p>If you are confused about my description of how to do this, ask and I'll clarify.</p>

<p>:) Happy New Year!</p>

<p>One more thing!</p>

<p>Just to clarify, you are not making the piano-player read your music from inside the binder. The binder is merely the storage center for your music. The music is accordion-taped and must be removed from the binder and unfolded for the accompanist. You can leave your actual binder outside the room OR bring it in and leave it on top of the piano if you think there's any chance of the auditors asking you for another song.</p>

<p>SO great.</p>

<p>I like accordian style, on thick (card stock) paper - but only if the song is 4 pages or less. </p>

<p>If more than 4 pages, present it in a binder, double-sided copy, and (if you feel you must) only in NON-glare plastic sleeves.</p>

<p>eve</p>

<p><em>goes to kinkos</em></p>

<p>Can anyone suggest a good MT vocal coach in the Chicago area -- preferably west suburbs such as Naperville or Oakbrook -- who would be good for last minute sessions before a string of college auditions?</p>

<p>My son has a great vocal coach, but he's geared more towards operatic vocal performance, and I think another perspective might be advantageous. Thanks.</p>

<p>isn't coachc from the Chicago arrea?</p>

<p>No. She is currently in a graduate program in the Pittsburgh area.</p>

<p>I've been reading this thread. A few questions.
1. My voice teacher gave me some songs to sing. I feel like "Shy" is increadiblly overdone for auditions ( even though I keep getting "you would be so good at singing that") so Im not going to do that. Is " Who will love me as I am" from Sideshow overdone? I can really relate to that and think it would be a good song.
Also in terms of monologues is is it safe to do something from Lillian Hellmans " A Childrens Hour"?
Im not sure what kind of type I fit into but my voice teacher sees me as the kind of quirky sweet and lovable one. Think Elphaba, the princess in Once Upon A Mattress, the girl from the Fantastiks(I want to say her name is Laurie)def. not the ingenue,</p>

<p>the girl from the fantastiks is luisa.</p>

<p>sporti2005, yeah I knew it started with an L but was not sure what the name was. Thanks.</p>

<p>Yes, I'm is a Pittsburgh-area person - but I also coach frequently in NYC, have many coachees who contact me from far-away places (we work in creative ways, thanks to the magic of technology!), and also occasionally travel to my coachees. </p>

<p>Edmondsg, I just returned home from a loooong day of rehearsal and coaching and have another tomorrow, as well as a big New Year's gig I direct, but I will respond to your email on Sunday at the very latest!</p>

<p>Happy New Year, all!</p>

<p>Thanks, CoachC! Hmm... long distance coaching in creative high-tech ways... that sounds like a definite possibility. We already have part of Matt's audition on DVD, and can send shorter clips via e-mail.</p>

<p>Thanks... we can chat more via e-mail. Good luck with your New Year's gig!</p>

<p>I'd like to post something I've found helpful that might help others. First of all, Happy New Year everyone. I pray that you all have a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve and a healthy and happy 2006. Now to my info. I downloaded the SBC Yahoo Music Engine. It's just a free piece of software that manages and downloads music. You can listen to a classic broadway "station" and jot down songs that fit your need. Then you can do a search and listen to 30 second clips and download the songs you like for only 99 cents. It's a great way to search for particular types of songs, such as a belt upbeat number, etc. I'm sure there are other music software pieces that would do the same thing. We also have musicmatch, but it doesn't seem to have the selection of broadway pieces that yahoo does. So, hope that helps some of you kids and moms out. It's been a big help here.</p>

<p>Happy New Year everyone! Any thoughts/comments on Christopher Durang's plays for monologues? Is he overdone? It has been suggested that my D try him.</p>

<p>I was also told to try Christopher Durang. . . I'm going to pick up a few of his plays. From what I've heard, he's fantastic, but I do not know if he is labeled: "overdone". . . I sure hope not! :-)</p>

<p>What do you guys think about using songs from "Lion King"? I was looking at "Endless Night" which is not in the movie, so it is one of the less known songs from the show. I haven't seen it on any of the "Do's/Dont's" lists, but I thought of it as a potential "Don't" because..well...it's Disney. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>It's actually a great song to use if you're an African-American guy (one of the few Disney songs considered acceptable at auditions, probably because it shouldn't usually be sung by anyone BUT African-American guys in an audition setting - as with everything, there are exceptions, but that's the general "rule" with that song). So if that fits you AND you sing the HECK out of it, go for it - it's a great acting piece, too, as long as you find the joy in it as well as the despair.</p>

<p>Thank you CoachC!..
but unfortunately I am not! So...it will just have to be a great song to listen to for now :) Thank you so much! I also have another question about contrasting songs- I have a great song that is very much a "driving ballad"...so would it be appropriate to contrast this with an uptempo song or a ballad? I ALWAYS seem to find great material that is sort of in that gray area...thanks in advance!</p>