<p>Both excellent songs! I don’t know that I would really classify “Avalanche” as uptempo – much of it is ballad-y, especially the beginning – but it certainly contemporary, and many schools require only that songs be contrasting. It’s quite long, so you will probably have to cut it; maybe you could just use the end of the song if any of your schools specifically require an uptempo song.</p>
<p>Okay! So it took me a few sleepless nights, but I finally read through this entire thread!</p>
<p>I have a question regarding one of my potential audition songs:
Since it’s technically an opera, would singing something from Porgy and Bess be discouraged? Also, there are plans for bringing it to Broadway in January, should I stay away?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I don’t think a song from Porgy & Bess would be inappropriate, as long as it’s from a role that you could realistically portray: i.e. age and race-appropriate. I have heard, however, that it’s wise to stay away from the song “Summertime”, as it’s been overdone.</p>
<p>Thank you! I’m a guy, so I won’t be singing “Summertime” (:</p>
<p>Race is always an issue for me. I’m half black, half white. When looking at me, some think I’m too dark to be white, but too light to be black. This has me really confused with as to what I can realistically portray on stage. But if Brian Stokes Mitchell can is dark enough to be considered black, I suppose I am as well.</p>
<p>This is message is so politically incorrect. Sorry if I’ve offended anyone!</p>
<p>No offense taken – I was trying to be politically correct as well!</p>
<p>A random question that I would like some outside opinions on – I absolutely love Losing My Mind from Follies (I’m a Sondheim lover), but I understand that Sally is not a young character, although there is also a young Sally character in the musical. Would it alright to do this song since I’m in love with it and it fits my range well?? Or is it off-limits automatically?</p>
<p>If you are asking about the wisdom of choosing this piece for college auditions, you may want to consider:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Sondheim is specifically included on “Don’t Do” lists by many sources for college audition recommendations.</p></li>
<li><p>Many colleges recommend or specifically require a ballad from before 1970 or from “the Golden Age,” and I am pretty sure that this song doesn’t meet the intent of that type of requirement.</p></li>
<li><p>As you note, the song is for an older character. If you do some searches, you will find many posts describing why you should do songs from roles for which you could be realistically cast (this is probably not one of those roles for an 18-year-old).</p></li>
<li><p>The song is very popular and is commonly done in many settings (I won’t use the dreaded “O” word but…).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In addition to what was written by Emsdad, it is generally recommended that you not choose a song from a show that is currently (or has been recently) running on Broadway.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input! And oops, I forgot to mention this – I know Sondheim is advised against for the sake of the accompanist, but all of my auditions call for recorded accompaniment, so that wouldn’t be an issue. Otherwise, I do have another Rogers and Hammerstein piece as my uptempo/contrasting song, because like you said, Follies is from the 70s and not considered “classical” broadway which colleges like to see at least one song of. If any of that changes things, let me know. However, I can always find another song if it’s still a no-no.</p>
<p>EDIT: Shoot, I forgot about that rule and it being on Broadway! Looks like back to the drawing board, oh well! ;)</p>
<p>It is recommended from many sources that you do your ballad from the Golden Age. Many colleges really like to see you perform an “in-one” ballad from the time before motorized scene changes that shows your lyric capability.</p>
<p>There are other reasons that Sondheim is on many “don’t do” lists besides the complexity of the accompaniment, including the difficulty for many (maybe “most”) high schoolers to be able to “act the song” convincingly for a panel of seasoned professionals and educators. Sondheim’s music is considered by some (maybe most) experts to be too complex and demanding for HS-ers to use for an audition.</p>
<p>Alright, thanks for your advice. My voice teacher is really set on doing one piece of Sondheim since I work well with it and we don’t have to worry about the accompanist, so any thoughts on perhaps Everybody Loves Louis from Sunday in the Park with George? Funny, uptempo, definitely closer to my age, and honestly I don’t hear it done much. If paired with a Golden Age ballad, could this possibly work? Any opinions?</p>
<p>Dot (22-30) is certainly a better fit than Sally (45-60) for a HS senior. My non-expert understanding is that using an uptempo song from a modern (post-1965-1970) show is preferable to using a “modern” ballad. You may want to seek some advice from a vocal coach with experience in college auditions to help you select pieces, sometimes voice teachers are not as expert as one might think in the MT college audition process.</p>
<p>But then again, some would say, “pick out songs that you like and just go for it.”</p>
<p>I will definitely get more opinions from other teachers - I never realized how hard finding the perfect audition materials would be!! what strikes me as strange is the fact that one of my drama directors first suggested Losing My Mind to me - and she is a BFA Roosevelt CCPA graduate! perhaps things have just changed over the years. but, I digress. thanks again for your help! I’m relieved that I got most of the application stuff out of the way, so that I can focus on the bumps like this that come up during this hectic process! ;)</p>
<p>You’ve received some very good advice here. I myself am a grad of the U-Michigan theater program – but I can tell you that things have indeed changed drastically since I graduated. Programs are much more intense, and applicants much more sophisticated now. Rely on advice from those who are currently involved in college casting, or who have recently gone through it successfully. Good luck!</p>
<p>Just wanted to add…My son’s song selection, fwiw, included a pre-1960’s uptempo and a contemporary ballad, which he perfomed for many of his auditions. His songs were suggested/approved of by his very well-known college audition coaches. In the end, he did very well with his auditions. Now granted, being a male makes a difference, as well as so many other factors in the audition process besides song selection. Just wanted to point out that success can be had with a contemporary ballad/classic uptempo. In my humble – and entirely non-professional – opinion, of course pay attention to the strict rules (ie., “do not perform”). But more importantly, as others have suggested, pick songs that you truly love, that you can perform flawlessly and that suit your type/age, and don’t sweat the small stuff.</p>
<p>Ugh it seems like every song that would be appropriate for an 18 year old girl that is not Sondheim or Jason Roberts Brown, is “overdone.” !!!</p>
<p>@calliene: it pays to do some research. A good place to start is “The New Broadway Song Companion” by David DeVenney. This book lists hundreds of songs by voice part and style (Ballad, Uptempo, etc.) which are cross-referenced to the musical that they are from. You can readily find lots of numbers for young female parts that are not “overdone.”</p>
<p>Some people don’t worry much about doing “overdone” songs, although you should always avoid songs explicitly called out by specific schools as “do not do.” Others like to show that they put forth the effort to find something relatively unique. One advantage of finding a little-done song is that you don’t have to worry about direct comparisons when the three people in front of you do the same song you are doing.</p>
<p>You should have a book of rep with several songs of each style in it (panelists sometimes ask to hear something other than just the two songs that you have picked out for the audition), another reason for putting some effort into research.</p>
<p>Another good way to start is to look up songs by the masters of the genre from the Golden Age: Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, early Kander and Ebb, Frank Loesser, Leonard Bernstein, Adler and Ross, etc. They all wrote lots of stuff that is not done that frequently.</p>
<p>We all feel your pain, Calliene! It’s really tough to find something that isn’t on someone’s “do not sing” list, is age and gender appropriate and won’t be sung by every other girl out there! Really, I wish they would just publish a list of about 25 songs they DO want to hear and let people pick from that!</p>
<p>I have to say, that’s the MAIN reason we decided to go with a coaching service, although since then we have discovered a MULTITUDE of benefits that we hadn’t anticipated.</p>
<p>However, keep searching past threads and you will find links to some great musical theatre sites with lists of songs you’re probably never heard of that would be GREAT for college auditions!</p>
<p>tracyvp, you mention coaching services. I would love to work with a coach if I can, but I’m not entirely sure my dad could afford it. the application/audition fees alone have been a killer!! if you don’t mind my asking, how much could one expect to pay for a coach?</p>
<p>Sent a PM.</p>