Building a Rep List

<p>Tell me if this is a good plan:</p>

<p>D has made her short list of schools to Commercial/Popular Music (Voice). As she (a junior now) works towards auditions (little over one year away), she wants to build up/round out her rep list by considering the audition requirements at each school. That way she will be Prepared for each audition and have a wider variety than any given school has for auditions. </p>

<p>Here are my questions:
a) (Mot basic) does this sound like is a reasonable plan?
b) How many songs should be on a repertoire list?
c) SHould original songs be on rep list
d)Is there a standard format for rep lists?
e) How much does the rep list play into a school's decision?</p>

<p>Here is her short list, in order of preference:
USC Thornton
Belmont
Miami Frost (Hornsby Program)
Berklee
U Colorado-Denver
Denver Lamont
NYU Clive Davis Program
Florida State</p>

<p>Yes, she swinging for the fences but that's her plan. ANy schools she might want to add as safeties? We live in Ohio. We've heard talk of a new program at CCM starting next year so that might be an option as well.</p>

<p>Usually the repertoire list has little bearing on admission. Some schools do not require a repertoire list at all. Ultimately, if a student can perform all of their audition songs well, it doesn’t matter that their repertoire list is somewhat thin; and if they cannot perform well, then the biggest most compresensive rep list in the world will not help them.</p>

<p>While it is certainly good to consider audition rep requirements at this stage and to ensure that one can cover them all in a year’s time, I wouldn’t recommend doing repertoire just to build the rep list. Do repertoire to build skills. </p>

<p>The lengths of repertoire lists varies considerably amongst successful applicants. I think that the variety within the rep list is usually more important than the length. For example, a violinist that has done no Bach, has a big hole; a commercial singer that has done no slow ballads, has a hole. A wide range of styles, tempi, eras etc. is viewed favourably.</p>

<p>Here are my questions:
a) (Mot basic) does this sound like is a reasonable plan? – Yes you are on track.
b) How many songs should be on a repertoire list? – The list should be as extensive as her repertoire. If she can perform those works for the audition, then put them on the list.
c) Should original songs be on rep list? – Yes most definitely.
d)Is there a standard format for rep lists? – Google that for ideas…
e) How much does the rep list play into a school’s decision? --It can’t hurt to have a good resume and so forth, but the bottom line is that schools are going to evaluate talent above all things.</p>

<p>The USC popular music program is very good and highly selective as well.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>