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@momma2four I think that having 2 voice teachers is great for exactly this reason (and some others). Your D gets 2 different perspectives. This is an art form, and it is subjective. Ultimately, she should trust her gut about which songs she really enjoys singing, that she thinks really show who she is - her type, as well as her vocal skills. Showing that high belt is certainly going to be impressive, but maybe make sure that she is not locked into singing the same song at the live audition if she thinks there is any chance she wouldn’t be able to do it if she got sick.
As a voice teacher I can share with you the pros and cons of having 2 teachers from my perspective. Most students want to be respectful to their teachers so when have conflicting styles of teaching it can be confusing. They certainly don’t want to have to say, “well my other teacher tells me to do it this way”. If the student is open and honest about it and the 2 teachers respect one another and work in harmony the student can come out a winner. There is a wonderful teacher in our area who does not live here year round. That teacher has always been a wonderful collaborator. I am happy to fill in teaching when they are not around and I refer many of my students to him when he is in town. I even had my own daughter study with both of us. On the other hand if it’s done without the 2 teachers knowing it can be hurtful and complicated. I have experienced that personally as well.
I think 2 teachers work best when one works on technique, the other is more of a coach helping with rep and performance. It is very difficult to study technique with 2 teachers at the same time.
As far as selecting the audition song, does your D identify more with one song over another? Are they both roles she could play now - appropriate for her current age and type? Does she have a preference for the shows they come from? Most of all, does she feel more comfortable performing one over the other? I agree with @elsacc. - your D needs to go with her gut feeling on this one. She’s the one who has to like the song and be comfortable performing it.
This is where a coach is very important. A coach helps choose the rep, the voice teacher should be able to work on vocal technique and perfecting the singing of the songs your daughter and coach have chosen.
College audition coaches are familiar with what works for college auditions. This is entirely different than what you would choose for a recital, which is what many voice teachers are accustomed to choosing rep for. College auditions rarely need entire songs. You need someone familiar with choosing 16 and 32 bar cuts, and also choosing cuts that will work well with the monologogues you choose, and are not overdone. Voice teachers aren’t usually familiar with what is overdone in current audition seasons. College audition coaches see hundreds, sometimes thousands, of auditions each year so they are up to date on this sort of thing.
Strong songs is most important. You don’t want a song that Is too stretchy for your range… You need to be able to sing in the unfortunate instance that you are sick for an audition. I agree that 2 voice teachers is an issue in selecting audition rep. Good luck to you!
@momma2four you are not alone. My D is also a soprano and looking at the universities vs. conservatory settings for the most part. We have an amazing and supportive voice teacher that my D has been studying with for the past 3 years. However, we are also working with song and monologue coaches from MTCA. We are using the MTCA coach to select the MT audition material and continuing to work with her regular coach on technique and classical material for a few VP auditions. I met with the voice teacher in advance to include her in the process and let her know she is not being replaced. Ultimately, I am just trying to build the best team possible to help my D achieve her dreams.
@momma2four I loved your post – not sure why this feed is so quiet. Seems less people posting and more lurking. As for your choice, I would have your D make that decision, you had good help with teachers, but ultimately it has to be something she feels is the right one. If not, she will regret it.
I’ve been stalking this site for a long time and have found it very helpful so far. So thanks!
A brief intro: My D is a senior and wants to double major in MT and VP, although as long as the vocals are strong in the MT program this isn’t a complete “must-have”. We have a list of 9 schools, all good programs, but the kicker is… there is ONLY ONE school that has EVERYTHING she wants.
My main concern is that my D is a legit soprano, and does not belt at all. She does have a strong mix-belt, so hopefully that’s enough. She has been acting since she was about 8, is involved in high school theatre and has done a couple of Equity shows locally. She was a member of both a ballet company and a modern company, until dance became so time consuming that she didn’t have time to act or sing. She is now taking a couple of dance classes just to keep her stamina up for auditions.
I feel we have done everything humanly possible to prepare; and the rest is out of our hands. So… here we go!
@MTMusing - do not worry about whether your D can belt. Almost all programs are looking for potential, not a finished product. And its important to learn to belt in a healthy manner. Having a strong mix at present is great. It sounds like your D has had great training and experience which will serve her well in the audition process. It sounds like you all have done all the right things to get her prepared. Best wishes to you in the audition process!
I agree with vvnstar… And now a shameless plug for the bachelor of music at Baldwin Wallace! It’s not a double major, but because of the music degree, this MT program has many of the same features that a VP program would have. My D does have both MT and Classical rep that she consistently works with her voice teacher. If you haven’t already, check it out!
@MTMusing, my D was trained by a classical voice teacher, is a very high soprano, and auditioned for colleges not knowing how to belt. No belt at all. Her forte is, and always has been, her legit voice. She has a powerful mix, but even now, as a junior MT, she does not consider herself a belter. I guess I just want to let you know that there ARE places for our legit singers in MT. She specifically did not want to go into VP b/c she doesn’t love opera the way she loves MT. Her school list leaned heavily towards schools that appreciated legit voices. She got into a few of those schools that appreciate legit voices (OCU, NYU-Steinhardt), but to our immense surprise, she also got into Ithaca, her top choice. So don’t think that b/c your D can’t belt, there isn’t hope in MT. There is. So, if she’s leaning towards a double major in MT and VP simply b/c she can’t belt, it’s not necessary. If she’s leaning towards it b/c she loves both and can’t decide, there are several good schools where she can do both: OCU, NYU-Steinhardt, and Ithaca all come to mind. Best of luck!
Thank you for those words of encouragement!
Thank you, I think I am more nervous than my D, or maybe she just hides it well:-/
My d doesn’t belt either and wasn’t sure whether she wanted MT or VP. Got several excellent offers and is currently a sophomore at OCU double majoring in MT and VP. She loves it and is learning so much from both her voice teacher and coach about singing and interpretation for both MT and opera rep. They also have wonderful dance and students level into classes based on ability, including classes with the dance majors if they are.good enough.
There are a number of programs out there that appreciate legit training - I am sure your d will find her place.
Still love checking in on CC because it is such a supportive group! If you can’t belt, yet, or haven’t been exposed to how to do it properly, audition season is not the time to panic and try to do it out of pressure. The stakes are too high for overall singing health. There are plenty of songs out there that can showcase your potential. Find them, and sing the heck out of them, and then put it in God’s hands. Already been said, but there are PLENTY of MT schools out there that still appreciate a classically trained voice.
is it unusual to belt and be able to sing classically as a soprano? My D can do both. She prefers to belt but can sing both. She was trained in more of a classical manner when younger but now in an arts high school as a jr she is def not singing as much classically as before.
@theaterwork It is not unusual to be able to do both. But as she concentrates more on MT, she will not develop the soprano range that she might if she were classically trained and concentrating on opera repertoire. I’m not saying she can’t sing classically, but the choice of what she sings will effect the direction her voice develops.
I’m another lurker who feels it’s time to introduce myself. My daughter is a HS Senior, so we are in the midst of figuring this all out. She wants to go for a BFA in MT and is basically putting all her eggs in one basket. There are no safety schools or non audition schools on her list and she’s focusing on schools that she perceives to be in the top 2 tiers. We have friends who’s kids have gone the MT route, and having witnessed how stressful the process was, I’m grateful to have this site here for support.
Welcome @IJKmom, and good luck to your D.