For those of you requesting LORs from voice teachers, coaches, etc. - be aware that if their email addresses are supplied by a university or other institution, the emailed request from the common app or other school admissions offices MAY be screened out by the institution’s SPAM filter. This was the case for my S two years ago and after two or three weeks of asking the teacher if he had received the request and trying multiple times to see if the request had been sent, we ended up having to use the voice teacher’s personal email. So be sure to follow up with your recommenders to make sure the LOR request has been received. Don’t assume that just because you put in the request, it got through to the intended recipient. Ugh! I feel all your pain. Can’t believe it was two years ago. Life has continued on the other side.
@mtjones1 I’m there with you, too. It is really a grueling process. Even once the multiple essays are written and all apps are submitted, there is always the worry whether the recs have been correctly sent and received by the correct schools. Some want extra recs from theatre/vocal pros; others just want academic/counselor recs. One school wants a repertoire list, another wants an exhaustive resume, and yet another wants an extra “why you think we’re so great” essay (even though everyone knows that for MT you have to hedge your bets by submitting multiple apps). Then there is the hassle of pre-screens: different requirements from different schools; some want 30 secs, others 60; some want individual intros and others want all pieces to be introduced at the beginning of the reel. Some allow contemporary pieces, others don’t. If you’re allowed to make early audition bookings, there is the jostling of appointments, so that you don’t have too many on the same day at Unifieds (just in case you pass pre-screens). Some schools want ACT/SAT to be official “from the agency”, while others are ok with “official” meaning part of the transcript (even though 90% of the decision is audition-based). Some schools allow you to check status online–but still take weeks to update those online statuses, so you are never quite sure if your recs/transcripts/test scores have been received. Some want to know your income level, probably so that they can decide for themselves whether your child warrants–and can afford–an audition spot (leading to exorbitant tuition fees). It is a daily exercise in focus and patience to stay on top of all these things, all for the slim chance that your kid might be granted an audition (which you have paid for, regardless) and might come out on top of 600 kids seeking the same goal. Such craziness in search of training and education. And yes, I know that real-world casting is even more competitive, but this is about college, growth, and development, not yet about gainful employment. Three minutes into the audition, our kids’ future at each particular institute is determined–and they are only 17 years old. Deep breaths, we can do it. PS: Second time around.
@claire74, I got PTSD just reading your post. :))
@callinne, I’m so sorry! This is the vent line, isnt’ it? I’m trying to build up my daily resistance so that I don’t have a knock-out heart attack all in one!
Trust us all you parents and students going through the process, the above quote really is true! We all survived and will welcome you gladly to the “other side” in six months. :-h
@soozievt is absolutely right. It will work out. You and your student will come out the other side and be able to look back fondly at these hectic crazy days.
In the mean time, as you go through the process, enjoy! Treasure the moments with your child, the meetings with students and parents at random schools, the hectic pace, the crazy travel, and all the rest. These will be memories to cherish!
I will say that after going through the process with my child two years in a row (transfer) even though I wasn’t initially involved the second year to the same extent, it feels very strange to not go through the process this year. Crazy, huh? Summer stock audition season is upon us, though, so there’s that…
There is ALWAYs something to worry about, @GSOMTMom and it does just about as much good during post-college auditions as pre-
Though I do think that I’m getting to the point where my S only tells me about good news.
^^^That’s where I want to be. Good news only!
How much wiggle room do you guys suppose we have in our uptempo song for the measure length. I really love this one uptempo song, fits in my range and character and contrasts my ballad nicely, but it doesn’t cut 32 bars easily. The song is written in cut time so if I used a 26-28 bar count under 32 then the song would seem way to short.
I know giving or taking a few bars is no big deal but what if jt went from 32 to 40 bars. Would any auditor be able to tell? It’ll be a similar length of time because it’s in time signature 2/2. Plus, if the auditor(s) are counting bars during my performance as opposed to watching me then perhaps there are bigger problems with my audition.
I would not use a cut longer than 32 bars if that has been specified by the school. There are some schools (Michigan in particular) that feel very strongly about following the rules they’ve set forth. I would just hate for you to be disregarded for something so silly. But they do put these instructions in place for a reason.
I will give you two sides to the story from our audition year:
-
the girl in front of D accidentally opened her book to and sang her 32 bar cut instead of her 16 bar cut for Michigan. When she realized it was the wrong cut, she should have immediately stopped, talked to the accompanist and directed him to the correct music for the correct cut. But she did not. She just sang what the accompanist played. She was very sternly addressed about not following instructions and quickly dismissed.
-
Carnegie Mellon, on the other hand, said if they were counting your bars instead of listening to you sing, there was more than the # of bars in your cut wrong with with your audition. So they seemed more interested in your voice and a bit more flexible if the bar count was not exactly right.
I will say D was rarely asked for her 32 bar cut. So that is something else to keep in mind. Make sure you are happy with all of your cuts, beginning with the 16 bar cuts.
My opinion which of course means nothing is…if the school is that anal about the cut being EXACTLY 32 bars or whatever and not even a smidge over that’s ridiculous. I mean I get it if you are WAY over but really…
As I understand it, Michigan is famous for taking that kind of stuff SERIOUSLY. If I recall correctly from reading their prescreen instructions, they said they would disqualify you if you were over time AT ALL (now on prescreen time is easy to tell- it’s in the feed) no idea about audition room, though I remember hearing a story about someone with a stopwatch etc…
The more I hear about Michigan, the less my son and I like the sound of the program. Almost wish son had not sent a pre-screen. . . He doesn’t have the personality to enjoy being constantly reminded how lucky he would be to attend.
Well that schools nowhere on our list . I know they are well known and think they’re awesome which they are I’m sure but still…you don’t have to be whatever. The kids are still 17 18 etc at the end of the day.
On Audition Update (a forum for working actors), when this question comes up for professional auditions, the answer is always “16 bars = 30 seconds, 32 bars = one minute. As long as your cut fits in that time limit, it doesn’t matter if it’s a couple of bars over.” That’s for professional auditions.
So if a school is SO strict in its auditions that doing an 18-bar cut instead of 16 bars automatically disqualifies you, I wouldn’t think highly of that school.
However, doing 32 bars instead of 16 is DEFINITELY a no-no in professional auditions as well as college. It’s not just “slightly” over - it’s TWICE as long as it’s supposed to be, and that WILL be noticed and considered “not following instructions.” So I don’t blame Michigan in the story above, if the student did 32 bars instead of 16. But if they’re disqualifying people for being two measly bars over (which is sometimes necessary just to get to the end of the phrase and have it make sense), then I think that’s definitely being ridiculously strict.
I agree the 32 bars is a mess up and way over 16 so yes def shouldn’t be allowed. I just hate to hear that some of the schools are so whatever! Ugh …how much is this tuition again? Lol
There is no penalty for going SHORTER than the allotted 16/32 bars - if the phrasing of the song lends itself in that direction. Some auditors might even thank you.
What about if the phrasing lends itself to 40 bars of an uptempo song as opposed to 32. The song is in cut time so the 40 measures are about 1 minute in length so it would seem to a group of auditions who’s priority isn’t to see if you go over 32 bars then it would be hard to tell I went over so much.
Clearly Doing 32 for a 16 is bad but how far can I go over a 32. If anyone is good at cutting music and is willing to help I can PM you my song, I’d prefer not to post it on here.
Do the 40 bars really “show” any more of the singer’s capabilities than a shorter cut?